Director, EMEA Alternatives Business Development Lead

About this role

Business Unit Overview

The Alternatives Specialists Team (AST) works across BlackRock’s Global Client Business to grow BlackRock’s alternatives platform by delivering solutions for clients’ investment needs.  Members of the AST have deep knowledge of alternatives capabilities across private markets and liquid alternatives, ensuring they are optimally positioned to drive specialist to specialist conversations.

The EMEA Wealth AST focuses on developing BlackRock’s alternatives franchise and delivering for clients in the wealth channel across EMEA.  Clients include Private Banks, Wealth Managers, Asset Managers, Advisors, Platforms and Digital Platforms across the EMEA region.  In addition, the AST maintain strategic relationships with key alternatives clients across EMEA.

BlackRock’s alternatives platform represents over $330bn across a broad and deep range of investment capabilities, including $175bn in private markets.  Our team of 900+ dedicated professionals across BlackRock’s global teams, in 50+ offices across 30+ countries, focus on delivering consistent returns over the long term.  In Wealth, BlackRock leads the European Long Term Investment Fund (ELTIF) market and has also built strong capabilities in the custom solution space.

Key responsibilities

Reporting to the Head of the Alternative Specialists Team EMEA Wealth, this position will focus on delivering private markets solutions to clients.  It will focus on enabling the delivery of the full breadth of BlackRock’s alternatives capabilities to wealth clients across EMEA, working closely with global partner functions, including investment teams, local sales, marketing, client experience and product groups.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Identify and develop commercial private market opportunities with a solutions and innovation mindset.  Collaborate with lead sales, product strategy and investment teams to evaluate potential investment options.
• Leverage a strong external network to drive business development.  Develop and maintain strong relationships with key clients.
• Engage with clients to define the most appropriate structures and solutions to meet their private market investment needs. 
• Provide guidance to internal teams, including lead sales, portfolio management, product strategy and other partner groups to deliver market leading and innovative private market solutions to Wealth clients across EMEA.
• Demonstrate a deep understanding of BlackRock’s suite of alternative products and solutions. 
• Stay up to date with industry trends and competitor activities, providing input to the commercial sales strategy accordingly.
• Directly contribute to the Alternatives sales strategy for Wealth across EMEA, to achieve gross fundraising, revenue targets and growth objectives. 
• Define the strategy around the delivery of new structures and wrappers (e.g. ELTIF 2.0) and lead project teams towards successful delivery and launch.
• Maintain a deep understanding of regulatory and compliance requirements related to different structures wrappers.

Knowledge / experience

• 10+ years’ experience within the financial services industry.
• A background of fundraising and structuring for private markets / alternative investments in EMEA.
• Experience of building a private markets platform at a wealth manager or GP/asset manager.
• A deep understanding of alternative asset classes (Private Equity, Private Credit, Real Estate, Infrastructure and Liquid Alternatives).
• Thorough knowledge of the wealth market across EMEA, including Private Banks, Wealth Managers, Asset Managers, and broader industry dynamics.
• Experience of managing multiple internal stakeholders, both regionally and globally.
• Evidence a strong network across the Private Markets industry.

Skills / qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree (Master’s degree preferred) in Business Administration, Economics, Finance, a similarly related field, or equal professional experience.
• CFA / CAIA designation preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication in English.  Additional European languages preferred.

Competencies

• Demonstrate a real passion for Alternatives and fundraising across private market asset classes.
• Ability to lead by example with high ethical standards and a strong work ethic.
• Evidence strong intellectual ability.
• Capacity to move fluently between tasks, handling multiple stakeholders in parallel to provide a value-added perspective and deliverables.

Location

• Although London is listed as the preferred location for this role, the potential to work from any of BlackRock’s offices in Continental Europe will be considered for the right candidate.

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.