Giordano replaces Jim Barry, who will remain global head of real assets, according to an internal memo Thursday obtained by Bloomberg. Giordano joined the team when it was formed in 2011 and has overseen renewables in the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region.

BlackRock manages renewable-energy assets on four continents worth more than $5 billion, according to the memo. Pension funds, insurers and sovereign wealth funds are showing increasing interest in real, illiquid assets. New York-based BlackRock got into such investments in 2011, through a partnership with the renewable-energy infrastructure firm NTR Plc.

BlackRock also named Rory O’Connor global chief investment officer for the renewables group. He will continue as head of Europe. Martin Torres, who joined the team almost three years ago, will take over as head of Americas.

BlackRock announced some broader management changes earlier this month. The company moved Mark Wiedman to a global strategy role and Salim Ramji took over Wiedman’s position running its exchange-traded fund business, the largest in the world. Martin Small, formerly head of U.S. iShares, succeeded Ramji as head of U.S. wealth advisory. DM