EMEA Head of Market Development - Managing Director

About this role

Business Unit Overview: 

Led by Samara Cohen, Market Development is a newly created function at the center of the firm, aimed at shaping the evolution of market structure to support investor access and product innovation. The function partners with stakeholders across the capital markets ecosystem, including investors, academics, market makers, trading venues, and service providers. The team works with various functions such as Global Product Solutions (GPS), BlackRock Global Markets & Index Investments (BGM), Portfolio Management Group (PMG), Private Financing Solutions, Digital Assets and Global Corporate Affairs to advance our market structure priorities on behalf of investors. 

We are building a best-in-class team that will build bridges between investors and markets to help more people participate in economic growth, influence industry practice, drive market evolution, and design a roadmap to effect change, activate the firm, and demonstrate measurable progress. 

Key responsibilities: 

As both a fiduciary and a leader of market transformation, BlackRock is unique in our ability to drive the evolution of markets while ensuring investors achieve their desired outcomes. In this context, we need a London based leader who partners across the firm, especially with BGM, GPS, PMG, and Government Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP) to: 

• Set the vision around where EMEA market structure needs to be to support investor access and product innovation around the world in 2030 (and beyond); 

• Identify the most impactful actions (including advocacy) needed to achieve that vision; and 

• “Connect the dots” internally and externally to execute successfully and with maximum impact 

Our capital markets modernization efforts include: 

• Progressing EMEA Market Structure efforts (in partnership with BGM):  
  • Mature Markets: Supporting and advocating for regulatory change to enable investor access, in partnership with GAPP and GPS;
  • Developing and Nascent Markets: Ensure best practices are applied to regional markets seeking global capital or broader reach for local investors (e.g.: Middle East);
  • ETFs and Indexing: Advance the agenda related to the resiliency and scalability of the ETF markets and Index investing ecosystem. 

• Shaping the Digital Assets Ecosystem (in partnership with the Digital Assets team): Driving and advocating for our EMEA market structure agenda related to digital assets 

• Enabling the EMEA ecosystem to support Product Innovation (in partnership with GPS) 
  • Derivatives: Driving our market structure agenda related to derivatives (especially the necessary foundations to support options-based ETP goals and disrupting the structured product marketplace);
  • Investment funds and wrappers: Working with GPS leadership to form the advocacy agenda to support our 2030 product innovation agenda. 

• Supporting EMEA platform initiatives that impact market structure (in partnership with Aladdin, GPS, BGM, Tech & Ops, etc.)
  • One of our most powerful tools to shape market structure is the development and deployment of technology that key partners use or interact with, either directly or through Aladdin clients (examples: Mt. Sharp, Aladdin Trader, ALPS, BlackRock tokenization initiatives);
  • This leader will provide input to the development and prioritization of these initiatives, and provide sponsorship and support.

To execute our markets agenda, the leader will connect into existing firmwide relationship management mechanisms to get support from external partners and influencers including: 

• Investors 

• Traditional banks 

• Proprietary trading firms 

• Index, Data providers & asset servicers 

• Exchanges & Trading platforms 

• New & Aspiring entrants (e.g., Talos, Securitize, Coinbase) 

• Industry associations, think tanks, academics, press, other influencers 

The leader will continue to partner with and support current engagement by Global Corporate Affairs with media, government agencies, regulators, and elected officials in relation to the above. 

Skills/Qualifications: 

• 10+ years of experience in financial markets and/or the regulatory landscape. 

• Depth of experience in one or more asset classes, with a focus on ETFs, digital assets, or private markets being a plus. 

• Able to engage externally with market participants, influencers, and advocates to drive critical priorities. 

• Proficient in interacting with clients, investors, and both internal and external stakeholders to provide valuable insights and deliverables. 

• Ability to effectively navigate and drive complex, cross-functional commercial objectives within a highly matrixed organizational structure. 
• Deep knowledge across asset classes; ability to navigate and drive complex, cross-functional commercial objectives. 
• Passionate about working at the forefront of – and helping to shape and drive - organizational and industry change. 
• High internal organizational awareness; ability to form strong relationships and build consensus across groups, anchored in a One BlackRock and fiduciary approach. 

• A dynamic and adaptable leader with the ability to take care of ambiguous and fluid situations. Able to prioritize multiple deliverables and deadlines while acting with a solutions-oriented approach to solving business problems. 

• Passion to build more accessible and inclusive capital markets for BlackRock’s clients today and the next 100 million we hope to win in the future. 

• Keeps pace in a hard-working, often demanding business and culture. 

Our benefits

To help you stay energized, engaged and inspired, we offer a wide range of employee benefits including: retirement investment and tools designed to help you in building a sound financial future; access to education reimbursement; comprehensive resources to support your physical health and emotional well-being; family support programs; and Flexible Time Off (FTO) so you can relax, recharge and be there for the people you care about.

Our hybrid work model

BlackRock’s hybrid work model is designed to enable a culture of collaboration and apprenticeship that enriches the experience of our employees, while supporting flexibility for all. Employees are currently required to work at least 4 days in the office per week, with the flexibility to work from home 1 day a week. Some business groups may require more time in the office due to their roles and responsibilities. We remain focused on increasing the impactful moments that arise when we work together in person – aligned with our commitment to performance and innovation. As a new joiner, you can count on this hybrid model to accelerate your learning and onboarding experience here at BlackRock.

About BlackRock

At BlackRock, we are all connected by one mission: to help more and more people experience financial well-being.  Our clients, and the people they serve, are saving for retirement, paying for their children’s educations, buying homes and starting businesses. Their investments also help to strengthen the global economy: support businesses small and large; finance infrastructure projects that connect and power cities; and facilitate innovations that drive progress.

This mission would not be possible without our smartest investment – the one we make in our employees. It’s why we’re dedicated to creating an environment where our colleagues feel welcomed, valued and supported with networks, benefits and development opportunities to help them thrive.

For additional information on BlackRock, please visit @blackrock | Twitter: @blackrock | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/blackrock

BlackRock is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.  We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to age, disability, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation and other protected characteristics at law.