Joanna Cound

Joanna Cound is a Senior Advisor to BlackRock, having stepped back from her day-to-day role as Head of International Government Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP) in August 2026. GAPP engages with policy makers and regulators at the global, regional, and national levels to help address financial services policy challenges and to bring the voice of the end investor to the table.  

Prior to this role, she was International COO for BlackRock’s Cash Management Group. Joanna’s service with the firm dates to 1996, including her years with Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (MLIM), which merged with BlackRock in 2006. 

Prior to joining MLIM in 1996, she worked for Fidelity as head of European product development and as a marketing manager for Citibank retail bank in Germany. 

Joanna has a BA degree in European studies from Loughborough University and a MA in European studies from the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium. She has an MBA from the London Business School. 

Joanna is Deputy Chair of the Chatham House Council as well as Chair of its Nominations Committee and a member of the Human Resources Committee of Loughborough University.