BlackRock Nominates Hans E. Vestberg to Board of Directors

BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK) today announced that Hans E. Vestberg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Verizon Communications Inc., has been nominated to join its Board of Directors. Mr. Vestberg will be included as a nominee in BlackRock’s 2021 Proxy Statement and, if elected by shareholders, will join the Board as an independent director after the Company’s Annual Meeting on May 26^th.

“Hans’ leadership and international experience, as well as his deep knowledge of technology and sustainability, perfectly align with some of BlackRock’s most important priorities. He will bring valuable insights to our Board as we expand in key markets in Europe, use technology to continue transforming our business, and further embed sustainability into our investment processes and corporate practices,” said Laurence D. Fink, BlackRock Chairman and CEO.

Mathis Cabiallavetta, who has served the Board with distinction since 2007, will not stand for re-election at BlackRock’s Annual Meeting. “I want to thank Mathis for his passion and dedication to BlackRock and its shareholders over the last 13 years,” said Mr. Fink. “His expertise and advice at critical moments in BlackRock’s growth, particularly in Europe, have been invaluable to the Board and to me personally.”

BlackRock’s other 15 board members will all stand for re-election. Of the 16 candidates nominated for election, which include Mr. Vestberg, 14 are independent. The slate of director nominees includes five women, six non-U.S. or dual citizens, and three individuals who self-identify as racially or ethnically diverse.

Hans E. Vestberg

Mr. Vestberg has served as the CEO of Verizon since 2018 and as Chairman since March 2019. Prior to these roles, Mr. Vestberg served as Verizon’s Chief Technology Officer and President of Global Networks from 2017 to 2018. Before joining Verizon in 2017, Mr. Vestberg served for six years as president and CEO of Ericsson, a multinational networking and telecommunications equipment and services company headquartered in Sweden. Mr. Vestberg is a board member of the UN Foundation and the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative. He also serves as Chairman of the World Economic Forum EDISON Alliance. Mr. Vestberg has lived and worked in China, Chile, Brazil and Mexico, in addition to the U.S. and Sweden.