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Franklin Templeton established a presence in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region over three decades ago, inaugurating a business unit in Taiwan and Australia in 1986 and 1987 respectively, before setting up a research office in Hong Kong in 1987. Shortly after, the company opened an office in Singapore in 1990, which has since become its global centre for emerging markets investment management and a regional business hub for Asia. Further North, Franklin Templeton entered the Japanese and South Korean markets in 1996 and 1997 respectively. In Mainland China, the company opened a research office in Shanghai in 1998, followed by a representative office in Beijing in 2001.

Over the years, Franklin Templeton has broadened its footprint across the region, bringing world-class investment capabilities, customised investment solutions and a range of services to local investors in the APAC region.

Read our latest article Expansion through acquisition

Hong Kong is Franklin Templeton's business hub for the Greater China region, dedicated to serving clients in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

Franklin Templeton opened one of the first global emerging markets research offices in Hong Kong in 1987. Following that, a marketing office—Franklin Templeton Investments (Asia) Limited—opened its doors in 1994. Contributing the wealth of experience to the local industry, Franklin Templeton Investments (Asia) Limited is an Executive Committee member of the Hong Kong Investment Fund Association, a member of the Hong Kong Retirement Schemes Association. It is also a founding member of the Institute of Financial Planners of Hong Kong.

Franklin Templeton has been growing its presence in Mainland China for more than two decades. It first established a research office in Shanghai in 1998, followed by a representative office in Beijing in 2001. Franklin Templeton co-founded Franklin Templeton Sealand Fund Management Co. Ltd in 2004, and established China Life Franklin Asset Management Co., Ltd. in 2007. In 2016, Franklin Templeton opened an advisory wholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE) in Shanghai, which subsequently gained regulatory approval to conduct investment management and asset management in China in 2017.

In Taiwan, Franklin Templeton first established its presence in the late 1980s. Distribution channels were established in 1991, and a joint venture, Franklin Templeton SinoAm Securities Investment Management Inc., was founded in 2002. Franklin Templeton is now one of the largest offshore fund providers in Taiwan.

Franklin Templeton Japan limited (FTJ) was established in 1998 and obtained a license for Discretionary Investment Management Business in 1999. In 2007, the company obtained Type II Financial Instruments Business license to expand its business to Limited Partnership products.

FTJ has expanded its business by offering a wide range of global products and high quality of client service to meet the variety of needs of both retail and institutional investors. In the past couple of years, FTJ has been focusing on the institutional business including sub-advisory business to the major Japanese asset management companies. FTJ aims to contribute to our clients’ asset growth by offering investment solutions and establishing a strong and long-term relationship with them.

Franklin Templeton’s presence in Malaysia began in 1987 with the Templeton Emerging Markets group’s investment in the country. In 2009, Franklin Templeton Asset Management (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. (FTAM) was established. In January 2010, the Securities Commission Malaysia granted Franklin Templeton GSC Asset management Sdn. Bhd. (FTGSC) a licence to carry out regulated investment management activities of Islamic funds in Malaysia.

Both FTAM and FTGSC are wholly owned subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc. and they currently have a team of equity, fixed income and Sukuk investment professionals located in Kuala Lumpur, managing assets for local investors across a wide range of strategies. These strategies include conventional and Shariah as well as global and domestic strategies in different asset classes, namely equity, balanced, fixed income and Sukuk. Since its establishment in Malaysia, Franklin Templeton has received over 20 investment awards from local and international agencies.

Singapore is currently Franklin Templeton’s global centre for emerging markets investment management and the company’s regional business hub for Asia.

Franklin Templeton first marked its presence in Singapore with the opening of a research office in 1990. Franklin Templeton is dedicated to broadening our footprint across the region by providing customised investment solutions and services to local investors.

With the liberalisation of the unit trust industry in Singapore in the mid-1990s, a distribution office was set up in 1996 to market unit trusts locally. Franklin Templeton pioneered the umbrella fund structure “Templeton Investments Funds” in Singapore in 1996 with the launch of the first emerging markets fund. The company has been serving institutional investors in Singapore since 2000.

Franklin Templeton Investment Advisors Korea Co., Ltd. (FTIAK) is dedicated to serving institutional clients in South Korea. Franklin Templeton’s presence in South Korea started in 1997 and grew as the first foreign asset management company in the country. The company name was changed from Franklin Templeton Investment Trust Management Co., Ltd (FTITMC) to FTIAK in October 2021 as a result of successful spin-off of its onshore retail fund business to a local asset manager.

With a new focus on servicing institutional clients, FTIAK introduces Franklin Templeton’s management philosophy and accumulated advanced investment techniques to the local market. It also provides investors with world-class investment products and services.

Award Highlights in North & Southeast Asia

 

For more details about the awards, including the assessment methodology and judging criteria, please refer to the official award website. Franklin Templeton did not pay entry fee for these awards, except for 1 and 7, awarded by Asia Asset Management.

  1. Awarded in February 2022 by Asia Asset Management. Franklin Templeton paid an entry fee for the award.
  2. Awarded in December 2020 by the Investor and Financial Education Council (IFEC). Based on fund performance for the period between January 2020 to December 2020.
  3. Awarded in 2021-2022 by Asia Asset Management. Franklin Templeton paid an entry fee for the award.
  4. Awarded in 2014-2023 by The Asset Triple A Islamic Finance for the period between 2013 to 2022.

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If you would like information on Franklin Templeton’s retail mutual funds, please visit www.franklinresources.com to be directed to your local Franklin Templeton website.