Franklin Templeton Investments Australia pushes ahead with its aggressive growth strategy aimed at netting more inflows from financial planners.
Franklin Templeton Investments Australia (FTIA) will push ahead with its aggressive growth strategy aimed at capturing more inflows from the financial advisory channel, after reaching a key milestone of topping $5 billion in assets under management (AUM).
The firm is set to unveil its high alpha, benchmark agnostic Franklin Templeton Multisector Bond Fund to investors next quarter, FTIA's senior manager of distribution Louise O'Riordan told InvestorDaily.
FTIA's AUM hit $5.005 billion in May 2009, up from $4.486 billion in December 2007. The firm has added a number of new mandates and launched two new funds in the past 18 months.
Franklin Templeton's objective is to grow the Australian business strategically and lock its offerings within dealer group's model portfolios, O'Riordan said.
The firm's global emerging markets offering, led by the widely followed Mark Mobius and global equity funds, were added to Colonial First State's FirstWrap platform recently.
"Specifically focusing on the retail market over the next five to 10 years, we aim to significantly increase our market share," O'Riordan said.
"We are a relatively new entrant to this market. However, since our launch in the retail space in 2005, we now have five funds for financial planners to access for their clients, soon to be six.
"Financial advisers have been attracted to our established track record in global equities and emerging markets and have liked the benchmark agnostic nature of our funds," O'Riordan said.
The fund manager's products have already been listed on over 17 platforms and on 50 dealer group approved product lists.
In terms of institutional market share, the firm seeks to raise its awareness of its solid product ratings with asset consultants.
However, O'Riordan said FTIA was challenged by the financial crisis like many other fund managers.
The firm was forced to cut discretionary expenses, installed a hiring freeze and merged its institutional and retail distribution teams last year.
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