BlackRock

BlackRock, Inc. is the world's largest asset management company, headquartered in New York City with operations across 70 offices in 30 countries. Founded in 1988 by Larry Fink and seven partners, BlackRock has grown from a fixed income specialist to a global investment powerhouse managing $12.5 trillion in assets as of 2025, serving clients in 100 countries. The company employs over 19,000 people and has established itself as one of the most influential financial institutions in the world.

BlackRock operates through multiple business lines, with its core strength in investment management across equity, fixed income, multi-asset, and alternative investments. The company is best known for its iShares exchange-traded fund (ETF) platform, representing the world's largest ETF provider with over 400 index and active ETFs. Along with Vanguard, State Street, and Fidelity, BlackRock is considered one of the "Big Four" index fund managers, collectively managing over 90% of all assets in passive equity funds. The Big Three (BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street) together control nearly $11 trillion in assets and are the largest shareholders in 40% of all publicly listed U.S. firms.

A critical differentiator for BlackRock is its Aladdin technology platform (Asset, Liability and Debt and Derivative Investment Network), which as of 2020 managed $21.6 trillion in assets. Aladdin enables clients to manage the entire investment process from portfolio construction to performance management, operations, and accounting. The platform uses sophisticated risk management capabilities based on Monte Carlo simulation and historical data analysis, and is used by asset managers, banks, pensions, insurers, and wealth managers globally.

In 2024, BlackRock achieved record financial performance with revenue of $5.19 billion (up 15% year-over-year), record net inflows of $641 billion, and a 29% total shareholder return. The company has been aggressively expanding beyond traditional asset management through strategic acquisitions totaling approximately $28 billion in 2024, including Global Infrastructure Partners ($12.5 billion), HPS Investment Partners ($12 billion for private credit), and Preqin ($3.2 billion for private markets data). BlackRock's five core principles guide its culture: fiduciary duty to clients, One BlackRock unity, passion for performance, emotional ownership, and commitment to a better future.