BlackRock’s managing director and general counsel for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, who worked on landmark deals including the fund giant's purchase of Barclays Global Investors in 2009, has left.

Jim DesMarais, who has been general counsel in Emea for five years, providing legal advice to BlackRock's European offices, left the $4.3 trillion asset manager earlier this month. According to his LinkedIn page his role covered over 3,000 employees in more than 25 locations.