BlackRock Asset Management Canada Ltd. has appointed Kurt Reiman as chief investment strategist for Canada as part of an effort to provide more value to Canadian investors through enhanced information on investment trends and strategies, the Toronto-based firm announced on Monday.

“Regulatory change, technology disruption, and divergent economic circumstances around the globe are making markets more complex and returns harder to generate,” says Marcia Moffat, head of BlackRock Canada said in a news release. “With the evolution of the Canadian market strategist platform, Kurt will be integral to creating new opportunities to connect with and assist Canadian investors.

Including its Canadian and global divisions, BlackRock has assets under management of US$4.6 trillion and provides a range of products including separately managed accounts, mutual funds, iShares exchange traded funds and other pooled vehicles. It also offers risk management, advisor and enterprise investment system services to a broad base of institutional investors through BlackRock Solutions.

Earlier this year BlackRock announced changes to unify its investor platform by connecting regions and strategies, and broadening the mandate of BlackRock’s Investment Institute. (BII). The Institute’s goal is to produce information that makes BlackRock’s portfolio managers better investors and helps deliver positive investment results for clients by combining and leveraging the firm’s expertise across asset classes, client groups and regions.

“As clients look to us to provide outcomes in this environment, they are seeking our guidance and insights that span the globe, asset classes and a spectrum of products, delivered in a locally relevant way,” Reiman said.

Reiman joined BlackRock in 2013 as global investment strategist, with his responsibilities including communicating BlackRock’s research and investment views to key institutional and financial advisor clients, offering perspective on equities, fixed income, alternatives and multi-sector strategies. He has been connected to the Canadian business through participation in client events, investment forums and briefings.

Reiman brings more than 15 years of experience in investment strategy and research. Prior to joining BlackRock, he was head of thematic research at UBS Wealth Management in Zurich and New York.

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