Franklin Templeton Plans Oversight Transition of Its UK Equity Team to Martin Currie Platform for 2022

• Michael Browne has joined Franklin UK Equity team’s chain of oversight as a secondee as of October 1, 2021

London, 03 November 2021 – Franklin Templeton Fund Management Limited (FTFML)¹ announces the transition of oversight for its Leeds-based Franklin UK Equity team to the Martin Currie² platform by February 1, 2022. In the meantime, Michael Browne, currently Head of Investment Strategy and Oversight at Martin Currie, has taken on expanded responsibilities and joined the Franklin UK Equity team’s chain of oversight as a secondee effective October 1, 2021.

As a result, Colin Morton, Head of UK Equities, has been reporting into Michael Browne, effective October 1. The support of Michael Browne and the planned transition of the team to Martin Currie’s platform next year will have no impact on the autonomy and structure of the Franklin UK Equity team. The portfolio team, investment philosophy and strategy of the underlying funds will remain the same.

The Martin Currie platform will enable the Franklin UK Equity team to benefit from local oversight, invest with full independence, supported by a collaborative environment of ESG leadership and a distribution approach that provides specialist support to the Franklin Templeton sales team.

Colin Morton will continue to lead the investment team, supported by a seasoned group of investment professionals with an average of 18 years of industry experience and nine years at Franklin Templeton.

Since the Legg Mason acquisition a year ago, Franklin Templeton has been partnering closely with Martin Currie, a leading specialist investment manager (SIM) for active equities in the UK retail market. This planned change will further align Franklin Templeton and Martin Currie’s strategic growth plans in the UK retail market with a suite of key offerings consolidated under the Martin Currie platform. 

Martyn Gilbey, UK Country Head at Franklin Templeton, said: “Martin Currie is a leading specialist investment manager in active equities with strong brand recognition and a long history in the UK retail market. We believe this upcoming change will provide a natural synergy, combining the recognised local brand of Martin Currie with the strong, long-term investment track record of the Franklin UK Equity team.”

Mel Bucher, Co-head of global distribution, Martin Currie, added: “We are excited that the Franklin UK Equity team will be joining the Martin Currie platform forming part of our strategic initiative to grow in the UK retail market. We look forward to welcoming the team to the Martin Currie platform and providing them with specialist resources and support, whilst partnering with the Franklin Templeton sales team.

The addition of the Franklin UK Equity team alongside our existing range of funds puts Martin Currie in good stead to achieve our growth ambition for the UK retail market in partnership with Franklin Templeton.”

Martin Currie has leading Emerging Markets, Asia, Global and European equity solutions for retail investors.  It is a well-known and respected brand which has seen assets grow to $22.2 billion as of September 30, 2021. Martin Currie joined Franklin Templeton through the latter’s acquisition of Legg Mason in July 2020.

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For more information please visit: www.franklintempleton.co.uk.

Contacts:

Saira Khan Senior Corporate Communications Manager Franklin Templeton Cannon Place, 78 Cannon Street London EC4N 6HL Tel: 07818 420541 Email: [email protected]

Erica Lewis Senior Consultant FTI Consulting 200 Aldersgate Street London EC1A 4HD Tel: 020 3727 1514 Email: [email protected]

Notes to Editors:

1. Franklin Resources, Inc. [NYSE:BEN] is a global investment management organisation with subsidiaries operating as Franklin Templeton and serving clients in over 165 countries. Franklin Templeton’s mission is to help clients achieve better outcomes through investment management expertise, wealth management and technology solutions. Through its specialist investment managers, the company brings extensive capabilities in equity, fixed income, multi-asset solutions and alternatives. With offices in more than 30 countries and approximately 1,300 investment professionals, the California-based company has over 70 years of investment experience and over $1.5 trillion in assets under management as of September 30, 2021. For more information, please visit https://www.franklintempleton.co.uk and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
2. Martin Currie is a global active equity specialist with leading credentials in sustainable investing, crafting high-conviction portfolios for client-focused solutions. Investment excellence is at the heart of its business. Central to its philosophy is a stock-driven approach, based on in-depth fundamental research, active ownership and engagement and skilled portfolio construction. Martin Currie is rated A+ in all three categories under the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) 2020. As a specialist investment manager of Franklin Resources Inc., it also has the backing of one of the world’s largest asset management firms.

This press release is intended to be of general interest only and does not constitute professional advice. Franklin Templeton and its management groups have exercised professional care and diligence in the collection and processing of the information in this press release. Franklin Templeton makes no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy of this document. Franklin Templeton shall not be liable to any user of this report or to any other person or entity for the inaccuracy of information contained in this press release or for any errors or omissions in its contents, regardless of the cause of such inaccuracy, error or omission.

Any research and analysis contained in this document has been procured by Franklin Templeton for its own purposes. For more information, UK investors should contact: Franklin Templeton, Cannon Place, 78 Cannon Street, London EC4N 6HL. United Kingdom. Phone: 0800 305 306, Email [email protected].

Issued by Franklin Templeton Investment Management Limited (FTIML). FTIML is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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