Former colleagues have compared Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen with Mary Poppins; claiming she is firm, kind and always prepared.
This leadership style has served her well throughout career. She earned a PhD in economics from Yale, and spent years as a professor before embarking on a series of high profile roles — including becoming the first woman to lead the Fed from 2014 to 2018. She is also said to have been one of the few regulators to call the 2008 financial crisis.
Though her comments on cryptocurrency and illicit financing have hit the headlines, her written testimony shows a more nuanced attitude. “I think it important we consider the benefits of cryptocurrencies and other digital assets" wrote Yellen, "and the potential they have to improve the efficiency of the financial system."