Blackrock
There’s a good chance you have never heard of Blackrock. In less than 30 years, this American financial firm has grown from nothing to becoming the world’s largest and most trusted manager of other people’s money. The assets left in their care are worth a staggering 6.3 trillion US dollars – a figure with 12 zeroes.
May 2018
There’s a good chance you have never heard of Blackrock. In less than 30 years, this American financial firm has grown from nothing to becoming the world’s largest and most trusted manager of other people’s money. The assets left in their care are worth a staggering 6.3 trillion US dollars – a figure with 12 zeroes.
And will Blackrock’s recently-announced social expectations – from companies it invests in – help make the business world a better place? Together with the Dutch research platform “Follow the money“, Investigate Europe´s team has researched these questions. Blackrock declined our requests for interviews. It also refused to answer IE’s questions submitted in writing.
However, economists, politicians, bankers, investors, researchers, managers and former Blackrock employees have contributed to describing a company like no other. Their knowledge shows a global money giant with customers in 100 countries that:
- undermines competition through owning shares in competing companies
- blurs boundaries between private capital and government affairs by working closely with regulators
- advocates for privatisation of pensions schemes in order to channel savings capital into its funds
Blackrock: The financial leviathan that bears down on Europe’s decisions
We have recently published an English translation of a report written by our colleague, Jordan Pouille, for Mediapart. We hope this will make our research on Blackrock – and with it our main findings – accessible to all our readers. The report looks at the financial and political influence of one of the most powerful investment companies in the world.
Help bringour cross-border journalism to life.Support Investigate EuropeDonate
Publications
The money octopus
Rheinpfalz, Germany
8 October 2018
Achtung, Rentenfresser
der Freitag, Germany
3 July 2018
How a US firm pushed for EU €2.1trn pension fund
EUobserver, Belgium
21 June 2018
BlackRock: viaggi e lusso per “comprare” i consulenti
Il Fatto Quotidiano, Italy
16 June 2018
Blackrock file: how (un)healthy is the dual role of adviser and shareholder?
Trends, Belgium
7 June 2018
Oljefondet gjorde som Blackrock ville. Til i år
Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway
6 June 2018
BlackRock, quel potere occulto che domina tutta la finanza europea
Il Fatto Quotidiano, Italy
28 May 2018
Blackrock, the Commission and the death of the welfare state
EfSyn, Greece
23 May 2018
Dit is de rol van's werelds grootste geldbeheerder Blackrock in België
Trends, Belgium
22 May 2018
Banca. Onde começa, e acaba, o conflito de interesses?
Diário de Notícias, Portugal
22 May 2018
La UE se entrega a los planes del lobby de las empresas de seguridad
infoLibre, Spain
22 May 2018
Blackrock: Ein Geldkonzern auf dem Weg zur globalen Vorherrschaft
Der Tagesspiegel, Germany
22 May 2018
H BlackRock και ο θησαυρός των ελληνικών τραπεζών
EfSyn, Greece
22 May 2018
BlackRock, η εταιρεία στην οποία «ανήκει» ο κόσμος
EfSyn, Greece
21 May 2018
Η εταιρεία που θέλει να σταματήσει να γυρίζει ο κόσμος
EfSyn, Greece
21 May 2018
Blackrocks grunnlegger og sjef, Larry Fink, har like mye utbetalt i måneden som Sokndal tar inn fra selskapet i løpet av et år.
Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway
16 May 2018
Miljøaksjonærer presser på i Shell
Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway
10 May 2018
DAS SCHWARZE PHANTOM
Falter, Austria
8 May 2018
BlackRock: ce Léviathan de la finance qui pèse sur les choix européens
Mediapart, France
7 May 2018
Flybilletter blir dyrere når samme selskap eier konkurrenter
Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway
7 May 2018
This is Blackrock: The company that owns the world
Follow the Money, Netherlands
6 May 2018
Hier wuchs fast unbemerkt ein Finanzgigant heran
Tagesanzeiger, Switzerland
6 May 2018
Han er verdens mektigste mann du aldri har hørt om
Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway
6 May 2018
Blackrock: The invisible rock that governs the world
Corriere della Sera, Italy
6 May 2018
Blackrock: Ein Geldkonzern auf dem Weg zur globalen Vorherrschaft
Der Tagesspiegel, Germany
6 May 2018
Por qué BlackRock domina el presente y el futuro del mundo
La Vanguardia, Spain
5 May 2018
BlackRock Larry'ego Finka: największy akcjonariusz Europy. Jeden człowiek ma w garści giełdy, banki, rządy. Co będzie, jeśli źle zainwestuje?
Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland
5 May 2018
A empresa que está a mudar o capitalismo
Público, Portugal
5 May 2018
A BlackRock guarda um segredo do BES
Público, Portugal
2 May 2018