Investment management firm BlackRock has expanded its iShares Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) business with the announcement of senior appointments to its iShares Asia Ex-Japan capital markets team, and the launch of a new Asia research and investment advisory group for ETFs.
Sandra Lee joins BlackRock as managing director and head of iShares, Asia Ex-Japan. Bringing with her 17 years of investment management experience, Lee will lead the iShares Asia Ex-Japan business including setting business strategy and overseeing all distribution efforts. Based in Hong Kong, she will report to Nick Good, managing director and head of iShares, Asia-Pacific. Prior to joining BlackRock, Lee was head of sales and marketing, and head of the institutional advisory group, Asia Pacific at Morgan Stanley Investment Management.
BlackRock also confirmed the creation of a new position to support its iShares client base in Southeast Asia. Catherine Barker, an iShares veteran, was recently named director and head of iShares, South-east Asia to help expand ETF opportunities in the Singapore market and beyond. Based in Singapore, Barker will report to Lee.
“BlackRock is investing in the best management talent to support broadening investor interest in ETFs,” said Good. “Our iShares team across Singapore and Hong Kong has grown by 35% since the beginning of 2010.”
BlackRock's iShares business has over 460 funds globally across equities, fixed income and commodities, trading on 19 exchanges worldwide. iShares Funds can be bought and sold like common stocks on securities exchanges.
BlackRock bought iShares from Barclays Bank as part of its acquisition of Barclays Global Investors in 2009.