Franklin Resources appoints Vijay Advani as co-president

Global corporations' quest of Indian talent got yet another push today with the leading fund house Franklin Resources appointing Vijay C Advani as co-president.
Franklin Resources operates as Franklin Templeton Investments that offers global and domestic investment management to retail, institutional and sovereign wealth clients in over 150 countries.
The San Mateo, California-based Franklin Resources also announced the appointment of and Jennifer M Johnson as co-president.
Both the appointments are effective October 1, it said, adding that the incumbent president Gregory E Johnson will continue in his role as chairman and chief executive.
Advani joins the likes of newly-appointed Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft's Satya Nadella, Pepsico's Indra Nooyi, among others.

Both Advani and Johnson have been with the firm for over 20 years and have served as members of the CEO's direct report group since its formation in 2005.

"As we continue to grow in size and complexity, one of our most essential responsibilities is to ensure that we have the right talent and resources in place so that we remain nimble in our decision-making and maintain a clear focus on our business priorities to drive the continued growth of the company," said Gregory Johnson.
As co-presidents, Advani and Johnson will now jointly oversee investment management and all related support services, including trading and risk management, in addition to their previous areas of responsibility.

Advani has served in his current role as executive vice-president, global advisory services since 2006, where he was responsible for the global retail and institutional strategies and initiatives, including sales, marketing, client service and product development.
Advani joined Franklin Templeton in 1995 and has served in various leadership roles in the areas of international retail development and global distribution.
Johnson has served as executive vice-president and chief operating officer since 2010, overseeing the global transfer agency operations, investment services, technology, human resources and Fiduciary Trust Company International.
She joined the firm in 1988, and previously served as the chief information officer.

Franklin Resources, through its specialised teams, has expertise across all asset classes, including equity, fixed income, alternative and custom solutions and employs over 600 investment professionals.
With offices in 35 countries, the California-based company had over USD 854 billion in assets under management as of July 31.