Jenny Johnson
Jenny Johnson (Jennifer M. Johnson) is the chief executive officer of the asset manager Franklin TempletonFranklin TempletonFranklin Templeton is a global asset management company headquartered in San Mateo, California, United States. Founded in New York in 1947, its parent company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker: BEN), and it had approximately $1.83 trillion in assets under management at the end of August 2026. The company has pursued digital assets since 2018, launched FOBXX (BENJI), a U.S. government money fund that records shares on a blockchain, in 2021, and in 2026 established Franklin Crypto, a dedicated crypto asset management division.Open the full entry and a member of its founding family. She joined the company in 1988, served as chief information officer, chief operating officer and president, and became CEO in February 2020; under her leadership the company acquired firms including Legg Mason, Lexington Partners and Putnam Investments.
Contents15 sections
Key facts
Family Background: Founding Family
Franklin Templeton was founded in New York in 1947 by Rupert H. Johnson, Sr.[1]
She and the company’s chairman, Gregory E. Johnson, are siblings, and their uncle, Rupert H. Johnson, Jr., is vice chairman; all three are both directors and executive officers.[2]
1988Joining the Company
She joined the company in 1988.[3]
2003–2015From CIO to COO
She was senior vice president and chief information officer from May 2003 to December 2005, executive vice president of operations and technology until March 2010, and executive vice president and chief operating officer from March 2010 to September 2015.[4]
August 2015Co-President
On August 20, 2015, the company named Vijay C. Advani and Johnson co-presidents, effective October 1. As chief operating officer she had overseen global transfer agency operations, investment services, technology, human resources and Fiduciary Trust Company International.[5]
2016–2017President and COO
On December 15, 2016, the company announced that Advani would leave at the end of the month and that Johnson would continue as president.[3]
She became president in December 2016 and was also chief operating officer from February 2017 to February 2020.[2]
She was the first woman to serve as president in Franklin Resources’ 70-year history.[6]
September 2019Adviser to Shatter Fund
In September 2019 she became an adviser to Shatter Fund LLC, a venture firm investing in technology companies founded and led by women, providing strategic guidance outside investment management.[7]
November 2019–February 2020Becoming CEO
On November 21, 2019, the company announced that she would succeed Gregory E. Johnson as president and chief executive officer, with him becoming executive chairman and remaining board chairman; the appointments took effect at the annual meeting on February 11, 2020.[8]
2020Legg Mason and Other Acquisitions
On February 18, 2020, the company agreed to buy Legg Mason for $50.00 a share in cash and assume about $2 billion of its debt, creating a manager with about $1.5 trillion in assets; she said the businesses had “modest overlap.”[9]
The same year the company also acquired Pennsylvania Trust, Athena Capital and AdvisorEngine.[1]
November 2021Lexington Partners
On November 1, 2021, the company agreed to acquire Lexington Partners, a secondary private equity manager; she said the deal would position the firm to capitalize on the “secondary private equity market.”[10]
July 2023Thermo Fisher Scientific Board
She joined the board of Thermo Fisher ScientificThermo Fisher ScientificThermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is an American provider of life sciences tools, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics and biopharma services, headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.Open the full entry in July 2023; the company says she brings strategic leadership, financial, M&A and information technology experience.[11]
January 2024Putnam Investments
The company completed its purchase of Putnam Investments from Great-West Lifeco on January 1, 2024; she said it would accelerate growth in the retirement market. The deal brought assets under management to about $1.55 trillion.[12]
September–December 2025: Leadership Changes and Pay
On September 8, 2025, the company named Daniel Gamba, Terrence Murphy and Matthew Nicholls co-presidents effective October 15, working with Johnson and the board on long-term strategy.[13]
Her term as president ended in October 2025, and she remained chief executive; her total compensation for fiscal 2025 was $16,844,816.[4]
2026Franklin Crypto
In 2026 the company set up Franklin Crypto, a digital asset management division, after acquiring 250 Digital; it had launched bitcoin and ethereum ETPs in 2024.[1]
October 29, 2026Interview on AI Valuations
On October 29, 2026, Molly O’Shea posted an interview with her on X covering AI valuations, data center financing risk and the firm’s pre-IPO investments in SpaceXSpaceXSpaceX is a company founded by Elon Musk in 2002 whose businesses include space transportation, Starlink satellite communications and artificial intelligence. It went public in 2026 under the ticker SPCX.Open the full entry and Anthropic.[14]
Sources
- Our History | Franklin Templeton (opens in a new window)
- Franklin Resources, Inc. 2025 Proxy Statement (Schedule 14A) (opens in a new window)
- Franklin Resources, Inc. Announces Leadership Change (opens in a new window)
- Franklin Resources, Inc. 2026 Proxy Statement (Schedule 14A) (opens in a new window)
- Franklin Resources, Inc. Appoints Vijay C. Advani and Jennifer M. Johnson as Co-Presidents (opens in a new window)
- Mother of five juggles family and work as head of global fund house Franklin Resources (opens in a new window)
- Franklin Templeton’s Jenny Johnson Named an Advisor to Shatter Fund LLC, a Venture Capital Firm Focused on Technology Companies Led and Founded by Female Entrepreneurs (opens in a new window)
- Franklin Resources, Inc. Appoints Jennifer M. Johnson as President and CEO, Gregory E. Johnson Named Executive Chairman and Continues as Chairman of the Board (opens in a new window)
- Franklin Templeton to Acquire Legg Mason, Creating $1.5 Trillion AUM Global Investment Manager (opens in a new window)
- Franklin Templeton to Acquire Lexington Partners, a Global Leader in Secondary Private Equity and Co-Investments (opens in a new window)
- Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 2026 Proxy Statement (Schedule 14A) (opens in a new window)
- Franklin Templeton Completes Acquisition of Putnam Investments (opens in a new window)
- Franklin Templeton Names Daniel Gamba Chief Commercial Officer (opens in a new window)
- Molly O’Shea on X: “NEW: I sat down w/ Jenny Johnson, CEO of $1.8 TRILLION AUM Franklin Templeton to discuss the state of markets, AI valuations & how the firm got into pre-IPO investments like SpaceX” (opens in a new window)