BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager overseeing $13.5 trillion, has elevated Kirsty Craig to the prestigious position of Tech Fellow, recognizing her pivotal role in integrating artificial intelligence into investment strategies. Announced on December 16, Craig is one of only 24 Tech Fellows at the firm and notably the only woman among five new fellows named this year who works outside of BlackRock’s flagship Aladdin platform.
Craig, who serves as head of research, data, and AI strategy for portfolio management technology, has spent 15 years acting as a crucial “translator” between portfolio managers making investment decisions and engineers building the technological systems that support them. Her unique ability to bridge these two worlds has been instrumental in driving returns and technological innovation at the asset management giant.
Her most significant contribution has been her leadership role in developing Asimov, BlackRock’s agentic AI platform for fundamental equity business. Unveiled by Chief Operating Officer Rob Goldstein at the firm’s investor day in June, Asimov functions as a “virtual investment analyst” that leverages AI to automate workflows and research processes that previously took months to complete. This innovation positions BlackRock at the forefront of the industry-wide race to adopt AI technology for faster, more efficient investment analysis.
Craig leads a team of approximately 60 software engineers, data engineers, and data scientists who work horizontally across various investment capabilities to enhance investment research. Nish Ajitsaria, BlackRock’s co-head of Aladdin product engineering, described Craig as an “AI native” whose team operates at the “tip of the spear” when it comes to applying AI to investment strategies.
Looking forward, Craig’s team is exploring how to expand agentic research capabilities into new areas, including fixed income and macro investing. Her elevation to Tech Fellow underscores BlackRock’s continued emphasis on technological prowess and AI innovation as core competitive advantages in asset management. As one of only five women among the 24 Tech Fellows, Craig also represents visible leadership in a traditionally male-dominated field, with women comprising 43.8% of BlackRock’s global workforce and 33.1% of senior leadership.
Key Quotes
I am responsible for really trying to find the dial movers across data, AI, and technology that really help our investment pillars drive investment research
Kirsty Craig describing her role at BlackRock, emphasizing how she identifies breakthrough AI and technology applications that can significantly impact investment performance across the firm’s various investment strategies.
If you put both of those different personalities or personas together, quite often they’re talking above or below each other. They struggle to connect. So for me, it’s really been being able to translate both and then come up with a strategy in the middle
Craig explaining her unique value proposition as a bridge between investment professionals and technology engineers, a skill that has been critical to successfully implementing AI solutions like Asimov at BlackRock.
AI native
Nish Ajitsaria, BlackRock’s co-head of Aladdin product engineering, describing Craig’s natural affinity for artificial intelligence and her team’s position at the ’tip of the spear’ in applying AI to investment strategies.
Our Take
Craig’s elevation to Tech Fellow signals a broader shift in asset management where AI expertise is becoming as valuable as traditional investment acumen. The development of Asimov represents BlackRock’s strategic bet that agentic AI—systems that can autonomously perform complex research tasks—will fundamentally transform how investment decisions are made. What’s particularly noteworthy is that Craig’s recognition comes from work outside Aladdin, BlackRock’s traditional technology powerhouse, suggesting the firm is diversifying its AI innovation beyond its core platform. The planned expansion into fixed income and macro investing indicates BlackRock sees agentic AI as applicable across asset classes, not just equities. This appointment also highlights how AI leadership increasingly requires hybrid skills—technical depth combined with the ability to translate between business and engineering teams. As AI becomes central to competitive advantage in finance, professionals who can bridge these worlds will become increasingly valuable.
Why This Matters
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/blackrock-tech-fellow-ai-investment-asimov-aladdin-2025-12