Author: Christine Lee, CoinDesk
Compiled by: Ismay, BlockBeats
Editor's Note: As the transition process for Trump's new term accelerates, the choice of SEC chairman has become a focus of attention. Among them, Teresa Goody Guillén has become a hot candidate due to her rich experience in traditional securities law and the cryptocurrency field. The Trump team has shown a high degree of emphasis on supporting business and the cryptocurrency industry, and has proposed a vision to reform the current regulatory model. This article analyzes Goody Guillén's background and her potential role in this reform, and also reviews the latest nomination dynamics of other key positions, presenting readers with the regulatory direction and policy trends of Trump's second term.
Goody Guillén is Widely Recommended as a Hot Candidate for SEC Chairman
Goody Guillén is a partner at the law firm BakerHostetler and the co-head of the firm's blockchain practice. Cryptocurrency companies privately support her to serve as SEC chairman, citing her experience working at the SEC and her rich track record of representing blockchain companies and traditional Wall Street firms in dealings with the SEC.
"Brendan Playford, co-founder of Masa, said: 'Among all the candidates being discussed, she is the best candidate.' Masa is a token-driven company that provides decentralized data services for AI companies. Playford also mentioned that Goody Guillén will bring about immediate changes to the SEC."
Playford: Goody Guillén Will Bring Disruptive Changes to the Cryptocurrency Industry
"She has a clear understanding of the relevant laws and the way the SEC operates," Playford said. "We will welcome a leader who can bring about immediate change, she is highly supportive of cryptocurrencies, which will fundamentally change the industry landscape."
Goody Guillén did not comment on this. Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump transition team, also did not respond to a request for comment.
After the cryptocurrency industry invested over $130 million in campaign support for Trump and other Republican candidates, industry insiders have gained the attention of the Trump team in the selection process. It is reported that Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has met privately with Trump to discuss personnel appointments.
Goody Guillén Enters the Highly Competitive List of SEC Chairman Candidates
Goody Guillén has become one of the candidates to potentially replace the current SEC chairman Gary Gensler. It is reported that Gensler has already begun to refer to his position in the past tense last week, and is expected to step down before Trump's formal inauguration on January 20. Traditionally, the SEC chairman usually resigns during the transition period of a new administration. During the election campaign, Trump had promised to "fire" Gensler on the first day of his presidency.
Other SEC chairman candidates reportedly include: Robert Stebbins, a partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, Brad Bondi, a partner at Paul Hastings, former SEC commissioner Paul Atkins, Dan Gallagher, chief legal officer of Robinhood, and Brian Brooks, former acting comptroller of the currency.
"Tough as Nails" - Teresa Goody Guillén's Path to the SEC
According to her LinkedIn page, Teresa Goody Guillén served as a lawyer in the SEC's Office of the General Counsel from 2009 to 2011, during the time when Mary Shapiro became the SEC's first female chairman.
Subsequently, as the Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of Kalorama Partners, Goody Guillén worked with former SEC Chairman Harvey Pitt to advise clients on responding to SEC enforcement cases.
According to three informed sources, the Trump transition team plans to undertake a comprehensive reform of the SEC, seeking a leader who supports business and has a non-bureaucratic background, to revoke the expanded institutional functions during Gensler's tenure, and to end the practice of "implementing regulation through enforcement actions".
In the cryptocurrency field, the Trump team is looking for a leader who understands the industry and takes a cautious approach to the application of securities laws to digital assets, until clear legislation is passed by Congress. These informed sources also said that Goody Guillén's peers believe she fully embodies these principles.
"She is low-key... but she is tough as nails," said Charley Cooper, a senior advisor at digital asset solutions provider R3 and former Chief Operating Officer of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). "She will govern based on a deep understanding of securities laws in both traditional markets and the crypto realm, and will significantly reduce the previous administration's reliance on enforcement actions and arbitrary interpretations of 90-year-old laws."
"Teresa is a true pioneer in the crypto space, and she has the expertise and vision to lead the SEC and drive the growth of U.S. cryptocurrencies and capital markets," said Nicole Trudeau, general counsel of investment firm Wave Digital Assets, who has worked with Goody Guillén on several crypto-related bankruptcy and SEC receivership cases. "She fully embodies the expectations of President Trump for this field."
Moving Quickly
Washington insiders reveal that the candidate selection process this time is faster and more orderly compared to Trump's first term, and the SEC chairman's nominee is expected to be determined before Thanksgiving.
Trump has appointed Howard Lutnick, the co-chairman of his transition team and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, as Secretary of Commerce. Previously, Lutnick had actively sought to become Treasury Secretary, but the current hot candidates for this position include Scott Bessent, founder of Key Square Group, Mark Rowan, CEO of Apollo Global Management, and former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh.
Trump has announced several eye-catching and controversial nominations, including nominating Florida Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz as Attorney General, but this is expected to face strong opposition in Congress due to allegations of sex trafficking.
In addition, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth has been nominated as Secretary of Defense, former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has been nominated as Director of National Intelligence, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been nominated as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
