BlackRock Impact to Unify Firm’s Social and
Environmental Investment Offerings
Winshel to Oversee Global Philanthropic Efforts
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK) announces the appointment of Deborah Winshel
as a Managing Director and global head of impact investing. In her role,
Ms. Winshel will help BlackRock unify its approach to impact investing
through the launch of BlackRock Impact, a dedicated platform
catering to investors with social or environmental objectives worldwide.
Ms. Winshel will also be responsible for overseeing BlackRock’s Global
Corporate Philanthropy program.
BlackRock Impact will work closely with the firm’s global
investment teams and leverage its data and analytic capabilities to
develop scalable, innovative investment solutions that also meet
clients’ desired societal outcomes. BlackRock currently manages over
$225 billion in strategies designed to align clients’ portfolios with
their objectives and values, which will now be integrated under BlackRock
Impact. Ms. Winshel joins the firm with a distinguished career in
non-profit management and venture philanthropy, during which she took an
active role in shaping charitable giving programs while defining and
measuring successes based on the programs’ lasting effects.
"Today, many clients are looking for investment opportunities that
advance social and financial goals at the same time. While the roots of
this movement can be traced back many years, the frequency and
complexity of these mandates are increasing. More and more, clients are
looking to measure the returns on their investments both by the societal
and financial outcomes they can help to create. With her experience at
Robin Hood, and its focus on programs with measurable impacts, Deborah
is the ideal choice to help BlackRock develop scalable impact investing
offerings through both public and private markets,” said Laurence D.
Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock.
Currently BlackRock offers a number of investment strategies which
incorporate environmental or social considerations, including:
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Values Based –Utilizes screens to exclude securities, aligning
investors’ portfolios with their values.
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BlackRock currently manages more than $214 billion in Values Based
mandates.
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ESG Consideration – Focuses on investing in companies that
display strong track records in the governance, social or
environmental areas.
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The firm recently launched the iShares MSCI ACWI Low Carbon Target
ETF.
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Impact Investing – Pursues measurable societal or environmental
outcomes alongside financial goals.
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To date we have participated in over $1 billion in client mandates
for investing in Green Bonds. With over $1.5 billion of
commitments and AUM, BlackRock’s renewable power investment
platform is one of the largest in the world, offering clients
compelling opportunities to meet their investment needs.
Most recently, Ms. Winshel was President and Chief Operating Officer of
The Robin Hood Foundation where she oversaw the development of the
organization’s strategy for long-term growth and sustainability. Under
her leadership, Robin Hood spearheaded cutting-edge research and
innovative initiatives in vital areas. She was critical in forging close
ties with city officials to amplify and replicate Robin Hood’s most
successful programs, improving the lives of hundreds of thousands of New
Yorkers.
Previously, Mrs. Winshel was the Chief Financial Officer and Chief
Administrative Officer for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Prior to
working in the non-profit sector, Mrs. Winshel spent more than a dozen
years working in New York and London for JP Morgan’s Investment Bank,
culminating as a Managing Director advising key corporate clients on a
variety of strategic issues. She is a founding board member of Immigrant
Justice Corps and a member of the Economics Club of New York.
“BlackRock is uniquely positioned to serve investors who are interested
in combining outcome-oriented societal benefits with their investment
objectives. The firm’s next generation of these ground-breaking products
will leverage BlackRock’s global reach, in-depth research and
institutional quality investment capabilities. I am incredibly excited
to join this world-class organization and further my passion for
improving lives through targeted, innovative and measurable
investments,” said Deborah Winshel.
Ms. Winshel will report jointly to Laurence D. Fink, Chairman and CEO of
BlackRock, and Richard Kushel, Senior Managing Director and Chief
Product Officer.
About BlackRock
BlackRock is a leader in investment management, risk management and
advisory services for institutional and retail clients worldwide. At
December 31, 2014, BlackRock’s AUM was $4.652 trillion. BlackRock helps
clients meet their goals and overcome challenges with a range of
products that include separate accounts, mutual funds, iShares®
(exchange-traded funds), and other pooled investment vehicles. BlackRock
also offers risk management, advisory and enterprise investment system
services to a broad base of institutional investors through BlackRock
Solutions®. Headquartered in New York City, as of December 31, 2014, the
firm had approximately 12,200 employees in more than 30 countries and a
major presence in key global markets, including North and South America,
Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East and Africa. For additional
information, please visit the Company’s website at www.blackrock.com
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can be found in the Funds' prospectuses or, if available, the summary
prospectuses which may be obtained by visiting www.iShares.com
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This material is provided for informational purposes only and is not
intended to be relied upon as a forecast, research or investment advice.
The opinions expressed are as of February 9, 2015 and may change as
subsequent conditions vary. The material is not intended to provide, and
should not be relied on for, accounting, legal or tax advice or
investment recommendations.
©2015 BlackRock, Inc. All Rights reserved. BLACKROCK and
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Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and elsewhere. All other
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iS-14710
Media:
BlackRock, Inc.
Ed Sweeney, 646-231-0268
Ed.Sweeney@BlackRock.com
or
Lauren
Post, 212-810-3665
Lauren.Post@BlackRock.com
Source: BlackRock, Inc.