BlackRock Inc.

Who owns BlackRock?
BlackRock has no parent company and no controlling shareholder. The company is publicly traded on the NYSE under BLK and is owned by institutional investors and individual shareholders. The largest shareholders are investment managers such as Vanguard and State Street, who hold shares on behalf of their own clients.

Is BlackRock publicly traded?
Yes. BlackRock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BLK. The company has been publicly traded since its IPO in 1999.

What is BlackRock's AUM?
BlackRock had $11.6 trillion in assets under management at year-end 2024, following a record $641 billion in full-year 2024 net inflows.

What did BlackRock acquire in 2025?
BlackRock completed its acquisition of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) in January 2025 and its acquisition of HPS Investment Partners, a private credit manager with approximately $148 billion in client assets, in July 2025. Both acquisitions significantly expanded BlackRock's private markets capabilities.

What is iShares?
iShares is BlackRock's ETF brand and the world's largest ETF provider. BlackRock acquired iShares as part of its 2009 acquisition of Barclays Global Investors.

What is Aladdin?
Aladdin is BlackRock's investment management operating system and risk platform. It is used by BlackRock internally and licensed to other financial institutions globally to manage portfolio risk and operations.

Larry Fink, Robert S. Kapito, Susan Wagner, Barbara Novick, Ben Golub, Hugh Frater, and Ralph Schlosstein founded BlackRock in 1988 as a risk management and fixed income institutional asset manager. The company started within Blackstone Group with $1 million in seed funding from Blackstone's founders. BlackRock became independent from Blackstone in 1994 when PNC Financial Services Group acquired a stake.

BlackRock went public in 1999, listing on the New York Stock Exchange under BLK. The company expanded through major acquisitions: Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (2006), which added equity capabilities; Barclays Global Investors (2009) for $13.5 billion, which added the iShares ETF franchise and made BlackRock the world's largest asset manager; and Bank of America's long-term investment management business (2010).

BlackRock's AUM grew from approximately $1 trillion at the time of the Barclays acquisition to $11.6 trillion by year-end 2024. In October 2024, BlackRock completed its acquisition of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a leading infrastructure fund manager, for approximately $12.5 billion. In December 2024, BlackRock announced an agreement to acquire HPS Investment Partners, a private credit manager with approximately $148 billion in client assets, for approximately $12 billion in stock. The HPS acquisition closed in July 2025.

BlackRock has established itself as a global leader in sustainable investing and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) integration. The company has made sustainability a core component of its investment philosophy and corporate strategy, positioning itself at the forefront of climate risk analysis and sustainable finance.

Climate Leadership and Sustainable Investing

BlackRock has committed to achieving net-zero emissions across its operations by 2030 and has set ambitious targets for sustainable investing. The company's Sustainability platform integrates ESG considerations into investment processes and offers specialized sustainable investment products. BlackRock has been a vocal advocate for corporate climate disclosure and has used its shareholder voting power to push for greater climate action at portfolio companies.

ESG Integration and Stewardship

As the world's largest asset manager, BlackRock has significant influence over corporate governance practices. The company's investment stewardship team engages with thousands of companies annually on ESG issues and votes at shareholder meetings to promote sustainable business practices. BlackRock's stewardship priorities include climate risk, board diversity, executive compensation, and human capital management.

Technology and Climate Analytics

BlackRock's Aladdin platform incorporates sophisticated climate risk analytics and ESG data to help investors understand sustainability-related risks and opportunities. The company has developed advanced tools for measuring portfolio carbon intensity, climate scenario analysis, and transition risk assessment. These capabilities position BlackRock as a leader in climate risk management technology.

Operational Sustainability

BlackRock has committed to making its own operations sustainable, including reducing its environmental footprint, promoting diversity and inclusion, and maintaining strong governance practices. The company publishes annual sustainability reports detailing progress toward environmental and social goals.

BlackRock has received extensive recognition for its leadership in investment management, sustainable investing, and corporate governance, reflecting its position as the world's largest asset manager.

Investment Management Awards

• Best Asset Manager (Global): Multiple awards from Financial Times, Pensions & Investments, and other industry publications recognizing BlackRock's investment performance and client service
• Best ETF Provider: Consistent recognition for iShares as the leading ETF platform globally
• Technology Innovation Award: Recognition for Aladdin platform's investment management technology and risk analytics

Sustainable Investing Leadership

• ESG Leader Awards: Multiple recognitions for BlackRock's leadership in sustainable investing and ESG integration
• Climate Action Awards: Recognition for BlackRock's climate risk analysis and net-zero commitments
• Stewardship Excellence: Awards for BlackRock's shareholder engagement and voting practices on ESG issues

Corporate Recognition

• Most Innovative Companies: Recognition from Fast Company and other publications for technology and business model innovation
• Best Places to Work: Multiple awards for workplace culture, diversity, and inclusion practices
• Corporate Governance Awards: Recognition for board quality and governance practices

BlackRock has faced political pressure from multiple directions regarding its ESG (environmental, social, and governance) investment approach. Republican-led U.S. states have withdrawn pension fund assets from BlackRock, citing concerns that ESG considerations prioritize political goals over financial returns. Simultaneously, some environmental advocates have criticized BlackRock for not doing enough to address climate risk in its investment decisions. BlackRock has moderated its public ESG messaging in response to political pressure.

BlackRock's scale has attracted regulatory scrutiny regarding systemic risk and market concentration. The company's ownership of large stakes in competing companies across many industries has drawn attention from antitrust regulators in the United States and Europe.