Teresa Goody Guillén, a veteran Securities attorney with impressive backgrounds in traditional finance and blockchain regulation, is reportedly in the running for the leadership of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission if Donald Trump, the President-elect, chooses her for the job.
If picked, that would amount to a significant change at the agency, at least in policy-making, compared to its current ‘anti-crypto’ policy under Gary Gensler.
The Trump administration revealed that it plans to get away from what it dubbed “regulation by enforcement” in the cryptocurrency space. Trump, who is set to become president once again on Jan 20 for a second term, vowed during his campaign to sack Gensler on his first day in office, and reports indicate that Gensler is already preparing to resign before that happens.
The team of the incumbent US President is said to seek someone with knowledge about digital assets and who could also soften the SEC’s rather harsh crypto regulations until Congress finally offers more definitive legislative direction. There, blockchain and finance moguls see Goody Guillén as a perfect fit for this vision. Its advocates mention its firm grasp of security law and thoughtful approach to regulation.
Because of Guillén’s experience with the SEC and her advocacy for blockchain companies, she has gained a significant amount of support from both crypto leaders and traditional finance executives. Goody Guillén works as a partner at BakerHostetler, leading the firm’s blockchain division. Her LinkedIn information says that from 2009 to 2011, she was the general counsel in the SEC’s office. After that, she teamed up with former SEC Chair Harvey Pitt for enforcement counsel services.
This cocktail of insider knowledge combined with advocacy against SEC enforcement actions has made her the ideal candidate, especially after Trump’s team called for a pro-crypto regulator to reform the SEC. According to Brendan Playford, co-founder of the decentralized data provider Masa, she is an instant change-maker capable of restructuring the finance industry.
Goody Guillén is one of many competitive groups of candidates for the SEC Chair position, which also includes major figures like Robert Stebbins from Willkie Farr & Gallagher, Brad Bondi from Paul Hastings, former SEC commissioner Paul Atkins, and Brain Brooks, who previously served as Acting Controller of the Currency.
The Trump transition team is reportedly moving much faster this time, and it intends to announce a new SEC chair before Thanksgiving, according to CoinDesk. Of course, such urgency highlights this administration’s attention to financial regulation changes that should be implemented quickly. If Goody Guillén is appointed, her leadership will most likely result in several significant shifts in how the SEC approaches crypto regulations.
With the Trump administration already making some bold and controversial picks for Cabinet positions, everyone is more than keeping an eye out for this opportunity to mean a make-or-break for regulatory reforms in the next four years.
