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

blackrock_investigate-europe.jpg
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.

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Publications

The money octopus
The money octopus

Rheinpfalz, Germany

8 October 2018

Achtung, Rentenfresser
Achtung, Rentenfresser

der Freitag, Germany

3 July 2018

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

EUobserver, Belgium

21 June 2018

BlackRock: viaggi e lusso per “comprare” i consulenti
BlackRock: viaggi e lusso per “comprare” i consulenti

Il Fatto Quotidiano, Italy

16 June 2018

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

7 June 2018

Oljefondet gjorde som Blackrock ville. Til i år
Oljefondet gjorde som Blackrock ville. Til i år

Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway

6 June 2018

BlackRock, quel potere occulto che domina tutta la finanza europea
BlackRock, quel potere occulto che domina tutta la finanza europea

Il Fatto Quotidiano, Italy

28 May 2018

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

EfSyn, Greece

23 May 2018

H BlackRock και ο θησαυρός των ελληνικών τραπεζών
H BlackRock και ο θησαυρός των ελληνικών τραπεζών

EfSyn, Greece

22 May 2018

Blackrock: Ein Geldkonzern auf dem Weg zur globalen Vorherrschaft
Blackrock: Ein Geldkonzern auf dem Weg zur globalen Vorherrschaft

Der Tagesspiegel, Germany

22 May 2018

La UE se entrega a los planes del lobby de las empresas de seguridad
La UE se entrega a los planes del lobby de las empresas de seguridad

infoLibre, Spain

22 May 2018

Banca. Onde começa, e acaba, o conflito de interesses?
Banca. Onde começa, e acaba, o conflito de interesses?

Diário de Notícias, Portugal

22 May 2018

Dit is de rol van's werelds grootste geldbeheerder Blackrock in België
Dit is de rol van's werelds grootste geldbeheerder Blackrock in België

Trends, Belgium

22 May 2018

Η εταιρεία που θέλει να σταματήσει να γυρίζει ο κόσμος
Η εταιρεία που θέλει να σταματήσει να γυρίζει ο κόσμος

EfSyn, Greece

21 May 2018

BlackRock, η εταιρεία στην οποία «ανήκει» ο κόσμος
BlackRock, η εταιρεία στην οποία «ανήκει» ο κόσμος

EfSyn, Greece

21 May 2018

Blackrocks grunnlegger og sjef, Larry Fink, har like mye utbetalt i måneden som Sokndal tar inn fra selskapet i løpet av et år.
Blackrocks grunnlegger og sjef, Larry Fink, har like mye utbetalt i måneden som Sokndal tar inn fra selskapet i løpet av et år.

Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway

16 May 2018

Miljøaksjonærer presser på i Shell
Miljøaksjonærer presser på i Shell

Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway

10 May 2018

DAS SCHWARZE PHANTOM
DAS SCHWARZE PHANTOM

Falter, Austria

8 May 2018

Flybilletter blir dyrere når samme selskap eier konkurrenter
Flybilletter blir dyrere når samme selskap eier konkurrenter

Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway

7 May 2018

BlackRock: ce Léviathan de la finance qui pèse sur les choix européens
BlackRock: ce Léviathan de la finance qui pèse sur les choix européens

Mediapart, France

7 May 2018

Blackrock: Ein Geldkonzern auf dem Weg zur globalen Vorherrschaft
Blackrock: Ein Geldkonzern auf dem Weg zur globalen Vorherrschaft

Der Tagesspiegel, Germany

6 May 2018

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

Corriere della Sera, Italy

6 May 2018

Han er verdens mektigste mann du aldri har hørt om
Han er verdens mektigste mann du aldri har hørt om

Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway

6 May 2018

Hier wuchs fast unbemerkt ein Finanzgigant heran
Hier wuchs fast unbemerkt ein Finanzgigant heran

Tagesanzeiger, Switzerland

6 May 2018

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

Follow the Money, Netherlands

6 May 2018

A empresa que está a mudar o capitalismo
A empresa que está a mudar o capitalismo

Público, Portugal

5 May 2018

BlackRock Larry'ego Finka: największy akcjonariusz Europy. Jeden człowiek ma w garści giełdy, banki, rządy. Co będzie, jeśli źle zainwestuje?
BlackRock Larry'ego Finka: największy akcjonariusz Europy. Jeden człowiek ma w garści giełdy, banki, rządy. Co będzie, jeśli źle zainwestuje?

Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland

5 May 2018

Por qué BlackRock domina el presente y el futuro del mundo
Por qué BlackRock domina el presente y el futuro del mundo

La Vanguardia, Spain

5 May 2018

A BlackRock guarda um segredo do BES
A BlackRock guarda um segredo do BES

Público, Portugal

2 May 2018