Timothy Massad

Timothy G. Massad Occupation Research fellow and director of the Digital Assets Policy Project Employer Harvard Kennedy School Location Washington, DC Twitter @timmassad LinkedIn Profile Website www.hks.harvard.edu Timothy G. Massad is a research fellow and director of the Digital Assets Policy Project at the Harvard Kennedy School, a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown Law School. Background Massad has a background in private legal practice, federal financial regulation, and academic research focusing on digital assets and financial markets policy. He previously served as chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and oversaw the Troubled Asset Relief Program at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Early Career and Treasury Department Massad began his career in private legal practice, working at the law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore. His early professional trajectory included work in corporate law before he transitioned to public service. During the response to the 2008-2009 financial crisis, Massad joined the U.S. Department of the Treasury. In this role, he implemented the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and managed the federal government's response to the economic downturn. He began the position in September 2010 after the departure of TARP head Herb Allison, but was not confirmed until June 2011. Commodity Futures Trading Commission Massad was sworn in as chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on June 5, 2014. During his tenure as chairman, he oversaw the agency's regulatory agenda and operations, joining the roster of former commissioners upon his departure. He served as the chairman of the CFTC from 2014 to 2017. He was confirmed to the position on June 3, 2014, replacing Gary Gensler, who stepped down in early January. Massad stepped down as CFTC chairman on January 20, 2017, at the end of the Obama administration. His leadership at the CFTC involved managing the regulatory architecture for financial markets and implementing post-crisis financial regulations. During his chairmanship, he focused on major regulatory accomplishments, shaping oversight of derivatives markets. Academic and Advisory Roles Following his tenure at the CFTC, Massad transitioned into academic and policy roles. He serves as a research fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Mossavar-Rahmani Center, where he is the director of the Digital Assets Policy Project. He is also a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University’s Psaros Center for Financial Markets and Policy. In the private sector, Massad was appointed as a strategic advisor for Ethic Inc., a technology-driven sustainable asset manager. His advisory work focuses on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing and financial regulation. Political and Regulatory Activity Massad has remained active in financial markets policy, particularly regarding the regulation of cryptocurrencies and tokenized assets. He has testified as a witness before Senate and congressional committees regarding digital assets and the federal oversight of digital commodities. In August 2026, Massad submitted a public comment to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding regulatory consultations specific to swaps and security-based swap markets. Education Massad attended Harvard University, where his education included a period of student activism during his Harvard years. Massad holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard College and a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School. Video On November 12, 2013, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Timothy Massad to lead the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. John Lothian News Articles Ex-CFTC chairman calls for SEC to regulate cryptocurrencies - JLN Former CFTC Chair Warns Against Agency Becoming ‘Federal Gaming Regulator’ - JLN Podcast References

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