Franklin Resources, Inc. Announces Leadership Change SAN

SAN MATEO, CA--(Marketwired - Dec 15, 2016) - Franklin Resources, Inc. (Franklin Templeton Investments) ( NYSE : BEN ) today announced that Co-President Vijay C. Advani will be leaving the company December 31, 2016, and Co-President Jennifer M. Johnson will continue as president. Mr. Advani has announced plans to join TIAA Global Asset Management as president and chief operating officer. Ms. Johnson and Mr. Advani have worked together in senior leadership positions since 1995 and were named co-presidents of Franklin Resources in 2015.

"We would like to thank Vijay for his many contributions to our firm, and we wish him well," said Chairman and CEO Greg Johnson. "Jenny has a proven track record of managing all major aspects of the business over the past 28 years, and we have a very experienced and capable leadership team in place. Our focus will continue to be on delivering strong investment results to our shareholders and clients around the world."

Ms. Johnson said, "I have enjoyed working with Vijay over the past 21 years, most recently as co-president. We have been focused on cultivating innovation and our ongoing mission of offering high-quality investment solutions and providing outstanding service to our customers globally. I continue to be excited by the possibilities in this industry, both in the US and internationally."

Mr. Advani commented, "I'm very proud of my time at Franklin Templeton, of what we have accomplished together to grow the global business and position the firm for future success. I have been privileged to have worked with some of the most talented and passionate people in the business, especially in my most recent role collaborating with Jenny." 

Ms. Johnson has served as co-president of Franklin Resources, Inc. since October 2015. Prior to that, she served as executive vice president and chief operating officer beginning in 2010, overseeing the company's global transfer agency operations, investment services, technology, human resources and Fiduciary Trust Company International. She joined the firm in 1988 and has also previously served as the company's chief information officer.

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 to retail, institutional and sovereign wealth clients in over 180 countries. Through specialized teams, the company has expertise across all asset classes -- including equity, fixed income, alternative and custom solutions. The company's more than 600 investment professionals are supported by its integrated, worldwide team of risk management professionals and global trading desk network. With offices in 35 countries, the California-based company has more than 65 years of investment experience and over $714 billion in assets under management as of November 30, 2016. For more information, please visit investors.franklinresources.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

The financial results in this press release are preliminary. Statements in this press release regarding Franklin Resources, Inc. ("Franklin") and its subsidiaries, which are not historical facts, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, words or phrases generally written in the future tense and/or preceded by words such as "will," "may," "could," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "seek," "estimate," "preliminary" or other similar words are forward-looking statements. 

Forward-looking statements involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors, some of which are listed below, that could cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from any future results or outcomes expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. While forward-looking statements are our best prediction at the time that they are made, you should not rely on them and are cautioned against doing so. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions regarding our business, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. They are neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees or assurances of future performance. 

These and other risks, uncertainties and other important factors are described in more detail in Franklin's recent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, in Risk Factors and Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in Franklin's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2016:

• Volatility and disruption of the capital and credit markets, and adverse changes in the global economy, may significantly affect our results of operations and may put pressure on our financial results.
• The amount and mix of our assets under management are subject to significant fluctuations.
• We are subject to extensive, complex, overlapping and frequently changing rules, regulations and legal interpretations.
• Global regulatory and legislative actions and reforms have made the regulatory environment in which we operate more costly and future actions and reforms could adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations.
• Failure to comply with the laws, rules or regulations in any of the jurisdictions in which we operate could result in substantial harm to our reputation and results of operations.
• Changes in tax laws or exposure to additional income tax liabilities could have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.
• Any significant limitation, failure or security breach of our information and cyber security infrastructure, software applications, technology or other systems that are critical to our operations could disrupt our business and harm our operations and reputation.
• Our business operations are complex and a failure to properly perform operational tasks or the misrepresentation of our products and services, or the termination of investment management agreements representing a significant portion of our assets under management, could have an adverse effect on our revenues and income.
• We face risks, and corresponding potential costs and expenses, associated with conducting operations and growing our business in numerous countries.
• We depend on key personnel and our financial performance could be negatively affected by the loss of their services.
• Strong competition from numerous and sometimes larger companies with competing offerings and products could limit or reduce sales of our products, potentially resulting in a decline in our market share, revenues and income.
• Changes in the third-party distribution and sales channels on which we depend could reduce our income and hinder our growth.
• Our increasing focus on international markets as a source of investments and sales of investment products subjects us to increased exchange rate and market-specific political, economic or other risks that may adversely impact our revenues and income generated overseas.
• Harm to our reputation or poor investment performance of our products could reduce the level of our assets under management or affect our sales, and negatively impact our revenues and income.
• Our future results are dependent upon maintaining an appropriate level of expenses, which is subject to fluctuation.
• Our ability to successfully manage and grow our business can be impeded by systems and other technological limitations.
• Our inability to successfully recover should we experience a disaster or other business continuity problem could cause material financial loss, loss of human capital, regulatory actions, reputational harm, or legal liability.
• Regulatory and governmental examinations and/or investigations, litigation and the legal risks associated with our business, could adversely impact our assets under management, increase costs and negatively impact our profitability and/or our future financial results.
• Our ability to meet cash needs depends upon certain factors, including the market value of our assets, operating cash flows and our perceived creditworthiness.
• We are dependent on the earnings of our subsidiaries.

Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.