Walter Ward III

Walter Ward III, MBA, currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for both the ETF Platform Innovation & Change and the Atlanta Innovation Hub at BlackRock, starting in August 2023. Previously, Walter held the position of Director and Chief of Staff for the Liquidity Solutions Group at Silicon Valley Bank from October 2021 to August 2023, where responsibilities included strategy and organizational design. Additional experience encompasses roles as Managing Director and Chief of Staff at Lambert, leading operational improvements and merger integrations for various companies, and Manager of Strategy & Transformation at MorganFranklin Consulting, focusing on financial institution projects. Walter has also worked with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan in corporate strategy, conducted internal audits for FCA Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and provided strategic consulting at BTS. Walter's earlier career includes a progression through various roles at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and LaSalle Bank. Walter holds an MBA from Emory University and a BA from Michigan State University.