iShares sales head Gardner to retire after 12 years

David Gardner, head of EMEA sales and BlackRock's iShares veteran, is set to retire after 12 years.

Gardner (pictured), who was appointed head of iShares' sales in 2010, has held a number of executive roles at the business and was a managing director at the firm when it launched its first ETFs in the UK and US in 2000. Leen Meijaard, who is currently head of BlackRock's continental European institutional business, will replace Gardner as the head of iShares EMEA sales. Meijaard will also continue in his role as country manager of the Benelux region. Peter Nielsen, who helped launch iShares' Nordic team in 2009 and is country manager for the region, will replace Meijaard.  Meij...