Franklin Templeton has hired former BlackRock sales head Mark Elliott to take on the role of head of advisory, Investment Adviser can reveal.
Mr Elliott left his role as BlackRock’s head of Europe, the Middle East and Africa sales strategy and strategic alliances in April, and begins his new role today (June 17).
At Franklin Templeton he will lead the US investment giant’s UK retail business, building relationships with advisers, platforms and banks.
Ian Wilkins, Franklin Templeton’s UK country head, said Mr Elliott would also be focusing on promoting the company to national adviser networks with a view to adding its fund range to restricted advisers’ product offerings.
“We already have very strong relationships with cross-border distributors, but where we need to strengthen next is key relationships with domestic advisers,” Mr Wilkins said.
“There is an opportunity for Franklin Templeton through restricted channels and we need somebody that has those key relationships with domestic IFAs and restricted advisers. Restricted is not the be all and end all, so we need to be ready to work with the market whichever way it evolves.”
Mr Elliott will report to Alex Brotherston, who has been promoted to the newly-created role of head of UK retail sales.
Mr Brotherston joined Franklin Templeton as part of its acquisition of Rensburg Fund Management in January 2011, and reports to Mr Wilkins.
Elsewhere Franklin Templeton also hired Mark Ward as marketing manager for UK and Nordic discretionary and institutional business. He was previously in charge of Fidelity’s UK marketing strategy on an outsourced basis.
The company has also hired Jill Barber from Hermes Fund Managers as head of institutional for the UK and Ireland, reporting to Mr Wilkins.
