Susan Wagner

Susan L. Wagner is an American financial executive and co-founder of BlackRock, the multinational investment management firm that manages a record $13.46 trillion in assets under the latest quarter ended September 2025. She established the company in 1988 alongside Larry Fink and other colleagues initially within the Blackstone Group, at the age of 26. Wagner advanced through key operational roles, including head of corporate strategy and chief operating officer, before serving as vice chairman from 2006 to 2012, during which she coordinated strategic initiatives such as major mergers with entities like Merrill Lynch Investment Managers and PNC Financial Services. Her contributions included pioneering risk management technologies that underpinned BlackRock's growth into the preeminent global asset manager. Wagner holds a B.A. in English and Economics from Wellesley College (1982) and an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business (1984); she continues as a director on BlackRock's board and serves on the boards of Apple Inc. and other organizations.

Susan Wagner was born in 1961 in Chicago, Illinois, into a Jewish family. She grew up in the Chicago area, where she spent her early years before pursuing higher education. Limited public details exist regarding her parents' professions or specific family dynamics, as biographical sources focus primarily on her professional trajectory rather than personal upbringing. No records indicate siblings or notable familial influences on her career path in finance.