BlackRock Asset Management has named Noel Archard as the new head of BlackRock Canada, effective Aug. 1, 2012. Archard is currently a managing director with the firm.
Archard’s appointment comes on the retirement of current head Bill Chinery, who announced his planned departure in May. Chinery will remain on board to transition responsibilities to Archard, and will then move into a consulting capacity for BlackRock for the remainder of the year.
Archard has worked in financial services and the asset management space for more than 20 years, and holds industry expertise on regulatory and policy matters. Most recently, he testified before the U.S. Senate as part of BlackRock’s congressional liaison efforts.
“Archard brings a distinctive combination of institutional and retail expertise that, combined with his familiarity of the Canadian business, makes him the ideal candidate to build and grow our business to the next level,” said Rob Fairbairn, head of BlackRock’s global client group.