James E. Keenan, CFA, Managing Director, is the former Chief Investment Officer and Global Head of Private Debt for BlackRock, and Chairman and interim Chief Executive Officer of the BlackRock Capital Investment Corporation.

Mr. Keenan led BlackRock’s Private Debt platform that included infrastructure, real estate debt and private credit ranging from direct lending to opportunistic & distressed strategies. He oversaw both business and investment strategy across the platform including investment committees, investment processes, risk management & performance.

Over nearly 20 years with BlackRock, Mr. Keenan was instrumental in expanding investment solutions for clients across leveraged finance, private credit, and liquid and multi-alternative strategies. Prior to his current role, Mr. Keenan was the CIO and Global Head of Credit for BlackRock Alternatives. He previously built and led the firm’s public market credit and leveraged finance business and has been a named portfolio manager across a range of liquid, private, hedge funds and multi-strategy credit funds since 2004.

Mr. Keenan was a member of BlackRock’s Global Operating Committee, Portfolio Management Group Executive Committee, and the investment subcommittee of the firm’s Global Executive Committee. He served on the Investment Committee for BlackRock’s Private Equity Partners, Long-Term Private Capital, and Alternative Solutions Group alongside all of the Private Debt strategies.

Mr. Keenan began his career in credit research and trading with UBS Global Asset Management and Columbia Management Group. He earned a BBA in finance from the University of Notre Dame in 1998. He is a member of Notre Dame’s Wall Street Committee, its Athletic Advisory Council, and the Board of Directors of Good Shepherd Services, a service and advocacy partnership in New York City.