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

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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.

How much and where does Blackrock invest in Europe? How does this enormous financial power exert its influence and to what consequences for European companies and their employees?

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
Take a closer look with us.
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.

Publications

Blackrock: The money octopus
Blackrock: The money octopus

Der Tagesspiegel, Germany

Blackrock keeps a secret from BES
Blackrock keeps a secret from BES

Público, Portugal

The company that is changing capitalism
The company that is changing capitalism

Público, Portugal

Blackrock of Larry Fink
Blackrock of Larry Fink

Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland

Why Blackrock is dominating the present and the future of the world
Why Blackrock is dominating the present and the future of the world

La Vanguardia, Spain

Blackrock: The invisible rock that governs the world
Blackrock: The invisible rock that governs the world

Corriere della Sera, Italy

The most powerful man in the world that you never heard of
The most powerful man in the world that you never heard of

Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway

A financial giant grew up almost unnoticed
A financial giant grew up almost unnoticed

This is Blackrock: The company that owns the world
This is Blackrock: The company that owns the world

Follow the Money

Flights become more expensive when the competitors are owned by the same company
Flights become more expensive when the competitors are owned by the same company

Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway

Blackrock: the leviathan of finance who weighs on European choices
Blackrock: the leviathan of finance who weighs on European choices

Mediapart, France

The black phantom
The black phantom

Falter, Austria

Enviromental shareholders are pressing Shell
Enviromental shareholders are pressing Shell

Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway

Blackrock boss’s monthly salary is as big as the company’s annual tax to Sokndal municipality
Blackrock boss’s monthly salary is as big as the company’s annual tax to Sokndal municipality

Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway

The company that wants to stop the world from turning
The company that wants to stop the world from turning

EfSyn, Greece

Blackrock – the company that owns the world
Blackrock – the company that owns the world

EfSyn, Greece

Blackrock and the treasure of Greek banks
Blackrock and the treasure of Greek banks

EfSyn, Greece

Blackrock audits banks in which it owns shares
Blackrock audits banks in which it owns shares

Der Tagesspiegel, Germany

The EU gives in to the plans of the security companies’ lobby
The EU gives in to the plans of the security companies’ lobby

infoLibre, Spain

Banking. Where the conflict of interests begins and ends
Banking. Where the conflict of interests begins and ends

Diário de Notícias, Portugal

The role of the world largest cash manager in Belgium
The role of the world largest cash manager in Belgium

Trends, Belgium

Blackrock, the Commission and the death of the welfare state
Blackrock, the Commission and the death of the welfare state

EfSyn, Greece

Blackrock, the hidden power that dominates European finance
Blackrock, the hidden power that dominates European finance

Il Fatto Quotidiano, Italy

Norway’s oil fund did what Blackrock wanted. Until now
Norway’s oil fund did what Blackrock wanted. Until now

Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway

Blackrock file: how (un)healthy is the dual role of adviser and shareholder?
Blackrock file: how (un)healthy is the dual role of adviser and shareholder?

Trends, Belgium

Blackrock: incentives for Italian bankers
Blackrock: incentives for Italian bankers

Il Fatto Quotidiano, Italy

How a US firm pushed for EU €2.1trn pension fund
How a US firm pushed for EU €2.1trn pension fund

EUobserver, Belgium

Be careful, pensioners
Be careful, pensioners

der Freitag, Germany

The money octopus
The money octopus

Rheinpfalz, Germany