• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living

2

Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs

3

Meet the Zillennials: The luckiest micro-generation in the workforce, born between 1993 and 1998

1

Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living

2

Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs

3

Meet the Zillennials: The luckiest micro-generation in the workforce, born between 1993 and 1998
PoliticsThe Biden administration

Who is Lael Brainard? What to know about Biden’s likely pick for Treasury Secretary

Emma Hinchliffe
By
Emma Hinchliffe
Emma Hinchliffe
Most Powerful Women Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
Emma Hinchliffe
By
Emma Hinchliffe
Emma Hinchliffe
Most Powerful Women Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 9, 2020, 6:02 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

President-elect Biden is starting to assemble his cabinet, and Democrats are angling to influence who he will choose for the positions.

One leading candidate for the high-profile Treasury Secretary slot is Lael Brainard, a member of the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors.

A former under secretary for the Department of the Treasury during the early years of the Obama administration, Brainard also served as an economic adviser to President Clinton.

The Treasury pick is likely to be an early battle between moderates, progressives, and the GOP, Politico reports, given Biden’s likely desire to move quickly on economic recovery plans. Here’s what you should know about Brainard.

She’s a moderate pick—with a few fairly progressive leanings

The Fed governor is seen as a moderate or centrist choice for the Treasury position, according to Matthew Luzzetti, chief U.S. economist for Deutsche Bank. “The choice of a Treasury secretary is a signaling device for whether the Biden presidency will look toward more moderate or centrist economic policies or progressive ones,” Luzzetti says.

Brainard’s rumored competitors for the position, according to Politico, include Atlanta Fed president and CEO Raphael Bostic; former Fed governor Sarah Bloom Raskin; TIAA-CREF CEO and former Fed vice chair Roger Ferguson; Ariel Investments co-CEO Mellody Hobson; and progressive choice Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Since she became a Fed governor in 2014, Brainard has “held mainstream views” and leaned doveish, meaning that she favors keeping rates low and creating economic stimulus to promote job growth, rather than worrying about inflation, Luzzetti says.

But Brainard has also voted in favor of increasing capital requirements for banks—a vote that aligns her with the Biden administration’s likely interest in regulating the finance industry.

Her record suggests that she, like Biden, believes in moderate economic policies with some level of support for the kind of regulation—and undoing of the GOP’s deregulation—that progressives are hoping for.

Still, Brainard as head of the Treasury would “sit well within the Biden administration, but be unlikely to go as far as some of the more progressive candidates would want,” Luzzetti says.

She favors economic stimulus in response to COVID-19

Throughout the coronavirus crisis, the Fed has supported additional fiscal stimulus to help the economy recover from the pandemic’s associated economic downturn. Like her colleagues, Brainard has backed those proposals.

“I would expect she would be very much supportive of rolling out a stimulus package early next year that is broader than what we’ve seen contemplated from the Republican side,” says Luzzetti. “I would view her as being very supportive of the key elements of the Democratic platform: support for unemployment benefits, state and local governments, small businesses.”

She’s an early frontrunner

Right now, Brainard is seen as the frontrunner for the post.

“She’s been at the Federal Reserve during the current crisis and worked at Obama’s Treasury department. She has signaled support for the left and the center without expressing solidarity with either. And she would make history as the first woman ever to lead the department,” reports Politico.

Her tenure in the Obama administration could be a focus of some tougher questioning during a confirmation process. Specifically, Luzzetti says, Brainard’s background in international trade—during a time when the U.S. did not take as “forceful action against China” as lawmakers now favor.

Still, the candidate is a popular choice—with the caveat that much could change in the weeks and months ahead. The incoming Biden administration itself has yet to publicly weigh in.

About the Author
Emma Hinchliffe
By Emma HinchliffeMost Powerful Women Editor
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Emma Hinchliffe is Fortune’s Most Powerful Women editor, overseeing editorial for the longstanding franchise. As a senior writer at Fortune, Emma has covered women in business and gender-lens news across business, politics, and culture. She is the lead author of the Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter (formerly the Broadsheet), Fortune’s daily missive for and about the women leading the business world.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Politics

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Politics

Nancy Pelosi’s husband could face misdemeanor charges after hit-and-run collision in Napa wine country that left one car with ‘major damage’
PoliticsNancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi’s husband could face misdemeanor charges after hit-and-run collision in Napa wine country that left one car with ‘major damage’
By Safiyah Riddle and The Associated PressJuly 4, 2026
4 hours ago
Treasury rolls out currency signed by Trump for Fourth of July
PoliticsDonald Trump
Treasury rolls out currency signed by Trump for Fourth of July
By Jeff Mason and BloombergJuly 4, 2026
4 hours ago
Trump allies double down on efforts to reshape Federal Reserve
PoliticsFederal Reserve
Trump allies double down on efforts to reshape Federal Reserve
By Saleha Mohsin, Joshua Green and BloombergJuly 4, 2026
12 hours ago
Ukrainian drones target more Russian oil infrastructure as fuel crisis adds political pressure on Putin, who shrugs off attacks as ‘not critical’
EnergyUkraine invasion
Ukrainian drones target more Russian oil infrastructure as fuel crisis adds political pressure on Putin, who shrugs off attacks as ‘not critical’
By The Associated PressJuly 4, 2026
12 hours ago
usa
North Americahistory
Before independence, America tried — and failed — to conquer Canada
By Sarah M.S. Pearsall and The ConversationJuly 4, 2026
14 hours ago
p
Politicshistory
69% of Americans think the founders would be disappointed in democracy today. A French philosopher predicted why
By Robert A. Ballingall and The ConversationJuly 4, 2026
14 hours ago

Most Popular

Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living
Success
Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living
By Preston ForeJuly 4, 2026
19 hours ago
Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs
Law
Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs
By Wyatte Grantham-Philips and The Associated PressJuly 2, 2026
2 days ago
Meet the Zillennials: The luckiest micro-generation in the workforce, born between 1993 and 1998
AI
Meet the Zillennials: The luckiest micro-generation in the workforce, born between 1993 and 1998
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 3, 2026
2 days ago
Economists have found an answer to slowing cognitive decline: Avoid retiring early, study finds
Economy
Economists have found an answer to slowing cognitive decline: Avoid retiring early, study finds
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 2, 2026
2 days ago
$25 billion CEO says one-hour interviews are a waste of time—he puts candidates through six hours of tests and wants them to order wine at lunch
Success
$25 billion CEO says one-hour interviews are a waste of time—he puts candidates through six hours of tests and wants them to order wine at lunch
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 3, 2026
2 days ago
Three dads started selling hats from a garage with $750—now they’ve sold $35 million worth, partnered with Gary Vee, and grown a community of fathers
Success
Three dads started selling hats from a garage with $750—now they’ve sold $35 million worth, partnered with Gary Vee, and grown a community of fathers
By Preston ForeJuly 4, 2026
16 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.