iShares founder and EMEA chief to retire from BlackRock

David Gardner, a founding member of the iShares exchange traded fund (ETF) business, is retiring after 12 years at the firm, Wealth Manager understands.

Gardner became head of iShares EMEA sales in 2010 and helped grow this arm of the business by 27% to $129 billion in assets after taking on this role.

Prior to joining iShares EMEA, Gardner held a range of executive roles in the US and Asia Pacific regions in a sales and distribution capacity at the firm.

Leen Meijaard will replace Gardner in the role of head of iShares EMEA sales, while continuing to oversee the Benelux region as country manager.

Meijaard will also hand over his role as head of BlackRock’s continental European institutional business to Peter Nielsen.

Meanwhile Nielsen will continue as country manager for the Nordic region.

Meijaard joined BlackRock in the Benelux region 10 years ago and was appointed as head of the continental European Institutional business five years ago.

Nielsen joined BlackRock’s Nordic team seven years ago, helping to launch iShares in the region in 2009. In 2010, he was then appointed country manager for the Nordic region.