Early Life
Laurence Douglas Fink was born in Van Nuys, California, on November 2, 1952. He grew up in a Jewish family. His mother was an English professor and his father owned a shoe store. He earned a BA in political science from UCLA in 1974 and an MBA in real estate from the UCLA Anderson School of Management in 1976.
Rise to Success
Fink started his career at First Boston in 1976, where he was one of the first mortgage-backed security traders. He eventually managed the firm's bond department. In 1988, he co-founded BlackRock under the umbrella of The Blackstone Group. BlackRock split from Blackstone in 1994, and Fink retained his positions. BlackRock went public in 1999. Under his leadership, BlackRock has grown into a global leader in investment and technology solutions. In 2024, his net worth was estimated at $1.2 billion.
Key Business Strategies
Fink's strategic vision and commitment to risk management have been central to BlackRock's success. Key business strategies include strategic acquisitions, such as Barclays Global Investors in 2009, and investment in technology, like the Aladdin platform. BlackRock's revenue for the twelve months ending September 30, 2025 was $22.885 Billion.
Philanthropy
Fink is actively involved in community work. He is on the board of trustees of New York University and co-chairs the NYU Langone Medical Center board of trustees. Fink founded the Lori and Laurence Fink Center for Finance & Investments at UCLA Anderson in 2009.