The following piece is a quick Q&A to give you all the details at a glance.
Kendall Brantley: Hi everyone, I’m Kendall Brantley, project coordinator with the Metro Atlanta Chamber’s Economic Development team. Today we’re here with Marc Balizer from BlackRock, and we’re joining him from their beautiful office on the Atlanta Beltline.
Marc Balizer: Thanks for having me. I’m Marc Balizer, a Managing Director at BlackRock. I started with the firm in 1998, so I’ve got a few years under my belt, but it’s been a great run. I’m the co-lead of our Atlanta office and work within our Government Affairs and Public Policy group.
Outside of work, I’m a dad to two amazing sons, twin boys who are juniors in college. One goes to the University of Alabama and the other to Elon in North Carolina. And the best thing in my life is my wife, Heather.
The Road to Atlanta
Kendall: So, how has the Atlanta office evolved since its opening? You’ve mentioned headcount growth, capabilities, and differences compared to New York. What does that look like today?
Marc: It’s something we think about a lot, especially now that we’ve hit our fifth anniversary. We’re close to 900 employees here. We used to celebrate every time we hit a new milestone – 400 people, 500 people – but that’s not what matters anymore. It’s no longer about simply hiring; it’s about how those people are contributing to the business.
BlackRock has a firmwide strategic plan for 2030, and no matter where you sit in the world, you’re marching in the same direction. Our responsibility is to make sure the 900 people in Atlanta are contributing in meaningful ways to that plan.
We’ve built out full client service capabilities here. We have 350 engineers developing BlackRock AI. We have one of our busiest trading desks following the sun and executing trades while markets across the globe are open. We also have corporate teams here – HR, manager development, legal, and even our Head of Global Content.
The office has grown far beyond anything we initially imagined. In the next 12 to 24 months, our focus will be ensuring strong leadership and continued growth of those teams.
Tapping into Atlanta’s Talent
Kendall: How would you describe BlackRock’s relationship with metro Atlanta’s colleges and universities? And what partnerships have helped you build your talent pipeline?
Marc: The local universities embraced us from day one because they were looking for strong career pathways for their students. When I first spoke at the Technology Association of Georgia in 2019, I asked the room to raise their hands if they had a child in college. Then I asked who had a child who left Georgia after graduating. A lot of hands went up. We had a talent retention problem.
Thanks to the Metro Atlanta Chamber recruiting companies like BlackRock, that’s changing. Universities now see this as a partnership – they need us, and we need them. They welcome us into classrooms; their professors speak to our teams, and there’s a strong give-and-take. It feels like a real ecosystem now.
Economic Development in Metro Atlanta
Kendall: Companies often say Georgia and Atlanta do things differently when it comes to business recruitment. What stood out to you during BlackRock’s site search?
Marc: This sounds made up, but it’s completely true. We were down to three finalist cities. The Metro Atlanta Chamber organized a dinner and invited major Atlanta companies like Delta, Home Depot, Southern Company, and some other heavy hitters. We arrived early, and as executives walked in, everyone already knew each other. They weren’t meeting for the first time; they were asking about each other’s families, work, how the kids were doing… There was a genuine friendship among Atlanta’s business leaders.
We wanted to be part of a community like that. In other cities, it felt formal. In Atlanta, everyone was connected. That tight-knit, collaborative business culture is a big reason we came here.
The Atlanta Difference for Business
Kendall: If you had to explain to an executive considering Atlanta what makes us different from other major metros, what would you say?
Marc: In Atlanta, and across Georgia and the Southeast, business is rooted in community. Yes, competition and performance matter, but relationships matter too, on a level I haven’t seen anywhere else in the world.
Sometimes your competitor is also serving your clients. And here, people actually collaborate when needed to take care of that client. That sense of partnership, even across perceived boundaries, is unique.
And I learned quickly that when people here say “SEC,” they don’t mean the Securities and Exchange Commission. They mean the Southeastern Conference.
Kendall: That’s right. Go Dawgs!
Growing Blackrock in Atlanta
Kendall: Looking ahead five to ten years, how does Atlanta fit into BlackRock’s long-term strategy? And what gives you confidence that this is a place to continue investing?
Marc: It goes back to ecosystem. Companies have choices, but many of our business leaders actively want to come to Atlanta. Why? The talent. The quality of life. The business environment.
It’s a great place to live, work, raise a family, and enjoy sports, culture, and food. The Center for Civil and Human Rights just reopened with a fantastic new exhibit, and I’ve already been twice this month.
We’re seeing our partners ask us, “How did it go for you in Atlanta?” And we tell them the truth: it’s gone great. We’ll continue to grow, and we expect more of our peers will too.
Employee Relocation & Quality of Life
Kendall: What has the experience been like for employees who moved here from other cities?
Marc: We’ve seen great experiences across the board. For families like mine, the schools are excellent, universities are outstanding, and the sense of community is real. Friday Night Lights isn’t just a TV show – you really do become part of the neighborhood.
Younger families love it, too. Many employees who are hitting big life milestones like starting families, looking for stability, move here intentionally.
And for younger professionals, the social life is fantastic. I’m a little jealous. (laughs)
We even have a group chat called “Out of Towners” for people from up north who’ve moved here. Everyone shares tips, recommendations, and neighborhood advice. It’s fun, and it helps people feel connected.
And I will add, Atlanta has amazing barbecue and steakhouses. I frequent many of them, can’t name all my favorites or some chefs might be mad (laughs). But for example, Hal’s is fantastic. Marcel has the best bread service I’ve ever had anywhere. If you go, order the Beef Wellington two days in advance. It’s a secret that most people don’t know. They also make 12 hamburgers a day using filet trim, so pre-order that too. I also love Chops. And Ponce City Market was the first place we visited when we moved here, and it felt like home immediately. Great food, great energy, great neighborhoods. We eat very well here.
Truly, Atlanta has been incredibly welcoming. The influx hasn’t slowed down; if anything, more families are coming. People want a great career and a great life, and Atlanta offers both.
The Beltline Location and Recruiting
Kendall: I imagine having your office on the Beltline is a real advantage for recruiting.
Marc: Absolutely. For lateral hires – professionals three to ten years out of school – this location is a huge draw. We could have gone to Buckhead, which I love, and we go there a lot, but being on the Beltline does make life easier.
People know where we are. They enjoy being here. We’re in the office four days a week, and people want the interaction…lunch on the Beltline, the walkability, the energy. This location is great for us.
In One Sentence… Why Atlanta?
Kendall: To close us out, in one sentence: Atlanta is the right place for BlackRock because…
Marc:…because of the amazing talent and people who are here.
Kendall: Amazing. Marc, thank you so much for spending time with us today and sharing why Atlanta is such a great fit for BlackRock.
Marc: Thanks for having me. Looking forward to doing this again soon.
