Anne F. Ackerley, Managing Director, is Head of BlackRock's Retirement Group (RG), bringing the defined contribution and retirement insurance businesses together to tackle the industry's toughest challenges. Since joining BlackRock in 2000, she has held various leadership positions across the organization and is a member of BlackRock's Global Operating Committee, the Global Client Business Executive Committee, the Philanthropy Board and the Retirement Committee for the BlackRock Retirement Plan. She is also a co-founder of BlackRock's Women's Network (WIN) and the Financial Inclusion Team (FIT) Network.
Having led the defined contribution (DC) business for the past eight years, Ackerley oversees the development and distribution of strategies and services for institutional and retail clients and consultants - reaching over 80,000 plans, including over 60% of the Fortune 100, and ultimately reaching more than 40 million Americans. Prior to assuming her current role, Ackerley was BlackRock's Chief Marketing Officer, where she was responsible for driving the firm's marketing strategy and building the BlackRock brand. She also served as the Chief Operating Officer of BlackRock's Global Client Group, developing and driving strategy across BlackRock's client businesses including the then newly acquired iShares business. From 2000 to 2009, Ackerley held various leadership roles in BlackRock's U.S. Retail Group. She served as the head of the Private Client Group, where she integrated both the State Street Research and Merrill Lynch Investment Management retail businesses. She also served as the business liaison to the mutual fund Boards, and the President of BlackRock's open and closed-end mutual funds. Prior to joining BlackRock in 2000, Ackerley spent 15 years at Merrill Lynch in investment banking.
Ackerley has written and spoken extensively on retirement readiness and women's leadership – and has won awards for her leadership in the industry and her work advancing gender equity. In 2024, she was named to Barron’s “100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance” for the fifth year in a row. Ackerley was also named to P&I’s inaugural list of “Influential Women in Institutional Investing.” In 2022, she made Forbes’ 50 over 50 list and Yahoo Finance’s list of “HERoes Women Role Model Executives” in 2019. In 2018, she was honored for her outstanding leadership in financial services with the Women's Bond Club Merit Award.
Ackerley currently serves on the Leadership Advisory for the Collaborative for Equitable Retirement Savings, the Aspen Institute Forum on Retirement Savings Advisory Council, and the World Economic Forum’s Longevity Economy Steering group. She is on the Board of Trustees for Northwestern Mutual and is a board observer for Human Interest. Outside the industry, she is a trustee of the Mosaic Mental Health Association.
Ackerley earned a BA degree, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, in economics from Harvard College in 1984, and an MBA degree from Harvard Business School in 1988.
