Franklin Templeton Selects Caramazza as New Sales Head

Franklin Templeton Investments is staffing up as it expands services for RIAs.

On Friday, the San Mateo-based firm announced a new head of the sales division, Pierre Caramazza, the former senior vice president managing the Fixed Income Product Management & Development and Regional Product Strategy groups. “Pierre brings a tremendous amount of product-specific expertise to this position,” said Dan O’Lear, executive vice president of U.S. Advisory Services for Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc.  “His proven leadership will be an asset as we strive to deepen our reach in the investment advisor marketplace.”

Franklin Templeton is looking for more feedback from advisers, says O’Lear, and plans to improve its investment materials for customers. “Pierre Caramazza's hire and the increase in resources devoted to the RIA channel follows our view that the market segment will continue its explosive growth and is a reflection of our desire to dedicate appropriate resources to the channel,” he said. 

Last week, the company announced a new head of Internal and Digital Sales, Michael Mahoney, who will be responsible for overseeing and mentoring the firm's internal sales staff, and will also seek ways to enhance sales techniques in the digital age. "Mike is an experienced external sales representative with a deep understanding of the needs of financial advisors and their clients," said O'Lear. "Bringing him 'inside' will greatly benefit our internal sales team by strengthening continuity between our internal and external wholesaling teams."

Caramazza, who has 15 years of experience in financial services, will oversee an expansion that includes the addition of three new field positions:

Michael Wasz is vice president and regional director covering the central region of the U.S.  He transferred from a similar position with Franklin Templeton Portfolio Advisors, the firm’s separately managed accounts division.

Matthew Carlisle is vice president and regional director covering the southeast region.  He joined the firm in November with 20 years of experience in the industry, primarily working with registered investment advisers.

Raymond Parker, an investment advisor specialist in the RIA division, was promoted to regional specialist covering the northeast.

Tom Johnson, who manages national key account relationships and the internal sales desk for the RIA division, will continue in this role.  Johnson is also now assuming management responsibility for the separately managed account (SMA) internal sales desk.

Mahoney will work closely with Franklin Templeton's marketing and technology groups to continue to develop the firm's total relationship strategies.  The divisional sales manager role previously held by Mahoney will be assumed by Jeffery Rose, who will now oversee the Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas sales territories.

Temma Ehrenfeld writes for Financial Planning.

 

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