The 2008 financial crisis was one of the most devastating financial episodes in modern history. It caused massive job losses, home foreclosures, company closures, and a global recession. Structural issues and wrongdoing by financial ▨institutions culminated in an economic disaster.

Many key figures in the United States government and the financial industry played roles in the crisis, both in causing it and helping to recover from it. Below, we discuss some of them and where they are now.

Henry Paulson

Henry Paulson served as the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury from 2006 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. He played an important role in creating the $700 billion 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Troubled Asset Relief Pr♐ogram (TARP), which provided emergency bailout money to banks and other institutions to prevent a financial system collapse.

Some of the largest recipients of TARP funds were Citigroup, Bank of America, AIG, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, General Motors, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley.

Before serving as Treasury Secretary, Paulson was the CEO of Goldman Sachs. This gave him unique insight into the crisis.

After leaving office, Paulson created the Paulson Institute in 2011, focusing on environmental and economic policies. The organization is "dedicated to fostering global relationships that advance economic prosperity, promote sustainable growth, and maintain global order in a rapidly evolving world."

He also wrote many books on the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:financial crisis, including "On the Brink," published in 2010.

While he has primarily stepped away from politics, he weighs in on economic issues via speaking engagements and by writing articles for notable publications, such as The Washington Post.

Ben Bernanke

Ben Bernanke was 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:chairman of the Federal Reserve from 2006 to 2014 and led its charge in responding to the financial crisis.

The Fed cut interest rates to stem the economic crisis and began very large 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:quantitative easing programs. Interest rates went from 5.25% in June 2006 to between 0% and 0.25% in December 2008.

These actions helped stimulate the economy and stem the fallout from the crisis. After serving his term as Fed chairman, Bernanke joined the Brookings Institution as a distinguished fellow with the Economic Studies program.

In 2022, Bernanke won the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for research on banks and financial crises. As of 2025, he works consulting and is invited to speak on financial issues.

Timothy Geithner

During the financial crisis, Timothy Geithner was the President of the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Federal Reserve Bank of New York. He oversaw the bailout of institutions based in New York, suc🥃h as AIG and certain banks. He also played a role in the decision to🍸 let Lehman Brothers collapse.

Geithner became the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury under President Obama, further overseeing the nation's economic recovery from the financial crisis. He expanded TARP and ensured recipients paid back bailout money as quickly as possible.

He was involved in the Obama administration's $787 billion 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:American Recover🍃y and Investment Act.

After completing his term in 2013, Geithner joined the private sector, serving as chairman of Warburg Pincus, a private equity firm.

Geithner wrote a 2015 memoir about the financial crisis called "澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Stress Test."

As of 2025, he is the chair of the Program on Financial Stability at Yale University. In addition, he serves as co-chair of the Aspen Economic Strategy Group and is a member of the International Rescue Committee Board of Advisors.

Richard Fuld

Richard Fuld was the last CEO of Lehman Brothers, one of the most prestigious financial firms on Wall Street. It 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:collapsed during the economic crisis when theꦚ government refused to bail it out. Its bankruptcy reve♈rberated through the global financial markets.

Lehman was a big player in the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:mortgage-backed securities (MBS) space, and poorly structured MBS were a main cause of the financial crisis. When Lehman filed for bankruptcy in 2008, it had $613 billion in debt.

With his legacy forever tarnished, Fuld disappeared from the public spotlight for many years. In 2016, he founded the asset management firm, Matrix Private Capital Group, where he still serves as chairman.

John Mack

John Mack was the CEO of Morgan Stanley, which was on the verge of collapse but saved by a government bailout and a $9 billion investment from Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group's investment gave Mitsubishi 21% control of Morgan Stanley.

Like others, Mack wrote a book on the financial crisis about his time at Morgan Stanley entitled "Up Close and All In." He has also served on various boards, such as New Fortress Energy and Glencore.

Lloyd Blankfein

During the financial crisis, 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Lloyd Blankfein was the CEO of Goldman Sachs. The company survived thanks to a $10 billion government bailout and by converting itself into a bank holding company in order to access emergency funding.

Blankfein remained at Goldman Sachs until 2018. Since then, he has served as a Compass Speaker for the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Foundation, and frequently provides insight into economics and finance at business events and media appearances.

Jamie Dimon

Jamie Dimon is the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, a position he held during the financial crisis. His reputation improved during that period as he deftly handled the fallout. It helped that JPMorgan avoided the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:worst of subprime mortgage lending.

Under his leadership during the period, JPMorgan acquired 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual at extremely low prices, though Dimon would go on to say that the acquisitions were not the best strategic decisions.

澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Jamie Dimon continues to be an important figure in finance in 2025. JPMorgan has become the most prominent bank in the U.S. and his advice is often sought by the media, other professionals, a✨nd politicians.

Ken Lewis

Ken Lewis was the CEO of Bank of America during the financial crisis. During that period, he oversaw the purchase of Merrill Lynch and Countrywide Financial, poor decisions that nearly ruined the bank due to the toxic assets held by these entities.

Lewis was later sued by regulators in a civil case for misleading shareholders, and he settled by paying $10 million to resolve the claims. Since retiring in 2009, he has remained out of public view.

Kathleen Corbet

Many MBSs contained subprime mortgages𒐪 at the time of the financial crisis. Yet their credit ratings, which were higher tꩵhan warranted, didn't reflect this.

Though most investors believed MBS to be safe, when subprime borrowers defaulted on their mortgages, the securities built on them plummeted in value, with many becoming worthless. Credit rating agency Standard & Poor's was heavily criticized.

Kathleen Corbet was president of S&P from 2004 to 2007. She resigned shortly before the crisis, but many of the MBS were rated under her tenure, and it is assumed she was asked to step down as criticism grew.

Since leaving S&P, Corbet has served on many boards, such as MassMutual Financial, Waveny Lifecare Network, and BlackRock TCP Capital. She is a venture capitalist entrepreneur and founded Cross Ridge Capital, a venture capital consulting firm.

George W. Bush

George W. Bush was the U.S. president during the financial crisis. He supported the various measures used to combat it, including TARP. As the collapse occurred towards th💮e end of his time in office, it overshadowed his second term, and much of the recovery was handed over to the Obama administration.

Since leaving office, Bush has largely remained out of the spotlight, focusing primarily on his philanthropic activities, his art, and veterans' issues.

He does not partake in economic, financial, or political discussions much, though he has written several books about his time in office and after.

The Bottom Line

The 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:2008 financial crisis was a catastrophic moment for the global economy, causing distress for people all over the world. It also affected the careers and lives of the people at the cওenter of it.

While many key figures have gone on to have successful careers and remain influenti🌠al in the financial sphere, others h꧅ad their reputations damaged and faded from the public eye.

The lessons of the crisis can be seen today in economic, government, and financial policies designed to ensure that such disastrous events don't happen again.