BlackRock has appointed West Lockhart has been appointed as EMEA Head of BlackRock Alternatives Specialists (BAS) Wealth.
West will be joining BlackRock Alternatives Specialists to lead the private market strategy in EMEA Wealth and to drive the next phase of strategic growth for the business. West brings significant wealth, Family Office and strategic partnership expertise having held prior leadership roles in EMEA Wealth, EMEA Strategic Partnership Program and LatAm distribution at BlackRock. West joined BlackRock in 2007 and was named Managing Director in 2010.
West will work closely with BlackRock’s leadership to support the firm’s ambition to become a top global alternatives wealth manager. The European wealth market currently holds USD1.5 trillion of alternatives and represents a key engine of growth for the asset management industry. Forecasts show that alternative investments are expected to grow to USD2.2 trillion by 2024 (8 per cent PA growth).
Lockhart says: “We see substantial opportunity to provide wealth managers with a range of private market strategies, technology and bespoke services to achieve investor goals, against a backdrop of low rates, companies staying private longer and the need for greater portfolio diversification. Furthermore, we believe that sustainable investing is becoming a central consideration for investors adding private investments to their portfolios and we look forward to supporting our clients enhance the resilience and sustainability of their portfolios.”
