Dalia Blass, the former director of the Securities and Exchange Commission's division of investment management, will join BlackRock as senior managing director and head of external affairs June 7.
She will also oversee BlackRock's global public policy group, social impact and corporate sustainability teams, as well as a new group the manager is forming to research stakeholder capitalism, BlackRock said in an emailed statement. She will report to CEO Laurence D. "Larry" Fink.
"This brings together our approach to public policy, philanthropy, corporate sustainability and our broader societal engagement," the statement said. "Working with leaders across the firm, Dalia will help us listen to and engage with our many stakeholders, tell our story and advocate for our clients."
Ms. Blass, who announced in December she would be stepping down from the role she held at the SEC since 2017, will also join BlackRock's global executive committee, the external affairs committee and the sustainable task force.
"As a client-driven organization, everything BlackRock does must put their interests first. Increasingly, being a great fiduciary for clients requires that we also engage effectively with a full range of stakeholders, including governments, public officials, NGOs, and opinion leaders, as well as the broader civil society around us," the statement said.
As head of BlackRock's global public policy group, she replaces Barbara G. Novick, BlackRock co-founder and vice chairwoman, who retired on Feb. 1 and remains a senior adviser.
Sarah ten Siethoff, the SEC's investment management division's associate director for its rule-making office at the SEC, has been serving as acting director since Ms. Blass' departure in January.
BlackRock had $9 trillion in assets under management as of March 31.
