BlackRock US Opportunities Class D - Accumulation (GBP)

David Zhao, Managing Director, is a member of the Fundamental Active Equity business of BlackRock's Active Equity Group. David is Co-Director of Research and a Research Analyst on the BlackRock Equity Dividend team. He covers the Information Technology and Financials Services sectors. Prior to joining BlackRock, David was a Global Equity Senior Research Analyst and Principal at Pzena Investment Management covering Technology, US Banks/Brokers, Medical Technology, Non-Life Insurance, Financial Technology and select Industrials. David began his career as an Analyst at Lehman Brothers covering Technology M&A, and later was as an Associate in Lehman Brother's Corporate Strategy Group. David holds a BA of Arts with degrees in Economics and Computer Information Systems and graduated Cum Laude from Northwestern University.

Franco Tapia, CFA, Managing Director, is a member of the Fundamental Active Equity division. Franco is a Portfolio Manager on the Equity Dividend Fund suite as well as a Co-Director of Research for the US Equity Income and Value Platform. Franco also has coverage responsibilities of the consumer sector. Prior to joining Blackrock in 2016, Franco worked for ten years at Pzena Investment Management where he was a Principal and served as a Portfolio Manager and a Senior Equity Analyst. During his tenure, he managed the US & Global Best Idea portfolios, as well as covered various sectors: REITs, Retail, EM Banks, and IT Hardware & Services. Additionally, Franco was a small-cap generalist and emerging market generalist. Franco began his career as a consultant with Mainspring (now IBM) and later worked at Morgan Stanley and the Boston Consulting Group. Franco graduated with honors from Harvard University in 2000, with a BA degree in economics. He earned his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 2006, where he graduated as a Palmer Scholar.

Antonio (Tony) DeSpirito, Managing Director, is Co-lead of the Equity Dividend Team and Director of Investments, US Equities within the Fundamental Active Equity business of BlackRock's Active Equity Group. Prior to joining BlackRock in 2014, Mr. DeSpirito worked at Pzena Investment Management, where he served as Managing Principal, portfolio manager, and a member of the firm's Executive Committee. Mr. DeSpirito was responsible for a suite of large-cap value, all-cap value and two hedge fund portfolios. Having managed value equity assets since 1996, Mr. DeSpirito served as a portfolio manager for the John Hancock Classic Value, PACE Large Company Value, and Vanguard Windsor funds. Mr. DeSpirito earned a BS degree in economics with concentration in finance, summa cum laude, from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1990, and a JD degree, magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1993.