OUR JOURNEY

BlackRock History

Over the years, BlackRock has grown from a small bond shop into one of the world’s leading asset managers by relentlessly pursuing one goal – to help people invest better.

That growth has always been driven by our clients – understanding their goals so we can provide greater access to the world’s investment opportunities and more choices to meet their individual needs. To do so, we continuously evolve — challenging convention, embracing technology, and expanding our global expertise — to ensure we’re able to help our clients navigate an increasingly complex world with confidence. We are constantly developing our global platform and expertise to serve them across their whole portfolio.

Our founders:

From eight co-founders in 1988 to the thousands of employees across our organization ever since, that vision has made BlackRock the firm we are today. And it continues to drive us forward.

And we have accomplished this all in the service of our clients.
The Eight BlackRock Founders

Top row: Robert Kapito, Keith Anderson, Susan Wagner, Hugh Frater, Ben Golub
Bottom row: Larry Fink, Ralph Schlosstein, Barbara Novick

1980's

BlackRock was founded in 1988 in New York to manage fixed-income assets. During our early years we:

  • Launched innovative products, beginning with an ‘Income Trust’
  • Took our first advisory assignment
  • Developed the Aladdin® platform to manage portfolios and risk

1990's

BlackRock listed on the New York Stock Exchange and had $165 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 1999. This era was marked by continuing innovation and deepening relationships with our clients.

  • Offered Aladdin® capabilities to clients
  • Launched the first target date fund*
  • Combined with PNC, adding cash management, open-end equity mutual funds and a distribution network
  • Expanded outside of the U.S. with an office in Edinburgh

2000's

This decade was about reaching more clients and building a platform for the whole portfolio. We further rounded out our platform through landmark acquisitions.

  • State Street Research & Management accelerated equities capabilities
  • Merrill Lynch Investment Managers extended retail distribution and international presence
  • Quellos Group added alternative investment expertise
  • Barclay’s Global Investors brought iShares ETFs® and systematic investing capabilities into our platform
  • R3 Capital Management added absolute return and alternative fixed-income solutions
  • This period was also defined by governments around the world calling on BlackRock and its risk capabilities to help them navigate the financial crisis

2010's

In more recent years, our focus has been on further expanding investor choice, bringing together all of BlackRock in service of our clients. This decade was about reaching more clients and building a platform for the whole portfolio.

  • Drove long-term value through investment stewardship
  • Expanded our private markets and sustainability offerings

We have continued to grow with more key acquisitions, including:

  • First Reserve Energy Infrastructure Funds – infrastructure investing
  • Cachematrix® fintech made our cash business stronger
  • Tennenbaum Capital Partners broadened capabilities in private credit
  • eFront brought Private Markets to Aladdin®

Today

We now have $11+ trillion in AUM and nearly 20,000 employees in over 30 countries.1 BlackRock arrived here by listening to clients and addressing their needs in the context of market opportunities.

  • Aperio expanded our ability to personalize portfolios
  • Our combination with Global Infrastructure Partners created a premier infrastructure investment platform
  • The comprehensive private markets data set of Preqin enhanced Aladdin and eFront, and helped make private markets more transparent and investable
  • With the private debt capabilities of HPS Investment Partners, we can provide clients with both public and private income solutions.
  • At the heart, BlackRock is a team dedicated to putting clients first and delivering solutions