Laurence D. Fink, a UCLA alumnus and the chairman and CEO of BlackRock, will be the keynote speaker for the UCLA College commencement on Friday, June 10. He will speak at both commencement ceremonies, scheduled for 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., in Pauley Pavilion.

Fink helped found the global investment management firm with seven others in 1988. The firm now manages more than $4.6 trillion on behalf of clients of all types, including pension funds, university endowments and individual investors saving for retirement. Fink is regarded as one of the most influential individuals in business and finance today, having been named “CEO of the decade” by Financial News in 2011, one of the “world’s best CEOs” by Barron’s for 10 consecutive years, and, most recently as one of the “world’s most respected leaders” by Fortune.

A native of Van Nuys, California, Fink attended UCLA for his undergraduate and graduate studies, receiving his bachelor’s degree in 1974 and M.B.A. in 1976. He received the UCLA Medal, the campus’s highest honor, in March.

“Larry used his two degrees from UCLA to build a world-class financial firm, proving that a Bruin can do anything,” said Joseph Rudnick, senior dean of the UCLA College and dean of physical sciences. “His advocacy for creating a more long-term culture in business and finance, his focus on innovation and his philanthropy at UCLA and elsewhere demonstrate his commitment to building a better future. I know that his experience will inspire our graduates to find their own success and one day make an impact on the world.”

Prior to founding BlackRock, Fink served as a managing director and a member of the management committee of the First Boston Corporation.

Fink is a longtime supporter of the UCLA Anderson School of Management, a member of the board of trustees of New York University and co-chairman of the NYU Langone Medical Center board of trustees. He serves on the boards of New York’s Museum of Modern Art, the Council on Foreign Relations and the New York City charitable organization Robin Hood. He also is an executive committee member of the Partnership for New York City, which works to engage the business community in efforts to advance the city's economy.

For more about UCLA’s 2016 commencement activities, including links to information about UCLA College departmental ceremonies, visit the UCLA Commencement website.