BlackRock Advisors, LLC announced today that the Board of
Trustees of BlackRock Innovation and Growth Term Trust (NYSE: BIGZ)
(the “Trust”) has approved certain changes to the Trust’s
investment policies (collectively, the “Strategy Changes”).
As part of the Strategy Changes, the Trust will (i) adopt a new
non-fundamental investment policy to invest, under normal market
conditions, at least 80% of its total assets in a combination of
equity securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. technology and
privately held companies (the “80% Policy Change”), (ii) amend the
Trust’s fundamental investment restriction with respect to industry
concentration to allow the Trust to concentrate its investments in
one or more industries (the “Fundamental Restriction Change”) and
(iii) change its diversification status under the Investment
Company Act of 1940 from diversified to non-diversified (the
“Diversification Status Change”). Each of the Fundamental
Restriction Change and the Diversification Status Change are
subject to shareholder approval; however, shareholder approval is
not required for the 80% Policy Change. No changes are being
proposed with respect to the Trust’s investment objectives.
The 80% Policy Change and other Strategy Changes, other than the
Fundamental Restriction Change and the Diversification Status
Change which are subject to shareholder approval, are expected to
be effective on or about February 20, 2025. In connection with the
80% Policy Change, the Board has approved changing the Trust’s name
to “BlackRock Technology and Private Equity Term Trust.” In
addition, the Trust will change its ticker symbol to “BTX,” and the
Trust’s current portfolio management team will be replaced by Tony
Kim and Reid Menge, in each case effective upon the implementation
of the Strategy Changes on February 20, 2025. The Trust will seek
shareholder approval of the Fundamental Restriction Change and the
Diversification Status Change at a special meeting of shareholders
to be held in the second quarter of 2025.
The biography of each of the new portfolio managers is set forth
below.
Tony Kim, Managing Director, is a member of the
Fundamental Equities division of BlackRock's Portfolio Management
Group. Mr. Kim is a portfolio manager and head of the technology
sector and runs the Global Technology funds. Mr. Kim joined
BlackRock in 2013. He has over 26 years of experience in investment
management and M&A, focused exclusively on the technology
sector. He has worked at companies including Artisan Partners,
Credit Suisse Asset Management, Neuberger Berman, Merrill Lynch,
and SG Warburg. Mr. Kim has an MBA from Columbia Business School,
and a BS in Industrial Engineering from the University of Illinois
Urbana-Champaign. Mr. Kim is also on the DFI board at Columbia
Business School.
Reid Menge, Managing Director, is a member of the
Fundamental Equities division of BlackRock’s Portfolio Management
Group. He is co-portfolio manager for the Global Technology equity
portfolios and responsible for coverage of the technology sector.
Prior to joining BlackRock in 2014, Mr. Menge was an Associate
Director of Equity Research at UBS covering global technology. From
2006 to 2009, he was an investment research analyst at Citigroup
responsible for global software. From 2003 to 2006, Mr. Menge was a
member of the Prudential Equity Group, where he was responsible for
enterprise software coverage. Mr. Menge began his investment career
in 2001 at Credit Suisse First Boston as an analyst for fixed
income sales. Mr. Menge earned a BA degree in History from Cornell
University in 2001.
Additional Information about the Strategy Changes
This press release is not intended to, and does not solicit a
proxy from any shareholder of the Trust. The solicitation of
proxies to effect the Conversion will only be made by a definitive
Proxy Statement.
This press release references a Proxy Statement, to be filed by
the Trust. The Proxy Statement has yet to be filed with the SEC.
After the Proxy Statement is filed with the SEC, it may be amended
or withdrawn. The Trust and its trustees, officers and employees,
and BlackRock, and its shareholders, officers and employees and
other persons may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation
of proxies with respect to the Fundamental Restriction Change and
the Diversification Status Change. Investors and shareholders may
obtain more detailed information regarding the direct and indirect
interests of the Trust’s trustees, officers and employees, and
BlackRock and its shareholders, officers and employees and other
persons by reading the Proxy Statement when it is filed with the
SEC. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF THE TRUST ARE URGED TO READ
THE PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC
CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE
THESE DOCUMENTS WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE
CONVERSION. INVESTORS SHOULD CONSIDER THE INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE,
RISKS, CHARGES AND EXPENSES OF THE TRUST CAREFULLY. THE PROXY
STATEMENT WILL CONTAIN INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO THE INVESTMENT
OBJECTIVE, RISKS, CHARGES AND EXPENSES OF THE TRUST. The Proxy
Statement will not constitute an offer to buy or sell securities,
in any state where such offer or sale is not permitted. Security
holders may obtain free copies (when it becomes available) of the
Proxy Statement and other documents filed with the SEC at the SEC's
web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, free copies (when it becomes
available) of the Proxy Statement and other documents filed with
the SEC may also be obtained by directing a request to BlackRock at
(800) 882-0052.
About BlackRock
BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience
financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading
provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build
savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing
easier and more affordable. For additional information on
BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate
Availability of Trust Updates
BlackRock will update performance and certain other data for the
Trust on a monthly basis on its website in the “Closed-end Funds”
section of www.blackrock.com as well as certain other material
information as necessary from time to time. Investors and others
are advised to check the website for updated performance
information and the release of other material information about the
Trust. This reference to BlackRock’s website is intended to allow
investors public access to information regarding the Trust and does
not, and is not intended to, incorporate BlackRock’s website in
this release.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release, and other statements that BlackRock or the
Trust may make, may contain forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, with
respect to the Trust or BlackRock’s future financial or business
performance, strategies or expectations. Forward-looking statements
are typically identified by words or phrases such as “trend,”
“potential,” “opportunity,” “pipeline,” “believe,” “comfortable,”
“expect,” “anticipate,” “current,” “intention,” “estimate,”
“position,” “assume,” “outlook,” “continue,” “remain,” “maintain,”
“sustain,” “seek,” “achieve,” and similar expressions, or future or
conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may”
or similar expressions.
BlackRock cautions that forward-looking statements are subject
to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over
time. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are
made, and BlackRock assumes no duty to and does not undertake to
update forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ
materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements and
future results could differ materially from historical
performance.
With respect to the Trust, the following factors, among others,
could cause actual events to differ materially from forward-looking
statements or historical performance: (1) changes and volatility in
political, economic or industry conditions, the interest rate
environment, foreign exchange rates or financial and capital
markets, which could result in changes in demand for the Trust or
the Trust’s net asset value; (2) the relative and absolute
investment performance of the Trust and its investments; (3) the
impact of increased competition; (4) the unfavorable resolution of
any legal proceedings; (5) the extent and timing of any
distributions or share repurchases; (6) the impact, extent and
timing of technological changes; (7) the impact of legislative and
regulatory actions and reforms, and regulatory, supervisory or
enforcement actions of government agencies relating to the Trust or
BlackRock, as applicable; (8) terrorist activities, international
hostilities, health epidemics and/or pandemics and natural
disasters, which may adversely affect the general economy, domestic
and local financial and capital markets, specific industries or
BlackRock; (9) BlackRock’s ability to attract and retain highly
talented professionals; (10) the impact of BlackRock electing to
provide support to its products from time to time; and (11) the
impact of problems at other financial institutions or the failure
or negative performance of products at other financial
institutions.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports and other regulatory filings of
the Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) are
accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and on
BlackRock’s website at www.blackrock.com, and may discuss
these or other factors that affect the Trust. The information
contained on BlackRock’s website is not a part of this press
release.
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