#23 - “Crypto Mom”, SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, on Crypto, Regulation, and ESG Critiques

In this episode, we dig into cryptocurrency regulation, the societal role of corporations, and ESG requirements with SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce. Both a leading conservative advocate of cryptocurrency innovation and a vocal critic of ESG, Commissioner Peirce brings incisive perspective to complicated current topics including: Her path into financial regulation and her experience engaging in principled, civic discourse as the lone Republican of the SEC. The appropriate roles for Congress and regulatory agencies to play in controlling the risks of cryptocurrency, while incentivizing innovation. The free market forces which she believes incentivize corporations to behave in the public interest, and how finance can be a high-leverage sector for positive change. Her critique of ESG as a “scarlet letter phenomenon” and why she believes ESG currently fails to achieve its stated goals. Difficulties in ESG reporting and disclosures and how she believes investors can receive better information from companies. For future and current finance leaders alike, we hope this conversation proves both highly informative thanks to its substantive depth, and also thought-provoking as Commissioner Peirce shares her unique perspectives on some of the most important topics in finance today. *Note: at the time of this recording a few weeks ago, the SEC only had four commissioners. Since then, Commissioner Mark Uyeda and Jaime Lizarraga were sworn in. 00:00 - Intro 9:00 - Crypto Regulations 17:33 - Role of Corporations in the Public Interest 26:22 - ESG 39:53 - Rapid Fire