- Tony West, Harris’ brother-in-law and an Uber executive, doesn’t plan on serving in her cabinet.
- Other private sector stars are in the running for key positions like Treasury secretary.
- Harris is courting industry leaders, leaving many wondering how they would influence her term.
With Election Day just over a month away, the quiet campaign among cabinet hopefuls has begun. Vice President Kamala Harris has worked hard to establish ties with the business and tech communities, and some industry leaders are among those being considered for top roles should she win the White House.
Tony West, Harris’ brother-in-law and a top executive at Uber, has been instrumental in cementing the vice president’s relationship with corporate America. Though West is currently on leave from his role at Uber to help with the campaign, he said in an email to colleagues in August that he plans to return once the election is over, the Wall Street Journal reported.
“He will return to Uber. He has made clear he has no plans to join a Harris administration,” a source told the Journal.
Though West is seemingly out of the running for top jobs like Treasury secretary, other Wall Street bigwigs are still very much in the race.
One name has garnered a lot of attention in recent days: Former American Express CEO Ken Chenault.
A Democratic donor who has known Harris for years, Chenault has endorsed the vice president and even spoke at the Democratic National Convention. Sources told Semafor he’s a leading candidate for Treasury secretary, among other positions. Chenault led American Express for almost 20 years, making him one of the few Black CEOs of a major company. He now sits on the board of Airbnb and Berkshire Hathaway, and previously sat on those of Facebook, IBM, and Procter & Gamble.
But Chenault isn’t a shoo-in — leaders on and off Wall Street are also jockeying for the coveted position. The Journal reported that Wally Adeyemo, the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, and Gina Raimondo, the Secretary of Commerce, are contenders. Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, is another potential choice, CNBC reported.
The Journal also named investment banker Blair Effron, former tech CEO Charles Phillips, and Microsoft President Brad Smith as possibilities for either secretary of the Treasury or Commerce.
Few appointments are under greater scrutiny than chairs of the Federal Trade Commission and Securities and Exchange Commission. Biden’s choices, Lina Khan and Gary Gensler, are polarizing, with many executives wanting to see them out should Harris win next month.
Mark Cuban, the billionaire investor and Harris surrogate, even offered himself up to lead the SEC.
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