The world’s largest asset manager has appointed its former EMEA chief to run its Asia Pacific business. Rachel Lord will become chair and head of BlackRock Asia Pacific as of May 1. Based in Hong Kong she replaces Geraldine Buckingham who took on the role two years ago in February 2019. Buckingham will continue to serve as a senior adviser to BlackRock once Lord takes over and will relocate to Beijing. “The appointment of one of the firm’s strongest leaders to head up our APAC business underscores our commitment to this fast-growing region as a top strategic priority for BlackRock,” said Blackrock’s head of international and head of corporate strategy, Mark Wiedman. Lord has been with BlackRock since 2013 and is currently head of EMEA, a position she has held since 2018. She has previously worked for ANZ Bank, Citigroup and Morgan Stanley where she spent 13 years, including a spell at its Hong Kong office. In her new role, Lord will be expected to steer BlackRock’s expansion plans in Asia and China in particular. The US-based asset manager which has more than US$8 trillion in assets under management was one of the first overseas firms to be granted a licence to operate on China’s mainland. “We are rapidly transforming our business to match APAC investors’ aspirations,” said Lord. “Who we are and what we offer must reflect the region and its needs, so the opportunity to accelerate BlackRock’s APAC business over the next decade is a game changer.” © 2021 funds global asia