Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. has named Daniel P. Hanson, CFA®, as Chief Investment Officer (CIO), filling a key role with a versatile industry veteran and prominent environmental, social and governance (ESG) investor as the firm continues to position itself for future organic and inorganic growth. Hanson, who has more than 25 years of investment and leadership experience, is leading the firm’s investment management division. He is also a member of the Company’s executive leadership team, reporting to Sanders, who had served as CIO since 2011. Hanson has served as an investment executive at BlackRock, Jarislowsky Fraserand JANA Partners. He also was an investment banker at Bear Stearns earlier in his career. Hanson brings significant experience in global and ESG investing through his work at BlackRock, where he spent 10 years as a portfolio manager and as Managing Director, Office of the CIO. Hanson managed the BlackRock Socially Responsible Equity strategy, as well as co-led the Large Cap Series funds with $23 billion in assets under management and maintained a leadership role in establishing the firm’s ESG initiatives. Subsequently, he was Partner and Head of U.S. Equities, and Co-Chair of the Investment Strategy Committee overseeing $30 billion in assets under management with Jarislowsky Fraser Global Investment Management, where he established the New York office for the Montreal-headquartered firm. Most recently, Hanson served as Head of Impact Investing for JANA Partners.