Tim West

Barclays Global Investors Ltd. (BGI), based in London, became a part of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK) in the US, which merged in 2009 with Barclays Global Investors (BGI). The combined firm operates under the BlackRock name and has retained the iShares brand. Originally founded in 1971, BGI managed assets for individual investors, government and corporate retirement plans, financial institutions, charities, endowments and unions. BGI, headquartered in New York City, was a leader in investment management, risk management and advisory services for institutional and retail clients worldwide. They offered a wide range of products including separate accounts, mutual funds and ETFs.

BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Ltd. (BIM-UK) is an investment management firm headquartered in London, UK. The firm is a subsidiary of BlackRock Finance Europe Ltd., ultimately owned by BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK) in the US. BIM-UK was founded in 2006 following the merger of Merrill Lynch Investment Managers and BlackRock. In 2009, BlackRock merged with Barclays Global Investors, including the iShares exchange traded funds business. The combined firm operates under the BlackRock name and has retained the iShares brand. BIM-UK manages a family of mutual funds and acts as sub-advisor to other mutual and pension funds. They also offer alternative investments and managed accounts for individual and institutional clients.