"Scott Bessent spent the past 40 years studying economic history. Now, as Donald Trump's choice to lead the Treasury Department, he has the chance to make his mark on it.

As a hedge-fund manager, first at George Soros's firm and later at his own, Bessent specialized in macroinvesting, or analyzing geopolitical situations and economic data to wager on big-picture market moves. He generated billions of dollars in profits betting on and against currencies, interest rates, stocks and other asset classes around the world."