Franklin Resources, Inc. (operating as Franklin Templeton) (NYSE: BEN) has announced the appointment of Balaji Vaidyanathan as Marketing Director, Central Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA) , effective this month.
Based in Dubai and reporting to Sandeep Singh, Senior Director and Regional Head, CEEMEA, Balaji will be responsible for driving the firm’s marketing strategy and brand initiatives for the region.
Commenting on Balaji’s appointment, Sandeep said: “We are pleased to have Balaji join our team in Dubai. With a 16-year, proven track record in marketing and communications, Balaji will be a valuable addition to the team as we continue to identify growth opportunities for the business in this region. His solutions-oriented approach and creative ability will be a great fit for our overall business objectives.”
Speaking on the new role, Balaji said : “As the Franklin Templeton brand and business grows within the CEEMEA region and globally, we will continue to identify strategic opportunities for amplifying our voice and presence through various marketing initiatives. And with the increasing integration of FinTech and digital within the asset management industry, it is critical that we consistently adapt our marketing approach to stay relevant and ahead of competition.”
Prior to this role, Balaji was Deputy Head - Marketing for Franklin Templeton India and was responsible for leading all key brand initiatives. Balaji has been one of the early adopters of leveraging gamification and storytelling in the mutual fund industry and has won multiple awards for his work.
Operating in the Middle East for almost 20 years, the Franklin Templeton Dubai office oversees approximately 25 countries across the wider CEEMEA region. It was the first global asset management company to set up in the DIFC and has grown to over 40 employees from 17 different nationalities. The office also has portfolio management teams managing and supporting the following investment strategies: Global Sukuk, MENA Fixed Income, Frontier Equities, MENA Equities and Eastern European Equities. The firm’s Shariah business is also led from Dubai under Sandeep Singh. Of the global asset management firms with a presence locally, Franklin Templeton Dubai has the largest team of investment managers on the ground offering a diverse set of capabilities, including a trading desk.
Franklin Templeton is one of the largest foreign asset management firms in the CEEMEA region, offering a wide range of investment solutions for retail and institutional investors. Following the opening of the first office in the CEEMEA region in South Africa in 1995, the company opened an office in Poland in 1997 and in the UAE in 2000, adding to Franklin Templeton’s network of offices in 35 countries around the world.
