We spoke with three of our firm’s Managing Directors who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. Learn more about Brian Grossman, Kirsty Craig and Alexis McKeown’s experiences of being out in the workplace and how it shaped them into the leaders they are today.

From left to right: Brian Grossman, Kirsty Craig and Alexis McKeown

What does being a Managing Director and out LGBTQ+ leader at BlackRock mean to you?

Brian Grossman (Head of Americas Product Strategy for Alternative Solutions Group): For the majority of my six years at BlackRock, I did not consider being openly gay as integral to my professional trajectory or contribution to the firm. My path to becoming a Managing Director, however, changed my perspective. I am proud and appreciative of the opportunity to represent the LGBTQ+ community. I feel a responsibility to mentor and be a role model for younger professionals, and to use my leadership position to help shape how BlackRock approaches its social impact – particularly with the development of our market-leading investment programs. I am excited and passionate about continuing to work alongside incredibly talented younger professionals across the firm and to help unlock growth opportunities for BlackRock.

Kirsty Craig (Head of the Data Strategy & Solutions Team): It’s really important to have diverse senior leaders in the LGBTQ+ space who represent all parts of our community. It’s important to acknowledge the intersectionality of people’s identities and ensure that we have that level of diversity in senior ranks. As I advanced my career at BlackRock, I didn’t personally see people that looked and felt the same as me. So for me, being a Managing Director and a leader for the LGBTQ+ community now is about being a visible role model for everyone at the firm, to give people the chance to see that you can belong at BlackRock.

Alexis McKeown (Global Head of Digital Workplace Operations): I’ve been out since I joined BlackRock 16 years ago as a Vice President. I’ve had a lot of opportunities not despite, but because I am a diverse, out and engaged leader. People internally and externally have seen that someone like me can be authentically themselves and excel professionally.

Now, as a Managing Director, my responsibilities go far beyond leading my teams. I’m also responsible for helping to create and foster the culture of the entire firm. That means continuing to be a role model for the next generation of LGBTQ+ leaders. Representation matters!

How have you seen the level of industry acceptance of the out LGBTQ+ community change from when you began your career to now? Were there any LGBTQ+ professionals in leadership positions that you looked up to? If not, how did that influence you?

Brian: The level of industry acceptance and focus on DEI has changed drastically since the beginning of my career. Authenticity and vulnerability were not as embraced when I started working as an Analyst. At the time, it felt like conformity was more of the norm. This influenced my level of comfort in coming out and being out at work. I had concerns for how being out would negatively impact my career potential. At BlackRock, I feel not only safe, but encouraged to be my authentic self. I also recognize how being both authentic and vulnerable allows for personal and professional growth.

Kirsty: I’ve seen a massive shift in industry acceptance, although depending on where you are in the world or how you identify, that experience can be very different and is something we should acknowledge.

2022 has been a great year for increasing female-identifying LGBTQ+ representation in leadership positions at BlackRock. The firm is also focused on building a very exciting bench of junior LGBTQ+ talent, thanks to partnerships like Out 4 Undergrad, Out & Equal and Lesbians Who Tech. That was something that didn’t exist when I started my career.

Alexis: I’ve seen a major shift in the industry and in many parts of the world toward LGBTQ+ acceptance. I’ve always felt that being out and involved was a huge advantage – maybe because I live and work in the Bay Area. But I have known others, particularly in client-facing or more male-dominated roles, who have been scared to come out because they feared it would jeopardize their career or their relationships with clients or colleagues.

Over time, though, I’ve watched those same colleagues challenge themselves to bring their whole selves to work. It’s been wonderful to see them accepted for who they are and to see how happy being authentic has made them. Now many of them are BlackRock’s most vocal and engaged out leaders.

There also seems to have been a generational shift. As part of BlackRock’s Out & Allies Network, I work with incredible Analysts, Associates and VPs who expect to be accepted and appreciated at work. It’s wonderful to see these future leaders continue to push the entire industry forward.

Of course, in many countries it’s still not possible to be out. Furthermore, we are seeing more and more U.S. states pass anti-Gay, Lesbian and Trans legislation. It is for those who can’t be or don’t feel safe to be out at work that we continue to raise awareness and fight for acceptance and change.

In terms of mentors, early in my career I met Janine Guillot, who was the first Executive Sponsor of BlackRock’s Out & Allies Network. Though no longer with BlackRock, as an out leader championing financial sustainability reporting, she continues to inspire me. Alan Mason, Zach Buchwald and Phil Hodges have all been incredible role models as out and proud BlackRock Managing Directors.

With the promotions of Kirsty and Brian to Managing Director this year, we continue to expand the ranks of LGBTQ+ representation at senior levels of BlackRock. I couldn’t be prouder to be in the same class as these amazing leaders.

How important has it been for you to have mentors or advocates throughout your career?

Brian: Having mentors and advocates has been incredibly important to my career. My personal community of mentors has been diverse. That said, not all diversity is diversity that you can see, which is just one of the reasons why the work that the Out & Allies Network does to build a supportive community and make mentorship connections is so significant.

Kirsty: I’ve had different mentors at different points of my career and depending on the challenges I was facing at the time. A concept that I embrace is having a personal Board of Directors – a group of three to five people whom I meet with frequently to discuss my career and challenges. This network of internal BLK sponsors and mentors has helped me navigate challenges like my career path and what opportunities I should be thinking about, and coached me on how to handle difficult issues.

Alexis: I’ve met some of my most impactful mentors and advocates through company-sponsored programs. My current manager, Anthony Diaz Matos, was my unofficial mentor for many years before giving me an amazing career opportunity in his organization and supporting me through my entire Managing Director nomination process.

Mark McCombe, Executive Sponsor of the Out & Allies Network, has been a vocal and steadfast sponsor for many of us in the LGBTQ+ community. It’s inspiring and builds a strong sense of firm loyalty.

I’m also very interested in reverse mentorship programs as a way to constantly get fresh perspectives. This is something I get unsolicited from my kids every day!

What advice would you give to members of the LGBTQ+ community, whether out or not, to navigate their careers while also showing up as their full authentic selves?

Brian: Self-acceptance and confidence in being your true authentic self in a professional setting is a journey. That journey is unique to each person, and everyone should do what is comfortable when it makes sense for them. I believe, however, that being your authentic self provides you with the ability to better explore your full potential.

Kirsty: This may sound cheesy but bring your whole self to work and be proud of who you are. I have made lifelong friendships with people I’ve met at BlackRock by being my true, authentic self.

Alexis: Many of us have experienced discrimination or aggression, micro and not-so-micro. I know that being the “other” can be hard, but it can also be an asset. You bring a unique perspective, not despite, but because of who you are. Be proud of that!

One of the most inspiring people I know is Erica Seremeta (US & Canada Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Client Engagement), who transitioned after 20 years with BlackRock. Her ability to show up authentically every day is humbling.

If your company has an LGBTQ+ network or affinity group, I suggest not only participating but also taking a leadership role. You’ll learn a lot, and more importantly, you’ll get invaluable exposure to senior leaders.

Lastly, I highly recommend attending LGBTQ+ conferences and events. There is nothing more inspiring than being in a room full of LGBTQ+ professionals!

Tyler Nelson, an Associate based in our San Francisco office.

Finding the perfect mentor is often a challenge – and it’s one that Tyler Nelson was determined to help his colleagues overcome. His idea? A Tinder-like program that uses a machine learning algorithm to match mentors and mentees who are members of our Out & Allies Network.

“The project – which included measuring membership trends and recruiting pipelines to create the algorithmically enhanced mentorship program – inspired me to be entrepreneurial and confident with what I could build from scratch,” says the San Francisco-based tech investor. Here, Tyler shares why he believes mentorship is so important, how his art history background prepared him to work in finance and the best career advice he’s ever received.

What initially attracted you to BlackRock, and what are your core responsibilities?

A mentor of mine told me that BlackRock works right at the intersection of investing, technology and sustainability – a trifecta for me! I work on our tech fund as our team’s Data Scientist. I help architect our research and data platform, then ultimately use that data to make investment decisions.

How did you prepare for your interviews with BlackRock?

I practiced narrating my story: Why did I study computer engineering and art history? How did I use analytics to guide my university’s record label? Why do I love investing? Figuring out what clicked and what sounded awkward was a nice feedback loop to confirm I was making the right career decision.

When telling your own story, my advice is two-fold: Be specific and be unique. If you need help, ask a few people close to you how they’d tell your story!

What are you responsible for in your role?

As a project manager within the Technology and Operations business, I lead all merger and acquisition (M&A) activity – supporting the technology platforms, enterprise services, information security and data and artificial intelligence functions, as well as large-scale, cross-functional initiatives.

What has kept you at BlackRock for almost six years?

The opportunity for continual growth. BlackRock is a sandbox of opportunities – one day I could be practicing my Python skills, the next analyzing equity markets, and the next presenting to clients. I can always seek out intellectual stimulation, so whether it’s blockchain technology or sustainability, there’s a high chance someone at BlackRock is working on it.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

I was quite proud when my data visualization was coined the “Nelson Plot” by one of the founders of BlackRock. I was tasked with showing how hundreds of different funds would perform in a market selloff, and instead of just box-and-whisker plots, we wanted to show the full distribution of outcomes. I got to use data in a creative way to tell a story and got my trademark on it.

Tell us about the machine learning algorithm you created for BlackRock’s Out & Allies Network to help with its mentorship and career development program.

Mentorship is so important, especially within underrepresented communities. I wanted to design a pairing process that was both effective and fun: a Tinder-like algorithm that matched people with mutual interests and mentorship goals so that the pairing would stick. We had more than 300 employees register, both LGBTQ+ individuals and allies. The algorithm found extremely accurate pairings, matching a San Francisco-based managing director who studied musicology with an analyst in Tokyo who had a passion for orchestral music.

What advice do you have for people who want to become better allies?

Focus on the impact you can make. What actions can help your mentee advance their career, feel acknowledged, or learn a skill? At its essence, allyship is a type of relationship, so as with any relationship, proactivity and consistency go a long way.

You’ve studied engineering, economics, art history and data analytics. Have any of those topics contributed to your work at BlackRock in surprising ways?

Totally! I’m a firm believer that analyzing art is very similar to choosing stocks. In art history, you analyze a painting, contextualize it in its time period, then tell the story of its impact. Same with a stock: You understand its fundamentals, compare its valuation and competitive position versus its peers, and then make a thoughtful recommendation.

How do you practice work-life balance? Are there any related benefits or perks that you take advantage of at BlackRock?

I’m a member of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the de Young Museum, both with support from BlackRock. Visiting a new exhibit after work lets me flex both the left and right sides of my brain, which helps me feel balanced.

What’s one positive change you’ve made to your workday routine since the pandemic began?

I intentionally think about which forms of communication will help fill up my social battery. Trite texts and generic Zoom calls don’t make me feel fulfilled, but meaningful one-on-one video calls or personalized notes can help sustain social relationships in a hybrid work environment.

What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice was “measure your success not on time spent but on impact made.” Did I drive value? Did I save my team time? Did I think systematically so this task is automated for the future? We’re not robots; we should move away from repetitive tasks and towards value-add vision.

You’re organizing a dinner party with your biggest role models. Who’s invited and what will you talk about?

It would be an eclectic trio: the host of Survivor Jeff Probst, Pokémon creator Satoshi Tajiri and TikTok icon Noah Beck. All are phenomenal storytellers in their unique ways. In an era where yesterday’s news is quickly irrelevant, it is incredible how have they have entertained their audiences for years, if not decades, on end.

BlackRock is committed to helping our people achieve their personal career goals. One way the firm supports our employees is through internal networks – like the Women’s Initiative & Allies Network (WIN), which brings together leadership, innovation and passion to bolster women at the firm in fostering their full potential. WIN is BlackRock’s oldest and largest employee network and offers an employee-established professional development program to help its members flourish.

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“About six or seven years ago, a colleague and I were looking around at the career development programming offered by the firm,” says Rebekah Wahba, cofounder of WIN’s Associate Development Program (ADP) and Head of Product Analytics for the Aladdin Product Group. “There were a lot of programs for senior women to help them achieve their career goals or prepare them for leadership; there was a lot of support for graduate Analysts, as well as for Vice Presidents through the VP Village professional network, but we noticed a gap in support for Associates – female Associates in particular – to aid in the next stage of their career development.”

Rebekah and her colleague had observed a diverse range of professionals at the Associate level – people who had been promoted from being Analysts, those who had moved laterally into the firm and others who had been Associates for a while who were looking for guidance in their careers. So they put their heads together and created a framework that would be impactful for women at the Associate level across BlackRock. It’s the framework that WIN’s Associate Development Program still follows today.

“WIN creates a safe space for employees to connect and raise awareness around a common purpose,” says Sam Merwin, who serves as the Head of Markets Advocacy for ETF & Index Investing. Sam went through the program herself in 2017. “We organize leadership development programs, host guided discussions and events, work with external partners and much more.”

While Sam says that the program involves a lot of women supporting women, she adds that it’s also open to allies who share in the mission and principles of the network.

“One of my favorite parts of the program is how it’s breaking the stigma that professional women are only invested in their own career growth and that they’re competing for that one seat at the table,” she explains. “This is a group of women supporting other women saying, ‘There are seats at the table for everybody, pull up a chair. There is room for you here.’”

Rebekah and Sam spoke with Fairygodboss about WIN, ADP and other opportunities at BlackRock.

Rebekah (left) and Sam (right) currently lead WIN’s Associate Development Program to help women Associates at the firm advance their careers.

In your own words, could you tell me about the WIN Associate Development Program (ADP)?

Rebekah: When we started out to design a program that would prepare women for the next step in their career journey, we reflected on what aspects of their growth would be the most impactful to them over the length of their career. We came to define three pillars – personal impact, executive presence and leadership – that we believe would set the foundation for the rest of their career. To support women in elevating their personal impact, participants look inward to reflect on what they want to achieve, and how they define their priorities, goals and purpose. To help participants develop stronger executive presence and build confidence, we focus more on nonverbal cues and leadership behaviors rather than on more traditional presentation skills. The last pillar of the program, leadership, brings in BlackRock senior leaders to talk about how they view leadership and what it means to be a leader at BlackRock.

The program provides women with practical tips and opportunities to try out new skills within a safe and supportive environment, all in an effort to build their confidence and abilities to embrace a leadership challenge or role in the future. After “graduating,” we find that the women feel more confident to use what they learned in all sorts of situations: whether it’s leading a small team, mentoring an Analyst, getting promoted or even taking on a new role in a new location. We champion all different leadership models to help foster the next generation of female leaders at BlackRock.

What does your role in the 2022 WIN Associate Development Program (ADP) involve?

Rebekah: As a co-founder, my role is to set the vision for the program and bring in talent to drive it forward. We initially tapped people who wanted to volunteer and get involved, but once we had two cohorts up and running, we started emphasizing the importance of paying it forward, which spawned two great things: a fully-fledged alumni network for those who have graduated from ADP – something which I’m most proud of — since it means ADP is not a “one-and-done” program; and alumni leading the programming for the next generation. Our organizing committee is entirely made up of alumni, and alumni also step into leadership roles across the entire WIN organization. My next goal is to see how we can replicate the success of the program for other women at all levels and stages in their careers.

Sam: I went through the program in 2017. We’re on our sixth cohort now and while the pillars have remained the same, we’ve tried to modernize the approach to those pillars. The environment today is much different than it was in 2017. So, when I think about things that matter today, I think about diversity, equity and inclusion, for example, and how we can incorporate the firm’s views and our personal views into the programming. We ask cohort participants what topics they’re interested in, and we make sure we incorporate those topics while staying true to the core purpose and mission of the program. That way, we’re delivering both what’s relevant and what’s impactful in order to constantly evolve the program.

And as the number of alumni from the program grows, we have much more senior alumni than we did when the program first started. Now we have alumni ranging from Associate to Director because we’ve seen past participants get promoted. It’s a great way to give people a safe space in which to be vulnerable, to talk to people who’ve had similar experiences and who are (or have been) in similar places in their own careers.

In addition to the formal programming we offer, there’s a lot of informal programming that takes place as well. Participants establish mutual mentorships, go on coffee chats and simply network. We hope to keep fostering that because we’ve seen so much success!

What has WIN ADP accomplished that you’re particularly proud of?

Rebekah: The alumni network really speaks to the durability of ADP. We’ve built something that has impacted more than 150 women at BlackRock and created this long-lasting set of relationships that people can tap into at different stages of their career.

Sam: What amazes me year after year, and what I’m most proud of, are the testimonials we get from people who’ve gone through the program: hearing women share their experiences of how this program has helped change the trajectory of their careers and knowing that we’re really making a difference. I’ve benefited a million times over from this program, and I’m incredibly passionate about keeping it alive and as impactful as possible for others.

What do you think is the future of the WIN Associate Development Program (ADP)? How do you see it expanding and growing?

Rebekah: We initially launched the program to serve women in our East Coast offices – from Wilmington to Toronto. From there we expanded to include Associates from our West Coast offices which more than doubled the number of women in the program. This year, we invited women from all over the Americas – from Bogota to Boston – to apply for a spot in the program. It’s been so great being able to offer programming to women across the region who don’t always have access to the same resources as those in a flagship office. The connectivity and networking opportunities it enables are truly unique. It’s always been our vision to try to empower more women with this.

Sam: Growth has been slow but steady. There were 18 of us in the first cohort; and this year we’re offering it to 60 Associates. We’re exploring what the future growth trajectory looks like, and we’re fully invested in it. We know we have support from the firm to continue offering this program, so we’ll keep working on it with our partners to determine how we can bring it to life for more and more women.

How has being involved with the WIN Associate Development Program (ADP) aided your career growth and development?

Sam: Having this network has been instrumental for me in my career. I think about the challenges I’ve gone through — whether it was pursuing a promotion or thinking about taking on a new role at the firm — and having this diverse network of people with both similar and different experiences from me has been so helpful to use as a sounding board to get honest, candid feedback has been so helpful.

There are also takeaways from the program that have stuck with me: I’ve had to rewrite something on a new post-it note because a six-year-old post-it note loses its luster. It says, “There are four things that will make people view you as successful: you make them money, you make them happy, you save them time, or you bring them success.” There are micro tips you pick up from the program, but there are also macro tips that shape the way you think of your career and what you’re bringing to the table as a professional.

If you take the time to invest in yourself, pay attention and pursue these types of opportunities, there is so much to learn. And I have seen the benefits of going through this program pay off in my career beyond measure.

After participating in ADP, what is your top piece of advice for women who want to grow their leadership skills?

Rebekah: Something I’ve seen in every application I’ve read over six years is cohort members asking to help them find and maintain confidence, and especially how to get your confidence back after it’s been shaken. I think taking that leadership opportunity when it presents itself or making it happen for yourself is the most powerful thing we can do — because confident women are successful women, and they will empower more successful women just by being role models themselves.

Sam: Take initiative; there is no one way to be a leader. I think a big misconception is that you have to be in a senior position to be a leader. Some of the most junior colleagues I’ve worked with have been excellent leaders. There is no hard or fast rule on what a leader has to do or sound like. Also, be your authentic self; being authentic is a great way to be a leader. Don’t be afraid to speak up, use your voice, have an opinion, share your views. All of these things position you as a leader regardless of the phase of your career. Position yourself as a leader in a way that feels right and true to you.

A version of this article was originally published on Fairygodboss.

Innovation has always been at the heart of BlackRock – in part because of the seamless way our teams work together to continuously deliver on our purpose: to help more and more people experience financial well-being. Embracing our culture of innovation, 120 speakers and hundreds of attendees from all over the firm recently came together to participate in our first-ever Innovation Forum, the largest knowledge-sharing event in BlackRock’s history.

The Forum celebrated the best in innovation firmwide and spanned key themes, including Sustainability, Investments, Data Science and Next Gen Technology. Over the course of three very full days, colleagues shared exciting project spotlights, senior leaders delivered compelling keynote speeches and our Tech Fellows led a panel on where innovation at the firm is headed. We caught up with members of the Forum’s organizing committee – many of whom work across various facets of our Aladdin technology business – to learn more about how the Forum came to life, why it was meaningful and what the future of innovation looks like at BlackRock.

BlackRock Innovation Forum Organizing Committee:

Hamdan Azhar (Vice President, Data Scientist in Global Marketing, NY)
Dongbo Guo (Vice President, Corporate Credit Team in the Financial Modeling Group, NY)
Linxi Chen (Vice President, Economic Scenario Generation Team in the Financial Modeling Group, NY)
Greg LaFata (Director, Software Engineer in the Alternative Digital Strategy Group, NY)
Sophia Huang (Analyst, Corporate Credit Team in the Financial Modeling Group, NY)

Hamdan Azhar (Left), Sophia Huang (Center) and Dongbo Guo (Right)

Tell us about the BlackRock Innovation Forum and how it came to fruition.

Hamdan Azhar: In 2020, [co-organizer] Dongbo Guo and I had this idea to bring together as many people as possible from across the firm and build a community centered on openness, sharing best practices and fostering the best technological and business innovation. That idea became the 2020 Natural Language Processing Symposium, a curated event of 40 speakers. We wanted to recreate that this past year, and there was appetite for something much broader around innovation – to bring together different teams across technology, data science, sustainability and investments in one forum.

Dongbo Guo: After receiving overwhelming interest, we started to reach out to potential speakers and eventually expanded our list to include more than 120 speakers across the firm.

Linxi Chen: The spirit of the Forum is that it is open to anyone and everyone, and you can contribute anywhere you want; it was a true grassroots movement.

Greg LaFata: The key word was ‘innovation.’ It seems obvious now, but we were reminded that innovation comes in many shapes and sizes. That term became an inclusive and equitable theme that went viral internally. It was powerful to have these teams of researchers and technologists in one conference, showcasing what they’re working on and uncovering what they don’t have or didn’t realize they needed before they all came together.

How did BlackRock senior leaders support your efforts in developing the Forum?

Azhar: We are grateful for the amount of support and enthusiasm we got from senior leaders from the very beginning. They made time in their calendars to come and speak with us, to ask how they could help or if they could connect us with anyone.

It’s also rare to see a small group of technologists from different parts of a firm this large and complex join forces to put together a massive three-day event during the last work week of the year and get enormous applause for it. It’s a testament to the unique culture we have at BlackRock.

What was your favorite forum session/topic, and why?

LaFata: [Global Head of Aladdin Business] Sudhir Nair’s keynote speech was among my favorites. He reminded me of how I used to hear people talk about BlackRock’s tech culture when I first joined the firm. He used the word “spark” to describe it, how an idea or conversation can catch fire and quickly become something big. Even though BlackRock is the largest asset manager in the world, it often feels like I work at a startup.

Guo: I learned a lot of things both from the keynote speeches delivered by senior leaders, whose perspective was more macro, and from the discussions led by more junior colleagues, who were focused on creative solutions to improve the efficiency of their daily work. Every speaker was in a different stage of their career, but they all shared innovative ways to solve a problem they’re currently facing.

Sophia Huang: I most enjoyed the presentations on the Sustainability track. This topic is closely related to the first project I ever worked on at BlackRock: helping to build a climate credit model. It was interesting to learn more about the upstream process that generated inputs for our own models and see how other teams are now working on similar climate models.

Azhar: [Chief Operating Officer] Rob Goldstein’s keynote speech closing out the Forum was fantastic. Rob is a critical leader at BlackRock, and he delivered a clear mandate to keep innovating, to always think about how we can do something faster, better and more efficiently. And as [Global Head of Technology] Kfir Godrich mentioned in his keynote, institutions that don’t innovate will get left behind.

Hamdan Azhar (Left) and Greg LaFata (Right)

What is a common misconception about BlackRock’s commitment to technology and innovation?

Azhar: A common – and massive – misconception is that the finance industry is not a place where top-tier technologists go to work. BlackRock has some of the best technologists in the world, with leading researchers in computer vision, natural language processing, deep learning, climate research and modeling. Their projects are critical and carry global impact.

Huang: When we say innovation, we often think of the most advanced technologies or complicated machine learning models. But innovation can happen anywhere – not only on the technology side but also on the business and investment side. That was why we had six different themes in the Forum. We wanted to highlight that we can be innovative with anything.

Chen: Yes, innovation can happen anywhere. For BlackRock, it’s not just on the investments side either; it’s also in corporate events that bring us together and in how we support our colleagues’ well-being, with things like health benefits or stress management. BlackRock’s true advantage is in all the places where we innovate.

What are you most excited about when thinking of BlackRock’s dedication to innovating?

LaFata: I’m most excited about the community we’re building through the Forum to facilitate equitable conversations about the potential of our technology and products. Any time we see an opportunity to improve the current state of things, my colleagues and I take the initiative to do just that.

Guo: To me, the most exciting part is that our senior leaders see real value in changing the status quo, even after decades in the industry. People have the courage to try new things across all functions and at all levels.

Azhar: The support, guidance and mentorship we received from senior leadership inspires me. BlackRock’s commitment to innovation is mind-boggling. No one ever asked us, “Who are you guys?” or “Why are you doing this?” They all said, “What do you need? Just call me.”

Chen: I’m constantly impressed by how seriously we take our fiduciary responsibilities to our clients. At the end of the day, we are managing a lot of money, many people’s lifetime savings and pension funds. It makes me feel good about where we’re innovating and the impact we’re having as a firm.

In 2017, Abigail Smith – a Global Marketing Vice President on BlackRock’s Social Media team – was a college graduate eager to put her new economics and data analysis degree to good use. The only problem? She wasn’t 100% sure how she wanted to do that.

Abigail Smith, Vice President, Global Marketing, NYC

“This expectation to find your dream job at 22 can make the workforce seem intimidating and limiting to your overall growth,” says Smith. In the end, she earned a spot in BlackRock’s Full-Time Analyst Program before joining the company’s U.S. Wealth Advisory (USWA) business full time. After two years, she decided she wanted to pursue something else – and, as it turned out, BlackRock was the perfect place to do just that.

When her coworkers encouraged her to network and participate in new projects to learn about other roles, Smith quickly realized BlackRock supports employees who want to explore different career paths at the firm. And “it’s the people there who can help you find roles to match your interests,” she says.

In fact, allowing employees to take ownership of their careers is one of BlackRock’s deeply held company values. Leadership does this by supporting internal mobility and encouraging everyone to pursue their personal interests. There are even internal programs dedicated to helping with career transitions.

Here, three BlackRock employees share how this culture of mobility has set them up to have successful – and fulfilling – careers at the company.

Employees Can Develop Transferable Skills

As an Analyst, Smith developed a foundational understanding of BlackRock’s business and history. On the USWA team, she put that knowledge to use by working with financial advisors – a skill that eventually helped her land her current role in marketing.

Now, instead of selling BlackRock to financial advisors, she collaborates with teams across the company to tell the “Why BlackRock” story via more than 40 social media accounts, which reach nearly 2 million followers.

“While I was less experienced in social media, I was drawn to the opportunity of reaching more people by spreading BlackRock’s narrative, and my experience in USWA made me an asset to the team,” Smith says.

Antonio Buddington, Director, Data Governance, NYC

And the longer employees are with the company, the more transferable skills they pick up. Take Antonio Buddington, a Director in the Data and AI function. His first role in the Portfolio Analytics Group focused on providing portfolio risk insights to clients through Aladdin – the firm’s proprietary investment risk management system. “While I gained invaluable experience managing client inquiries across their investment strategies,” he says, “I preferred solving problems associated with the risk analytics product, and wanted to get more exposure to our internal BlackRock business.”

This led to an internal move to the Data and AI function, where he learned about the firm’s asset management and technology services business units. He parlayed that into a role within the Green Package Analytics and Support team, honing his problem-solving and leadership skills, which prepared him for his current Director position on the Data Governance team.

Internal Networking Opportunities Are Endless

“While networking can often feel intimidating, that hasn’t been my experience at BlackRock,” Smith says. “I quickly noticed the value of being surrounded by people who network themselves – one coffee chat quickly turns into five.”

Rebecca Lewinson – a Vice President in the Real Assets group within BlackRock Alternative Investors – also reached out to her peers when she was ready to take her next career step. She previously served as chief of staff to Vice Chairman Sir Robert Fairbairn and the Global Head of Human Resources. Since her goal was to transition from a corporate function to a role within an alternative investment team, she got in touch with investors across the firm to pick their brains.

Rebecca Lewinson, Vice President, Real Assets, NYC

“I set up meetings with colleagues to learn about the skills or resources that made them most successful in their roles,” she says. “I was motivated and inspired by others across the firm who had interesting mobility stories.”

Personal Interests Can Become a New Career Path

After discovering her passion for sharing the “Why BlackRock” story with potential clients, Smith decided to center her search around storytelling roles. And she made sure to express that interest while networking so her colleagues could think of opportunities that might be a fit for her. When she was introduced to her current manager on the Social Media team, Smith immediately knew marketing was the place for her.

For Lewinson, having the flexibility and freedom to explore opportunities she found interesting has not only increased her professional happiness, but also makes her feel more invested in the company’s success. “Knowing that mobility exists at every level, from our Analysts to our executive leadership, keeps me motivated and excited about having a fulfilling long-term career at BlackRock,” says Lewinson.

Development Programs Put a Focus on Learning

To help Lewinson with her transition to a product strategist role, she took advantage of BlackRock Academies, a learning platform that offers programs in various topics such as client relationships, compliance and tech. At the time, BlackRock Academies didn’t include a program on investment (it has since been added), so Lewinson was able to create her own curriculum, studying private markets, assets, valuations, excel proficiency and accounting.

“Having access to so much content in one place made my career pivot so much easier,” she says. “I essentially designed my own MBA without having to enroll in a formal program outside of work.”

Buddington, meanwhile, participated in the Connections Initiative Agenda – a talent development program that helps participants create and sustain professional relationships that support career growth – as well as the Black Leadership Forum, which addresses systematic barriers to career advancement for Black senior leaders. The latter also connected him with four senior-level sponsors who gave him advice and helped expand his network.

“I’ve been able to perform a lot of introspection with 360 assessments and executive coaching, and have more clarity on areas of focus pertaining to communicating with senior leaders, strategically managing a global team, and influencing change across the organization,” Buddington says of the experience.

Managers Actively Help With Career Transitions

While it may seem counterintuitive to tell your boss you’re looking for a new job, Buddington says that BlackRock’s leadership takes supporting internal mobility very seriously. In fact, it’s a policy for direct reports to notify their managers when they’re interested in exploring new opportunities within the company and for their managers to support their teams’ ambitions. He credits that process – and the transparency it allows – for his own rewarding experience.

“I’ve had supportive managers who have even made explicit recommendations of roles to explore,” he says.

Lewinson says her manager also helped her evaluate opportunities that aligned with her interests, strengths and goals, and introduced her to people who were looking to hire. “BlackRock expects managers to support internal mobility, which created the space for me to have open conversations about my long-term career interests,” she says.

Overall, she says, “BlackRock is a stronger firm, and our clients are better served, if we have robust teams with different strengths, backgrounds, educations and experiences. This encourages innovation, discourages groupthink, and keeps employees engaged and energized. And when they feel they’re ready to pursue new opportunities, they don’t have to leave the firm to do so.”

This article was originally published on The Muse.

When Lymari Arkins joined BlackRock almost 11 years ago as an Administrative Assistant to the Global Head of Technology, she saw it as the start to a long and multifaceted career.

“I was aware that BlackRock championed internal mobility and had seen evidence of it myself,” Arkins says. “A friend of mine worked at BlackRock for seven years prior to encouraging me to apply. Observing her progression, along with the opportunities she was afforded, convinced me to join the company.”

In the time since, Arkins has benefited from the firm’s commitment to helping employees learn and grow. With the support of her managers, she was able to try out roles on various teams – and has now found a great fit as a Vice President within the Technology and Operations (T&O) team.

“Regardless of my position, job role, or title, I have always leaned into organizing an effort and ensuring it’s successful,” she says. “This skill has brought me success and led me into project management. It’s a natural fit for my strongest qualities.”

Tell us about your career trajectory at BlackRock. How does it exemplify the way the firm champions internal mobility?

While I enjoyed my role as an Administrative Assistant, I was curious about other opportunities and paths at BlackRock. During one of my year-end reviews, my manager at the time encouraged me to push myself out of my comfort zone. He looked for opportunities for me and helped make connections that would enable me to experience working with other teams.

I spent the next six months continuing with my administrative duties while simultaneously helping the external audit team. I was offered a position on the team; however, it didn’t feel like a good fit for me. My manager suggested exploring the project management team. He believed I had the skills to learn the work and be successful in this space. He was right!

What kinds of learning and development opportunities are available at BlackRock?

In addition to the development resources provided through BlackRock Academies, there are various avenues for learning. Many of our employee networks sponsor “Ask Me Anything” events and fireside chats with influential and inspiring leaders across the firm.

In my experience, the best opportunities for learning and development are through the people here at BlackRock. Throughout the years, my colleagues and mentors have provided immeasurable insights and knowledge. In addition, there are programs such as the Emerging Talent Program (ETP) and Professional Preparation for Elevated Leadership (PROPEL), which I’m currently participating in. These programs are part of the firm’s commitment to investing in its people.

What are you responsible for in your role?

As a project manager within the Technology and Operations business, I lead all merger and acquisition (M&A) activity – supporting the technology platforms, enterprise services, information security, and data and artificial intelligence functions, as well as large-scale, cross-functional initiatives.

What skills and traits does it take to succeed on the Technology and Operations team?

I would start with having a good work ethic and being able to build relationships. The work is challenging but the opportunities are endless! Have a problem-solving mindset and seek out solutions. Bring your strengths to the table and partner with your colleagues to support BlackRock’s mission and principles. That is the foundation that makes this team successful. In my experience, especially in the M&A space, the T&O teams always rise to the challenge to solve the most complex issues.

What are you working on right now that excites or inspires you?

We’ve recently been working on the integration of BlackRock’s acquisition of Aperio Group LLC, which was announced in November 2020 and officially closed in February 2021. My team has now onboarded all employees and moved the firm to the BlackRock technology stack, including a new office in Sausalito, CA.

I am also part of the 50 Hudson Yards project management team, coordinating the technology delivery for various teams for our new headquarters in New York. It’s an honor to be part of this effort.

What do you like most about working in the Wilmington office and its company culture?

The Wilmington office stands out because of its culture. As one of the leads of the Delaware Events Committee, I partner closely with the head of the Wilmington office to create events that foster and continue to strengthen the culture here.

Also unique to the Wilmington office is our partnership across networks. We ensure that we are creating opportunities and events that are aligned with one another’s – and the firm’s – mission and purpose. It has served us well during the pandemic in being able to bring the entire Wilmington team together virtually when we were not able to have the in-person events our colleagues had grown accustomed to.

What can a candidate interested in joining BlackRock do to stand out?

Confidence and authenticity will help you shine and stand out. Understand the BlackRock Principles, as they are key to how the firm operates. BlackRock is interested in growing talent for the firm, so express your desire and willingness to learn and be open to new opportunities. Show that you are the kind of person who raises their hand for those opportunities.

What advice do you have for those looking to pursue a career path similar to yours?

My advice is to be intentional but remain flexible and agile. Take advantage of the opportunities offered that you may not have been expecting. Be on the lookout for mentors, advocates and sponsors, and humbly take their advice and guidance. Your skill sets are the foundation, but you must continue to learn, grow and build your brand and relationships to crack open those opportunities.

Samara Cohen is BlackRock’s newly named Chief Investment Officer of Exchange Traded Funds and Index Investments (EII). Learn more about Samara’s new role, career journey, experience being a BlackRock “Boomerang,” and her advice for people looking to break into the financial industry.

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You are the newly named Chief Investment Officer of BlackRock’s ETF and Index Investments (EII) business. Can you walk us through your new role and expanded responsibilities?

In my new role, I lead the teams that run the world’s most transparent and accessible investment platform. We estimate that over 100 million people around the world access our index and ETF capabilities, which let them participate in economic growth and improve their financial well-being.

The teams that make up the EII Markets and Investment platform manage portfolios across more than 85 markets and 65 countries and aim to deliver market quality and uphold investment integrity. We sit in Tokyo, Hong Kong, London, New York, Atlanta and San Francisco, bringing global markets and a wide range of investment strategies to our clients.

In addition to managing our ETF and Index portfolios, our teams design the investment processes for new products and the architecture of our investment platform. We lead the industry in setting market standards and identifying ways to improve index construction and outcomes. At BlackRock, there is absolutely nothing passive about index investing! We ensure the ecosystem of liquidity; trade execution and post-trade service providers is robust and diverse so that we can grow and thrive across multiple market environments.

Indexation continues to modernize world markets and create new on-ramps for investors by providing affordable, diversified and transparent investment strategies. As CIO, my overarching goal is to challenge and empower the increasingly diverse group of women and men who manage our portfolios, identify ways to continuously improve our products/platform and develop the ETF and Index markets ecosystem.

What innovations or opportunities in the industry are you most excited about?

I’m most excited about the opportunity in front of us to increasingly personalize investor journeys with a more customized and innovative product suite.

The market volatility that characterized the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing demand for transparent and accessible products like ETFs challenged and tested our investment in scale operations. We delivered market quality and investment integrity despite historic market stressors and sharp spikes in trading velocity. ETFs and indexation have become part of the fabric of today’s global capital markets — improving transparency, access and resilience for investors around the world.

Now, our challenge is to provide the building blocks for more personalized investor portfolios. We are accessing new markets and strategies on behalf of our clients across countries and asset classes. One very exciting example of this for me is the incorporation of climate risk and opportunities. I have two children and four nieces, and it’s always been hard for me to explain my job to them in a way that they understand. However, they are all passionate about the environment (my daughter is the class representative to her school’s environmental action committee), and our sustainable climate-focused portfolios have given me a language to use with them to explain investing and what we do with our ETF and Index portfolios.

In a much broader sense, our sustainable and thematic products resonate with individual investors and make investing feel more important and relevant in their lives. I think this is key in how we will help more and more people achieve financial well-being.

You are a BlackRock “Boomerang” — meaning you began your professional career as an Analyst at BlackRock, left to pursue another career opportunity, and rejoined the firm again in 2015 as a Managing Director. Tell us a bit about your career journey and what led you back to BlackRock.

If you had asked me in high school which professional industry I’d be in, I never would have guessed financial services. I tell this to people all the time because I think if you have a passion for markets and investing, there is no “right” background or set of educational experiences. We have many investors on our team who would say the same.

I enjoyed math and science in high school, but my great passion was theater. I wasn’t an actor – I loved the backstage environment, stage management, directing and design. I went to college to major in theater but quickly found that I missed a more quantitative curriculum and tried an economics class, which I loved. I ended up graduating with dual degrees in Theater Arts (a B.A.) and Financial Engineering (a B.S. in Economics.)

I interviewed at BlackRock back in 1993. Having spent all my summers working in regional theaters, I really didn’t know what asset management was. However, I met three female partners at BlackRock, which was more than I met at any of the other investment banks I was also considering. Wanting to be close to them and follow in their footsteps inspired me to choose BlackRock.

I decided to go to business school after four years at BlackRock, and in between my first and second year, I interned on the trading floor at Goldman Sachs (GS). I absolutely loved the trading floor environment, which involved the levels of complex orchestration experienced in my theater production days, and I was thrilled to accept a full-time offer from GS upon graduation. I stayed there for 16 years!

What led me back to BlackRock? As my career progressed, I learned that I did my very best work when I had a clear sense of purpose behind my efforts. The financial crisis gave our industry an opportunity to assess how we might make markets safer and more efficient, and I wanted to be part of that. The more I learned about ETFs and Index Investing (and I had to Google “what is an ETF” in 2014), the greater conviction I had that ETFs would bring more transparency to markets around the world. I was incredibly excited to have an opportunity to be a part of that story – to join the team that would call themselves “champions of investor progress.”

In addition to your new role as CIO of EII, you are a deeply involved in several of BlackRock’s employee networks. How do you consider Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in your work, and why is it important?

My personal professional mission is to make world markets better, safer and more inclusive. With a diverse and inclusive investment team, we maximize our chance of success.

It is a privilege to be an advocate for our employee networks, where many of our colleagues share their personal stories and the challenges they have faced in life as well as at work. I’m not sure that all firms celebrate the bravery of people who bring their full selves to the office in that way – but they should! It is hard to do our best work if we don’t talk about our lives and the obstacles to our progress both inside and outside the office. I’ve been a part of women’s networks and a beneficiary of the networking, sponsorship and visibility that comes from investment in them. Being an advocate for networks like the Out & Allies Network; Asian, Middle Eastern & Allies Professional Network; Black Professionals & Allies Network and the Ability & Allies Network help me really learn and understand the tapestry of personal stories that make up our firm.

This helps me be a better recruiter, manager and leader. By reflecting on and challenging my own preconceptions, I can cast a wider lens on what success looks like at all levels of our organization and support the careers of new joiners and seasoned professionals with more empathy. This is why I feel so strongly that having the “right experience” isn’t the key prerequisite for a successful career as an investor. I’m proud of how far we’ve come in terms of diversity in our investment platform and the work we’re continuing to do to improve. By attracting and supporting people interested in the markets and connected to our purpose, I believe this effort will lead to even greater success as a result.

What advice would you give to women looking to break into the industry or grow their careers within it?

To women – or to anyone – interested in our industry but worried that they don’t see enough leaders who look like them, I would say, “Find your purpose and lean into your passion. The industry – and investors – will be better for it.”

I’m incredibly proud that BlackRock’s ETF and Index Markets & Investments leadership team is majority female. We may not know what will happen next year in the markets, but I have complete conviction that a leadership team that is passionate about the business case for diversity, will be behind tens of millions of investors navigating the markets more successfully.

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Visit www.iShares.com to view a prospectus, which includes investment objectives, risks, fees, expenses and other information that you should read and consider carefully before investing. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.

Carefully consider the Funds’ investment objectives, risk factors, and charges and expenses before investing. This and other information can be found in the Funds’ prospectuses or, if available, the summary prospectuses which may be obtained by visiting www.iShares.com or www.blackrock.com. Read the prospectus carefully before investing. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.

This information should not be relied upon as research, investment advice, or a recommendation regarding any products, strategies, or any security in particular. This material is strictly for illustrative, educational, or informational purposes and is subject to change.

Prepared by BlackRock Investments, LLC, member FINRA.

©2021 BlackRock, Inc. All rights reserved. iSHARES and BLACKROCK are trademarks of BlackRock, Inc., or its subsidiaries in the United States and elsewhere. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

Talles de Souza is a Portfolio Manager within U.S. iShares at BlackRock. After graduating from Federal University of Espírito Santo in Brazil, he earned a Master’s in Engineering Management from Duke University and an MBA from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. As an alum of BlackRock’s MBA Summer Associate Program, Talles shares his experiences in the program and how it prepared him for a successful career at the firm.

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What were you doing before you joined BlackRock’s MBA Summer Associate Program, and what’s your current title and role here?

Before joining the program, I was at Palantir Technologies, a data analytics company. I was in a business development role there, expanding the company across the globe. At BlackRock, I am currently a Portfolio Manager within U.S. iShares, managing U.S.-based exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Why did you apply to intern at BlackRock?

BlackRock’s Principles reflect my own personal values – values that I apply not only in my job but in all aspects of my life. I knew that this was the place I wanted to be after earning my MBA at Stanford. As the largest asset manager in the world, BlackRock is of course a unique place to be in the investment management industry, and it offers a wide array of opportunities. But beyond that, at BlackRock we feel a deep sense of responsibility toward our clients and stakeholders, and we act on that in part through our commitment toward a better and more sustainable future. The MBA Summer Associate Program was a great opportunity for me to get to know the firm, showcase my skills and, most importantly, connect with my team and other colleagues prior to returning full-time.

Tell us about your experience during the MBA Summer Associate Program.

Despite my internship experience being fully virtual, I felt immersed in BlackRock’s culture given the close collaboration that happens across projects here and the opportunity to engage with people from various business units across the globe. My team took care to ensure I had the best experience possible, and with their support, I was able to effectively contribute and showcase my skillset and working style during the program. Specifically, Chris Tachiki, who was my manager during the program and has remained a close mentor since I re-joined full time, always made time for conversations and Q&A sessions on all aspects of managing funds. That only reinforced that this was a place I wanted to be long-term.

What was the most surprising thing you learned during the program?

I came into the program with the highest expectations about the people at BlackRock, but even those were surpassed once I got to know my colleagues here. There is an incredible diversity of expertise and backgrounds at BlackRock, and people are extremely willing to help one another – to share their knowledge and experiences, and to help each other grow. It’s truly a One BlackRock culture.

Coming from a background in technology, I was also surprised at how much BlackRock leverages its own technology throughout the Aladdin ecosystem. Our tech solutions and products empower our excellence, especially in dealing with our scale and the sheer volume of assets we manage within our platform.

How did the program prepare you for a full-time role at BlackRock?

The fact that I already knew the team, despite the virtual environment, made my return to the firm full-time much easier and smoother. The day I re-joined, I received several messages and calls from people I had interacted or worked with the previous summer welcoming me back. That made me feel even more included and assured me that this was a great place to build a career.

During the program, I was able to truly showcase my skills through projects that had significant impact on the business. I also learned about our Aladdin ecosystem and began to understand managing funds through virtual shadowing sessions. That initial exposure during the internship experience helped me accelerate the learning curve I needed to become a portfolio manager.

What kind of opportunities did you take advantage of outside of the work directly related to the program?

The team responsible for the MBA internship experience did a phenomenal job of making sure that we engaged with as many people as possible across various business units. At the end of the internship, we presented our projects and results to senior management, which was such a unique opportunity. I also participated in around 70 learning sessions during the internship, the majority of which were held in small groups combining MBA students and BlackRock colleagues across business units and cities including San Francisco, Atlanta, New York, London, Hong Kong and Mexico City.

How did your experience as an MBA Summer Associate help you when you resumed your MBA coursework?

My internship experience strengthened my passion for what we do for our clients and helped me select coursework that would strengthen my career at BlackRock to make me a better and more well-rounded professional. This ranged from classes focused on soft skills – like Interpersonal Dynamics, the most popular elective at Stanford GSB for the last 45 years – to more technical ones in finance, such as Alphanomics, taught by renowned Professor Charles Lee (who was also a Managing Director at the firm a few years ago).

What piece of advice do you have for MBA candidates who are looking to apply to the MBA Summer Associate Program?

One of BlackRock’s Principles is that we are passionate about performance. This includes constantly trying to find better ways to serve our clients and improve our firm by being lifelong students – of the markets, of technology and of the world. Demonstrate the willingness to learn every day and the curiosity to ask bigger questions. Show your passion for learning and act as a sponge for knowledge.

Learn more about BlackRock’s MBA Summer Associate Program.