Dina Ting cites her entry into asset management as “fortuitous.”
She grew up in Indonesia surrounded by a family of entrepreneurs, and asset management was not something she considered until a few years after she completed her education.
Upon her graduation from Stanford, Ting had her heart set on pursuing management consulting, until a friend urged her to attend an information session on investment banking. She landed a coveted spot at Merrill Lynch, and from there she went into asset management.
Ting is now the senior vice president and head of global index portfolio management for Franklin Templeton Investments. She is responsible for 45 ETFs, and manages a range of smart beta and regional passive strategies.
Ting says her mother was her biggest inspiration, and describes her as being “very independent, capable and a positive role model.”
As she advanced in her career, Ting had many mentors who helped her navigate its challenges.
“The experience of building Franklin Templeton’s ETF platform and launching a suite of ETF products was demanding, but it was enjoyable, too,” she says.
Ting adds that the aggressive timeline required her to move quickly, while leveraging the resources of an established firm. Every part of Franklin Templeton was involved in building what Ting considers a world-class ETF platform that can support future growth.
Ting predicts that the asset management industry is in the midst of facing its biggest challenges yet.
“Fee pressure combined with changes in investors’ behavior, demographics and disruptive technologies will create opportunities for firms with the capability to strategically position for the change, yet remain nimble to take on emerging challenges,” she says.
