Patrick O’Connor.
Franklin Templeton Investments today announced that Patrick O’Connor has joined the firm as Head of Global Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). In this new role, O’Connor will focus on shaping and developing the firm’s ETF capabilities. He will be based in San Mateo, California and will report to Jenny Johnson and Vijay Advani, co-presidents of Franklin Resources, Inc.
O’Connor has more than 15 years of investment experience and was previously at BlackRock, where he most recently served as managing director of iShares Product Canada, iShares Product Latin America & Iberia and iShares Equity Portfolio Management. He was a partner within the iShares business for more than a decade and an original member of the iShares launch team in 1999. In his portfolio management role, he was responsible for more than 250 index and strategic beta funds.
“We’re pleased to welcome Patrick to the firm and are fortunate to have the benefit of his extensive expertise to guide us through the active and rules-based ETF landscape,” said Greg Johnson, chairman and CEO of Franklin Resources, Inc. “We’re always looking for new ways to meet the evolving needs of our clients. While the chief focus for Franklin Templeton continues to be on traditional active fund management, we believe there may be opportunities for investors to use a wider range of strategies, including various types of ETFs, to construct portfolios that meet their specific risk and return objectives.”
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