LGBT Great: Nice to meet you, Cassie! Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what you do at BlackRock?
CB: Hi! Of course! I joined BlackRock 3 years ago to lead our hiring efforts in EMEA, and I am responsible for ensuring we have the right strategies in place to attract the best talent in the market from school leavers all the way to executive level hires. At BlackRock, we prioritise creating a work environment where all employees can thrive. Ultimately, a dynamic, inclusive organisation allows us to attract and retain the best people around the world and to stay ahead of where our clients are going.
LGBT GREAT: Why is establishing a partnership with LGBT Great Careers important to BlackRock?
CB: BlackRock’s Out & Allies Network (OUT) has an established partnership with LGBT Great and I see the new careers platform as an exciting opportunity to not only attract top talent to BlackRock, but to further strengthen our connection with LGBT Great members. At BlackRock, we attract, develop, and retain talent by cultivating an inclusive work environment where everyone has fair access to opportunities and feels seen, heard, valued, and respected. As such, we continue to take deliberate steps to reach top talent, including deepening our partnerships to assist us in identifying and connecting with potential candidates.
LGBT GREAT: How does BlackRock foster an inclusive culture for LGBTQ+ employees?
CB: We are aiming to build a culture where our people thrive and where all employees can contribute to the performance of the company. Here are two ways in which we are trying to do that:
- Transparency and shared ownership aid us in creating a diverse workforce with an inclusive and connected work environment. Senior business leaders make it a priority to ensure that all employees in their groups understand why diversity in all forms is important for success. We also report our progress against our DEI initiatives regularly to our Board of Directors.
- Shared experiences, intersectionality and active allyship, are at the core of what our global employee-led networks offer. They are made up of people with shared experiences, who support each other and work together to create a culture of inclusion. Our network leaders and members are culture carriers for the firm, and our networks offer employees and allies the opportunity to enhance and shape our culture. Our networks are sponsored by senior leaders and are proudly designed by employees, for employees... Any employee can join any network, in any capacity.
LGBT GREAT: Can you share something about BlackRock that may surprise our members?
CB: We consider ourselves a fintech, and technology and innovation has been at the core of what we do since the early days of the business. Our proprietary technology platform, Aladdin, has helped a range of financial institutions across the globe manage their investments since 1999. Aladdin makes it easier to manage investments by using a common language to connect different business functions that help manage our client's assets. From managing portfolios and trading to making sure everything is compliant and running smoothly. Aladdin brings together people, processes, and systems for a seamless investment process. Our Aladdin teams consist of more than 2,000 in-house developers, based in various offices across the globe.
