Keith Stanford Email & Phone Number

Owned product oversight and governance of the $1.7T Collective Trust Fund (CTF) product. Member of Collective Investment Fund Operating Committee, Management Committee and Enterprise Risk Management Committee.• Created and deployed value-add reporting packages to different committees and boards, focused on new products, improvement initiatives, regulatory change (T+1), risks, and provider performance, creating more structure, communication and transparency of key initiatives or events impacting funds.• Identified net-asset-value (NAV) timeliness delays creating client concerns. This led an end-to-end review of the CTF workflow identifying and implementing several improvements between both BlackRock and the service provider partner, improving NAV delivery and service level performance upwards of 15 minutes, mitigating client concerns while enhancing the client experience with improved timeliness and new reporting capabilities.

Created and managed 14-person global governance team responsible for development and deployment of oversight and monitoring framework for strategic fund administrators, custodians, market and index data third-party partners.• Spearheaded due diligence and conversion leading to largest industry fund administrator and custodian provider change supporting $1.5T AUM CTF business, partnering with cross-functional business line senior executives to map out current and future servicing requirements. Led to cost reductions and an improved operating model including insourcing of Transfer Agency and certain Fund Administration capabilities. • Established repeatable RFP and due diligence process and template for other products to replicate.• Developed and deployed a relationship management and performance/service monitoring program incorporating:• Relationship Strategy review meetings.• Health Checks – onsite due diligence and control reviews.• Metrics-based service evaluations supporting quarterly service provider performance assessments.• Action tracking based on agreed changes from quarterly strategic relationship planning meetings.• Production of transparency tools and MIS such as relationship plans, surveys, and leadership topic summaries.• Key partner to asset servicing provider’s senior management, developing long-term operating strategies and fostering consistent organizational engagement.• Led RFPs, due diligence, fee negotiations, contracting, and development of service level agreements (SLAs). • Forged relationships with: External clients, Product and Operations teams, External Regulators and Auditors, Information Security, Internal Audit, Legal and Risk Management.

Executed the change agenda for the firm, designing and implementing complex operating models, new instruments and product restructures, providing operational and strategic support to Portfolio Management, Trading and Client Relationship team in support of the Barclays Global Investors (BGI) acquisition.• Integrated AUM reporting, reducing BGI reporting from 6 weeks to meet 1 week requirement.• Devised and implemented a custody conversion to support a multi-custody securities lending operating model.

Led team managing strategic investment service partnerships, including major institutions like State Street Bank & Trust and Citigroup Fund Services, auditors, and other administrators, and facilitating new product introductions.• Implemented service provider monitoring and due diligence program to ensure partners met and maintained high standards of service quality and compliance, bolstering risk management and operational integrity.• Managed all aspects of contract administration, conducted fee negotiations, and led bidding processes, achieving optimal service terms and cost efficiencies, enhancing profitability and stakeholder value.• Oversaw issue escalation procedures and conducted thorough root cause analyses to address and mitigate operational disruptions, ensuring continuous improvement and reliability in service delivery.• Coordinated the launch of new products, working closely with internal teams and external partners.• Managed $5.0M technology budget.