BlackRock (C): Integrating BGI (with video links)

On June 11, 2009, BlackRock, Inc., the world’s fourth-largest asset manager announced it was acquiring Barclays Global Investors (BGI) for $13.5 billion in stock and cash. The deal would more than double BlackRock’s assets under management (AUM), making it the world’s largest asset manager. There was more than just a significant difference in investment philosophy that separated the two firms. There were also significant cultural differences between New York-based BlackRock and San Francisco-based BGI. There was doubt internally at BlackRock and externally (i.e., analysts) whether it was the right move for BlackRock, but the firm’s co-founder and CEO Larry Fink was undeterred.