NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
With deep sadness, BlackRock, Inc. announces that Co-President Charles
“Charlie” Hallac has passed away after battling cancer for nearly four
years. During a 27-year career with BlackRock, among other achievements,
he conceived BlackRock’s Aladdin investment operating system, which
helped propel the firm’s growth over the years.
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Charles Hallac, Co-President, BlackRock, Inc. (Photo: Business Wire)
Laurence D. Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock, said, “Charlie was not
only my partner for many years, but also a trusted and valued friend. He
was a visionary who embodied our culture and was truly the heart and
soul of BlackRock. His extraordinary innovations, including our unique
Aladdin platform, have been central to our success, but his most
important legacy is the generation of leaders molded by Charlie’s
tremendous ability to lead and mentor. His unrelenting focus and passion
to transform our firm and industry through technology were unmatched.
Charlie never lost that passion, and even as he battled cancer he
continued his life’s work, never complaining and constantly inspiring.
Charlie’s own inspiration was his wife Sarah and three wonderful
children, David, Rebecca and AJ, and he was loved as well by his
extended family at BlackRock. All of us will miss him greatly.”
From First Computer to a Global Technology Platform
In describing his contribution to the firm, BlackRock said:
Charlie
Hallac was BlackRock’s first employee, joining the firm’s eight partners
in 1988 with the goal of building the technological and operational
foundation of the firm—a system of analytics and other tools that could
provide clients with significantly improved investment and risk
management. He purchased the firm’s first computer server, placing it
between the coffee machine and refrigerator in the firm’s one-room
office. That computer served as the first step in building Aladdin,
which today is considered the best-in-class end-to-end investment and
risk management platform and is used by financial institutions
worldwide. He built a team of nearly 2,000 programmers, modelers and
risk and data analysts to support Aladdin. The system serves as a
powerful unifying force and common language for the firm’s more than
12,000 employees and continues to propel BlackRock’s growth.
He also founded the firm’s BlackRock Solutions business, which provides
the Aladdin platform and other advisory services to financial
institutions. He was a key player in BlackRock Solutions’ efforts to
assist the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve, foreign
governments, and major financial firms to stabilize the financial system
in the wake of the 2008 crisis.
In 2009, Charlie Hallac became BlackRock’s Chief Operating officer,
leading firmwide integration of Barclays’ global asset-management
business following its purchase by BlackRock. Elevated to Co-President
in 2014, he continued to instill BlackRock’s principles across the
firm’s operations, promoting a culture of continuous innovation in the
service of clients.
He fought cancer for nearly four years with tremendous courage. He
continued to work virtually every day while undergoing treatment, even
returning to the office after receiving chemotherapy. Throughout his
illness, he tirelessly pushed for continued evolution of the business to
anticipate and respond to the rapid changes in technology. This included
most recently an address to the firm’s global leadership summit in
Silicon Valley in April 2015. His vision was that Aladdin’s capabilities
be available not only to large institutions, but that it could also
directly empower advisors and end investors.
Prior to joining BlackRock, Charlie Hallac was an associate in the
Mortgage Products Group at The First Boston Corporation. He earned a
B.A. degree in economics and computer science from Brandeis University
in 1986.
The Hallac family has asked for any donations in Charlie’s memory to be
made to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center:
http://mskcc.convio.net/site/TR/Events/General?pg=fund&fr_id=1580&pxfid=51192
About BlackRock
BlackRock is a global leader in investment management, risk management
and advisory services for institutional and retail clients. At June 30,
2015, BlackRock’s AUM was $4.721 trillion. BlackRock helps clients
around the world 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®. As of June 30, 2015, the firm had
approximately 12,400 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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BlackRock, Inc.
Media Relations
Brian Beades,
212-810-5596
or
Investor Relations
Tom Wojcik,
212-810-8127
Source: BlackRock, Inc.