A recent BlackRock job posting hints at how it's looking to innovate around its crown jewel Aladdin tech platform - and shows it wants to be more than an asset manager
- BlackRock has created a new group that's focused on managing the tech projects it has planned for Aladdin, risk and portfolio management technology system according to a recent job posting.
- The $6.9 trillion asset manager is betting that Aladdin will be a long-term money maker used by both institutional and wealth management clients.
- The Aladdin Studio, a suite of tools that allows developers to customize and tweak Aladdin, is one of the most recent examples of BlackRock's attempt to keep pace with the evolving needs of its customer base.
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It appears the world's largest asset manager has some big plans for one of its crown jewels.
BlackRock, the $6.9 trillion New York-based asset manager, posted a job opening that's a nod towards the number of changes it hopes to bring to its widely-used Aladdin risk and portfolio management technology system.
The asset manager is hiring for its Strategic Initiatives Office, a newly formed group that sits within the Aladdin Product Group and looks to "structure, and program manage strategic initiatives as APG enters its next evolution," according to a job posting for the role on LinkedIn.
A spokesperson for BlackRock declined to comment on the posting.
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The group's responsibility will be to oversee and guide new projects that are currently being worked on for Aladdin for the more than 25,000 investors who use it. That includes tech initiatives involving the cloud or the developer experience, according to the post. Other areas of focus will be commercial efforts, such as those around ETF servicing.
BlackRock is betting that Aladdin will be a long-term money maker used by both institutional and wealth management clients. As investors seek ever-cheaper funds, the tech play is a major differentiator from asset managers focused on traditional investment strategies.
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has for years talked about the firm's future more as a tech company than a traditional money manager.
One prime example of BlackRock's intentions to keep up-to-speed on the desires of its clients is Aladdin Studio. The suite of tools allows developers to open up Aladdin for customizations and modifications around investment research, analytics and automation of day-to-day processes.
Currently more than 3,000 developers use Aladdin Studio, and there are plans to attract even more via a wider adoption of open-source technology.
Aladdin has seen consistent evolution recently. The system was opened up for use by wealth managers such as UBS, Morgan Stanley, and HSBC, over the past two years. In an April earnings call, Fink suggested "there is evidence of increased flows to BlackRock" among Aladdin Wealth users.
In Tuesday's third quarter earnings report, BlackRock reported technology services revenue up 30% to $259 million, which was 7% of the firm's total revenue.