Franklin Templeton expands alternatives wealth strategy with addition of a dedicated team for EMEA region

Wealth managers and private banks now have access to a broader set of alternative solutions
and dedicated specialist alternative managers

London, 4 June: Franklin Templeton¹ today announces that it has created a new team to support the growth of alternative solutions in the wealth channel.  London-based George Szemere, who was previously Head of Business Development, Alternatives, EMEA has been appointed as Head of Alternatives EMEA Wealth Management.  Szemere and his team will focus on the distribution of Franklin Templeton’s private market solutions to the EMEA wealth channel as well as strengthening the firm’s strategic partnerships.

Additionally, to lead the development of alternative product solutions, Jake Williams has been appointed as Head of International Alternatives Product Strategy.  Williams brings 15 years of experience in product development and in this role. He is responsible for the research and development of new alternative products excluding the U.S.. Williams joined Franklin Templeton from Barings in July 2023 where he led their global product strategy team. Previously, he was Head of US Product at Legal & General Investment Management.  Williams has also held various product roles at HSBC Asset Management, BlackRock and Lehman Brothers Investment Management.  

Leveraging alternative specialist managers to democratise private asset solutions

Szemere commented: “Franklin Templeton has over 75-years of experience serving retail investors and developing innovative solutions to meet client needs. With the acquisitions of Benefit Street Partners, Clarion Partners, Lexington Partners, and Alcentra in 2022, the firm has taken a deliberate and strategic approach to growing its global alternatives platform which today manages over $255 billion² in alternative assets.

“Building on our success in the US and leveraging existing wealth solution capabilities, our ambition is to enable access to our deep bench of specialist alternative managers and strategies, through one relationship with a singular focus of helping the wealth channel build better investment outcomes for their respective clients. As private asset solutions in the wealth channel continue to gain momentum, we are committed to further expanding the team across client servicing and marketing roles.”

Today’s market environment presents numerous challenges for the wealth channel.  Fortunately, through a combination of product innovation, and access to institutional-quality managers in the industry, alternative investments are becoming more accessible to a broader group of investors.

Williams said: “In the last couple of years, there has been a confluence of events in EMEA that are driving the democratisation of alternative investments similar to what has been seen in the U.S.  Firstly, the current market environment highlights the need for a more robust and sophisticated toolbox for the wealth channel. Secondly, we see that product innovation, resulting from regulatory changes, has helped usher in more investor-friendly vehicles to deliver alternative investments and, finally, access to dedicated alternative managers has been critical to develop quality products targeted at the wealth channel.  All of these elements, combined with the development of technology and improving infrastructures, have helped to democratise alternative investments.”

Szemere, added: “As wealth clients look at solutions to diversify their traditional asset allocation models, we see heightened interest on how allocating to alternative asset classes might support the creation of better outcomes for their end clients, and the need for both education and product solutions.”

“Alongside our specialist alternative managers’ world-class investment expertise, the firm’s ongoing commitment to investing in distribution, training, and education initiatives, uniquely positions us to work with distribution partners to capture the growth opportunity in the EMEA wealth management channel. This regional initiative follows our success in the US where we have an established and dedicated alternatives wealth solutions team, delivering both product and award-winning educational content via the FT Academy and FT Institute,” Szemere concluded.

The EMEA Alternatives Wealth Management team is part of Franklin Templeton’s growing and dedicated alternatives platform that extends beyond traditional investment offerings.  The firm’s autonomous specialist investment managers, each with deep domain expertise, provide a diverse range of alternative asset capabilities including private credit offerings from Benefit Street Partners and Alcentra, commercial real estate from Clarion Partners, social infrastructure from Franklin Real Assets Advisors, hedged strategies from K2 Advisors and secondary private equity and co-investments from Lexington Partners.  Franklin Templeton manages over $255 billion in alternative assets as of 30 April 2024.

-ENDS-

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

Contacts:

Saira Khan Senior Corporate Communications Manager Franklin Templeton Investments Cannon Place, 78 Cannon Street London EC4N 6HL Tel: +44 20 7073 8644 Email: [email protected]

Dorine Johnson Head of Corporate Communications EMEA Franklin Templeton Investments Cannon Place, 78 Cannon Street London EC4N 6HL Tel: 0207 073 8538 Email: [email protected]

Notes to Editors:

About Franklin Templeton

1. Franklin Resources, Inc. [NYSE:BEN] is a global investment management organization with subsidiaries operating as Franklin Templeton and serving clients in over 150 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 offers specialization on a global scale, bringing extensive capabilities in fixed income, equity, alternatives and multi-asset solutions. With more than 1,500 investment professionals, and offices in major financial markets around the world, the California-based company has over 75 years of investment experience and approximately $1.6 trillion in assets under management as of 30 April, 2024. For more information, please visit www.franklintempleton.co.uk
2. Data as of 30 April 2024. Source: Franklin Templeton

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].

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