BlackRock, Inc. is an American multinational investment management corporation and the world's largest asset manager. Headquartered in New York City, BlackRock is a leading provider of investment, advisory, and risk management solutions. The company acquired Barclays Global Investors in December 2009, solidifying its position as the largest investment manager in the world. As of June 2011, the company has over $3.65 trillion in assets under management. The name is officially spelled in CamelCase.

Founded in 1988, initially offering fixed income products, BlackRock has become a financial powerhouse while remaining out of the public eye. According to Ralph Schlosstein, CEO of Evercore Partners, a NY-based investment bank: “BlackRock today is one of, if not the, most influential financial institutions in the world.”

BlackRock serves clients in 60 countries, maintaining a major presence in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East. It has offices in San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, Princeton, Wilmington, London, Zurich, Paris, Frankfurt, São Paulo, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Taipei, Beijing, Sydney, Dubai, and various other cities. BlackRock has approximately 10,100 employees, including more than 700 investment professionals worldwide.