BlackRock adds Microsoft, Aviva executives to board

BlackRock Inc elected three independent directors to its board, including executives from Microsoft Corp and Aviva , the world`s biggest asset manager said on Thursday.

The new directors are Bill Ford, the CEO of private equity firm General Atlantic, Peggy Johnson, the executive vice president of business development at Microsoft, and British insurer Aviva`s Chief Executive Mark Wilson.

"The three new directors` global perspective and combined expertise in technology, financial services and fast-growing markets, such as Asia-Pacific, reflects BlackRock`s current and future priorities," the company said in a statement.

With the additions, BlackRock`s board now has 20 directors, of whom five are women.

The appointments come months after BlackRock CEO Larry Fink expressed the need for greater workplace diversity, saying his firm would have to hire more women.

Separately on Thursday, Goldman Sachs announced a push to have women represent half of its global workforce over time, as the Wall Street bank looks to accelerate its workplace diversity efforts.

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