Jay Clayton (attorney)

Jay Clayton is an American attorney who served as the Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from 2017 to 2020 under President Donald Trump.

Prior to his appointment as SEC Chairman, Clayton was a partner at the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, where he specialized in mergers and acquisitions and capital markets transactions. He represented numerous prominent companies, including Alibaba in its initial public offering.

As SEC Chairman, Clayton focused on modernizing market regulation, particularly in areas related to digital assets and cybersecurity. He also oversaw enforcement actions related to securities fraud and insider trading. Some of his notable initiatives included efforts to streamline the process for companies going public and addressing concerns about the regulation of cryptocurrency.

Clayton's tenure at the SEC was marked by debates about the scope and direction of securities regulation. His supporters praised his efforts to promote capital formation and innovation, while critics raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest due to his prior work representing major financial institutions and about the adequacy of investor protections under his leadership.

After leaving the SEC, Clayton returned to the private sector, joining Apollo Global Management and serving on the advisory boards of various companies.