The CFA Institute, the administrator of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, has appointed Margaret Franklin as its new CEO and president, according to a press release.
Franklin is the first woman to hold the position in the organization’s 73-year history. She will begin her new role on Sept. 2. She succeeds Paul Smith, who will remain in an advisory capacity to the CEO until Dec. 31., the organization announced on Monday.
Franklin, the release said, has been a leader in the investment management industry for 28 years, most recently as president of BNY Mellon Wealth Management in Canada and head of International Wealth Management in North America.
Her previous experience includes working at firms ranging from large, global asset managers to start-ups, including Marret Private Wealth, State Street Global Advisors and Barclays Global Investors, the release said. It added that her work has included advising individuals, families, pension plans, endowments, foundations and government agencies.
Franklin is no stranger to the CFA Institute. The release noted that in 2011, she was chair of the CFA Board of Governors, which is a volunteer position, and is a member of CFA Society Toronto, where she has also served on the board. She also is a founding member of the CFA Institute Women in Investment Initiative, a past recipient of its Alfred C. Morley Distinguished Service Award in 2014, and a member of its Future of Finance Content Council.