Franklin Templeton announces that it has created a new team to support the growth of alternative solutions in the wealth channel.
London-based George Szemere, CAIA, 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.
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 LLC, 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 billion 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.”
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.”
