BlackRock Announces Portfolio Manager Changes to BlackRock Utility and Infrastructure Trust

Updated

BlackRock Announces Portfolio Manager Changes to BlackRock Utility and Infrastructure Trust

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BlackRock Advisors, LLC today announced changes to the portfolio management team of BlackRock Utility and Infrastructure Trust (NYS: BUI) (the "Fund"). In connection with these changes, BlackRock Advisors, LLC also announced that BlackRock International Limited would not be appointed as an investment sub-advisor for BUI, as was disclosed on February 26, 2013.

BUI's portfolio management team, including biographies for each of the portfolio managers, is set forth below. The changes announced today will take effect March 11, 2013.

Fund

Portfolio Management Team

BUI

Christopher Accettella, Kathleen Anderson, Kyle McClements and Robert Shearer


Christopher M. Accettella, Director, is a member of the Fundamental Equity platform. He is a trader responsible for executing equity derivatives and options trades.

Prior to joining BlackRock in 2005, Mr. Accettella was an institutional sales trader with American Technology Research. From 2001 to 2003, he was with Deutsche Asset Management where he was responsible for derivatives and program trading. Prior to that, he was a senior associate in the Pacific Basin Equity Group at Scudder Investments Singapore Limited. Mr. Accettella began his investment career in 1997 as a portfolio analyst in the European Equity group of Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc.

Mr. Accettella earned a BA degree in economics and Asian studies from Colgate University in 1997.

Kathleen Anderson, Managing Director, is a member of the Fundamental Equity division of BlackRock's Alpha Strategies Group. She is the lead portfolio manager for BlackRock Utilities and Telecommunications Fund and a portfolio manager for the BlackRock Equity Dividend Fund.

Ms. Anderson's service with the firm dates back to 1993, including her years with Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (MLIM), which merged with BlackRock in 2006. Prior to joining MLIM, Ms. Anderson served as a research associate at Chancellor Capital Management (formerly Citigroup Investment Management) from 1983 until 1993. At Chancellor Capital Management, Ms. Anderson was a research associate for entertainment and media and an analyst on a real estate fund. Previously, she assumed coverage as the analyst for the utilities and telecommunications sectors.

Ms. Anderson earned a BA degree in economics and finance from Baruch College in 1980.

Kyle G. McClements, CFA, Managing Director, is a member of the Fundamental Equity platform. He is a senior trader responsible for executing equity derivatives and options trades.

Mr. McClements' service with the firm dates back to 2004, including his years with State Street Research & Management (SSRM), which merged with BlackRock in 2005. At SSRM, Mr. McClements was a Vice President and senior derivatives strategist responsible for equity derivative strategy and trading in the Quantitative Equity Group at State Street Research. Prior to joining State Street Research in 2004, Mr. McClements was a senior trader/analyst at Deutsche Asset Management, responsible for derivatives, equity program, technology and energy sector, and foreign exchange trading. Mr. McClements began his career in 1994 as a derivatives analyst with Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette responsible for pricing and performance analytics for the derivatives trading desk.

Mr. McClements earned a BA degree in economics and political science from the University of Pennsylvania in 1993 and an MBA degree in finance and corporate accounting from the University of Rochester in 1998.

Robert Shearer, CFA, Managing Director, is a member of the Fundamental Equity division of BlackRock's Alpha Strategies Group. He is the lead portfolio manager for the Equity Dividend Fund and the BlackRock Natural Resources Fund.

Mr. Shearer's service with the firm dates back to 1997, including his years with Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (MLIM), which merged with BlackRock in 2006. At MLIM, he managed the Merrill Lynch World Natural Resources Portfolio. Prior to joining MLIM, Mr. Shearer was a vice president with David L. Babson & Company, Inc., at Concert Capital Management, Inc. as a Vice President and Sector Manager and at Fiduciary Trust Company International as a Vice President.

Mr. Shearer earned a BS degree in economics at the University of Wisconsin in 1978, an MA degree in international management at Thunderbird, School of Global Management in 1982, and an MBA degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1985.

About BlackRock

BlackRock is a leader in investment management, risk management and advisory services for institutional and retail clients worldwide. At December 31, 2012, BlackRock's AUM was $3.792 trillion. BlackRock offers products that span the risk spectrum to meet clients' needs, including active, enhanced and index strategies across markets and asset classes. Products are offered in a variety of structures including separate accounts, mutual funds, iShares® (exchange traded funds), and other pooled investment vehicles. BlackRock also offers risk management, advisory and enterprise investment system services to a broad base of institutional investors through BlackRock Solutions®. Headquartered in New York City, as of December 31, 2012, the firm has approximately 10,500 employees in 30 countries and a major presence in key global markets, including North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East and Africa. For additional information, please visit BlackRock's website at www.blackrock.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release, and other statements that BlackRock or the Fund may make, may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, with respect to the Fund's 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 Fund, 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 Fund or in the Fund's net asset value; (2) the relative and absolute investment performance of the Fund 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, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and regulatory, supervisory or enforcement actions of government agencies relating to the Fund or BlackRock, as applicable; (8) terrorist activities, international hostilities 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 Fund with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.govand on BlackRock's website at www.blackrock.com, and may discuss these or other factors that affect the Fund. The information contained on BlackRock's website is not a part of this press release.



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