BlackRock head of UK retail sales Roberts: Why innovation has never been so important

Taking a long-term view

BlackRock's head of UK retail sales Jeremy Roberts explains why the industry needs to stop obsessing over quartile rankings, how the group is committed to diversity, and why innovation has never been as important as it is now.

With 17 years in investment management under his belt, BlackRock's Jeremy Roberts has certainly seen a cycle or two. He started his career at Mercury Asset Management in 1999, before the company was acquired by Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, which then became part of BlackRock in 2006. After holding a number of senior sales roles, he became managing director, head of UK retail sales at BlackRock in 2011. As he has progressed through his career, Roberts says he has realised the importance of long-term investing and how focusing on clients' needs is what helps asset managers come...