EY CEO Outlook: Managing risk, reward and relationships, with Enda McMahon, Blackrock Asset Management Ireland

In this episode of The EY CEO Outlook Podcast Series, Enda McMahon of Blackrock Asset Management Ireland, joins host Richard Curran to talk about his journey from the public sector, where he worked with Ireland’s C&AG and Financial Regulator, to his current leadership position with the world’s largest asset manager, and the valuable lessons he has learned along the way.

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Blackrock is the world's largest asset manager with approximately $8 trillion in assets under management. The company’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. For Enda McMahon, CEO of Blackrock’s Irish operations, a core part of the mission is to empower people to have ‘dignity in retirement’. 

Enda not only has a professional background in compliance and regulation, he has a passion for it. For him, trust is at the heart of a properly functioning financial system and his career has always involved making sure that ‘people are doing the right thing, backed with integrity’.

They discuss:

• Enda’s experience of moving from the public into the private sector, and how this required him to become less ‘purist’ around compliance. 
• The importance of building strong relationships based on trust between financial services companies and regulators, and how that is achieved.
• The power of active listening and understanding the position and priorities of stakeholders. 
• How and why Blackrock has repositioned many of its products towards sustainability, and the associated complexities and challenges, including managing the regulatory requirements, which are in place to ensure customers are protected against ‘green washing’.
• Blackrock’s ongoing journey to becoming a more diverse and inclusive organisation.