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David Zahn to Lead Franklin Templeton Initiative to Enhance European Fixed Income Capabilities

April 17, 2013

London, 17 April 2013: Franklin Templeton Investments1 is pleased to announce a major initiative to enhance its European fixed income capabilities in recognition of growing institutional and retail client demand for dedicated European fixed income strategies. David Zahn will lead this initiative for the Franklin Templeton Fixed Income Group, and has been promoted to Head of European Fixed Income, effective 15 April 2013. Zahn, who has been managing European fixed income portfolios for more than a decade and with Franklin Templeton since 2006, has over 19 years of experience in the asset management industry. Zahn is based in London.

This initiative will involve adding new, dedicated local investment resources on the ground in Europe, leveraging the Fixed Income Group’s established global research platform. Zahn will work with a dedicated European fixed income team of nine investment professionals based in London and four investment professionals based in San Mateo to generate investment ideas and solutions focused on European fixed income. The strategy, philosophy and disciplined approach of our existing European and Global Franklin Templeton fixed income products will remain unchanged.

Jamie Hammond, Managing Director, Europe, said:

“Under David’s leadership, we will focus on enhancing our European fixed income capabilities in order to address the significant opportunities in this market segment. European fixed income is an important asset class for both retail and institutional investors throughout the region and this initiative will give us a dedicated team on the ground to enhance the products and service we can offer clients. We’ve enjoyed considerable support for our global fixed income products in Europe and we are now eager to widen the focus to include more regional and domestic products.”

David Zahn, Head of European Fixed Income, added:

“We are excited by this opportunity to add resources and put additional focus to our European Fixed Income offerings. In addition to our deeply experienced teams in London and San Mateo, the initiative will also draw upon the insight and guidance of over 140 investment professionals globally, bringing a significant depth of expertise and resource to the region.”

Zahn has been managing European fixed income portfolios for over 10 years both at Franklin Templeton and in his previous role at Citigroup. He is a member of Franklin Templeton’s Fixed Income Policy Committee and is a portfolio manager for several Franklin Templeton funds, including Templeton Strategic Bond Fund2, Templeton Euro Government Bond Fund3 and Templeton European Corporate Bond Fund3. He is also a portfolio manager for a number of Global Government and Global Aggregate fixed income portfolios.

In addition to his new title and role, Zahn will retain his current title and responsibilities as Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager, overseeing management of the Global Aggregate, Global Government and Euro Aggregate fixed income strategies and funds. He will continue to report to John Beck, Senior Vice President and Co-Director of Global Fixed Income for the Franklin Templeton Fixed Income Group based in London.
 
Prior to joining Franklin Templeton in 2006, Zahn was a senior portfolio manager at Citigroup Asset Management. His primary responsibility was as portfolio manager on European fixed income and Libor Plus portfolios.

 

 

For further information please contact:

 

David Masters
Lansons Communications

Tel: +44 20 7294 3687
Switchboard: +44 20 7490 8828
Email: DavidM@lansons.com

 

Caroline Church-Taylor
Lansons Communications

Tel: +44 20 7294 3625
Switchboard: +44 20 7490 8828
Email: carolinect@lansons.com

 

Notes to Editors:

1. Franklin Resources, Inc. [NYSE:BEN] is a global investment management organization operating as Franklin Templeton Investments.  Franklin Templeton Investments provides global and domestic investment management solutions managed by its Franklin, Templeton, Mutual Series, Bissett, Fiduciary Trust, Darby, Balanced Equity Management and K2 investment teams.  The San Mateo, CA-based company has more than 65 years of investment experience and over $823 billion in assets under management as of 31 March 2013. For more information, please call +1-800/DIAL BEN® or visit franklinresources.com.

In the UK, Franklin Templeton Investments offers a distinct and diversified investment line-up, comprising three major international equity houses (Franklin, Templeton and Mutual Series); a specialist UK equity house (Rensburg Fund Management now rebranded Franklin Templeton Fund Management Limited); several dedicated country-specific equity houses; complemented by a substantial global fixed income group.  Franklin Templeton Investments promotes to UK intermediaries 89 funds, including:
•               75 Luxembourg-registered SICAV funds including 25 GBP share classes
•               13 UK-registered OEIC funds
•               1 investment trust

2. Templeton Strategic Bond Fund is a sub-fund of Franklin Templeton Funds (FTF), a UK-domiciled OEIC range. For further information, please refer to relevant Key Investor Information Document. Past performance is no guarantee of future performance. This document does not constitute or form part of any offer for shares or an invitation to apply for shares. Subscriptions for shares can only be made on the basis of the Fund’s current prospectus and the relevant Key Investor Information Document, accompanied by the latest available audited annual report and the latest semi-annual report if published thereafter. The price of the shares of the Funds and the income received from them can go down as well as up, and investors may not get back the full amount invested.  Currency fluctuations may affect the value of overseas investment. 

3. Templeton Euro Government Bond Fund and Templeton European Corporate Bond Fund are sub-funds of Franklin Templeton Investment Funds (FTIF), a Luxembourg-domiciled SICAV range. For further information, please refer to relevant Key Investor Information Document. Past performance is no guarantee of future performance. This document does not constitute or form part of any offer for shares or an invitation to apply for shares. Subscriptions for shares can only be made on the basis of the Fund’s current prospectus and the relevant Key Investor Information Document, accompanied by the latest available audited annual report and the latest semi-annual report if published thereafter. The price of the shares of the Funds and the income received from them can go down as well as up, and investors may not get back the full amount invested.  Currency fluctuations may affect the value of overseas investment.  An investment in the Franklin Templeton Investment Funds SICAV entails risks, which are described in the Fund’s prospectus and relevant Key Investor Information Document. No shares of the SICAV may be directly or indirectly offered or sold to nationals or residents of the United States of America.

All or most of the protections provided by the UK Regulatory System will not apply to Franklin Templeton Investment Funds (SICAV) Investors. An investment in the Fund entails risks which are described in the Fund's prospectus and where available, the relevant Key Investor Information Document.

This press release is intended to be of general interest only, and does not constitute professional advice. Franklin Templeton Investments and its management groups have exercised professional care and diligence in the collection and processing of the information in this press release. Franklin Templeton Investments makes no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy of this document. Franklin Templeton Investments 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 Investments for its own purposes.

For more information, UK investors should contact: Franklin Templeton Investments, The Adelphi, 1-11 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6HT Phone: 0800 305 306, E-Mail ftisalessupport@franklintempleton.co.uk

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

For more information on our Funds, please visit our website www.franklintempleton.co.uk

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