BlackRock Inc., the world's biggest money manager, is looking to leverage its $3.3 trillion of client assets by embarking on an unprecedented campaign to urge corporations to adopt shareholder-friendly practices.

Laurence D. Fink, BlackRock's chief executive officer, said in a letter yesterday to 600 of its biggest holdings, including Apple Inc., Coca-Cola Co., BNP Paribas SA and Deutsche Telekom AG, that his firm “seeks to engage in dialogue” with management to address issues that will be raised this year at shareholder meetings.

“We think it is particularly important to have such discussions – with us and other investors – well in advance of the voting deadlines for your shareholder meeting and prior to any engagement you may undertake with proxy-advisory firms,” Fink wrote in the letter, referring to companies that help institutional investors decide how to vote.