The Big Interview: Franklin Templeton CEO Jenny Johnson on 'the three Cs' of takeovers, agentic AI and alternatives

Growing a global business

On her fifth anniversary since taking over as president and CEO of Franklin Templeton, Jenny Johnson talks to Katrina Lloyd about leadership during the pandemic, growth strategies and the “global phenomenon” of bringing alternatives to the wealth channel.

In a baptism of fire, Johnson took over as CEO of asset management giant Franklin Templeton in February 2020, on the eve of Covid-19 lockdowns around the world. At the same time as leading the business through a global pandemic, five days after Johnson took on the top job, the group also announced the largest and most significant acquisition in its history: the takeover of Legg Mason to create a $1.5trn asset manager.     Franklin Templeton completes Legg Mason tie-up Reflecting on how the business coped during this tumultuous period, Johnson says she was already passionate about g...