HONG KONG, June 6 Reuters BlackRock Inc39;s head of China business, Tony Tang, is leaving the asset manager, the company said on Tuesday, after having played a key role in expanding operations in the world39;s secondlargest economy.

BlackRock, the world39;s largest asset manager, said Tang has expressed an interest in exploring opportunities outside the firm, in a statement responding to a Reuters query.

Susan Chan, BlackRock39;s deputy head of Asia Pacific and head of Greater China, is now directly overseeing its China onshore business, the company said. Chan sits on the U.S. firm39;s global executive committee.

China represents a significant opportunity for BlackRock to contribute to the financial futures of a new generation of investors, the company said.

Tang, a former Chinese securities regulatory official, started as BlackRock39;s China business head in 2019, and has been one of the top aides to CEO Larry Fink.

Tang did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

During Tang39;s tenure as China head, BlackRock established a whollyowned China fund management unit and a joint venture with China Construction Bank and Temasek offering wealth management services to Chinese investors.

China contributes only a tiny fraction of BlackRock39;s total assets globally. The New Yorkbased firm ended the first quarter with 9.1 trillion in assets under management, down from 9.57 trillion a year earlier.

Reporting by Selena Li; Editing by Kim Coghill and…