Franklin Templeton, headquartered in San Mateo, Calif., has appointed Tony Davidow to the position of senior alternatives investment strategist, the company said.
Davidow will be responsible for developing and delivering the Franklin Templeton Institute’s insights on alternative investments, which will include conducting independent research; presenting at industry conferences and webinars; and engaging directly with key partners and clients. Davidow reports to Stephen Dover, chief market strategist and head of the Franklin Templeton Institute.
“With its unparalleled array of alternative investment options, expanded and complemented by its recent acquisitions, Franklin Templeton is an ideal place for me to harness my passion for engaging clients and partners about the role and use of alternative investments,” Davidow said in a prepared statement. “Today’s market environment requires a more sophisticated toolbox, as advisors and investors are seeking incremental returns, alternative sources of income, as well as tools to dampen volatility and hedge inflation.”
An industry veteran with over three decades of experience, Davidow has held senior leadership positions with Morgan Stanley, Guggenheim and Schwab. He is a frequent writer and speaker on the use of alternative investments, asset allocation and portfolio construction, as well as goals-based investing. Davidow received the Investments & Wealth Institute Wealth Management Impact Award in 2020 for his contributions to the wealth management industry, and is the author of "Goals-Based Investing: A Visionary Framework for Wealth Management" (McGraw-Hill 2020).
“With his extensive experience and profile in the industry, Tony is distinctly qualified to help advisors develop a deeper understanding of alternative investments and the role they can have in their portfolios at a time when access to private market investments is expanding," Dover said in a prepared statement.
Prior to joining the company in his current position, he worked with Franklin Templeton Academy as a consultant in the development of its Alternatives Education program, a learning suite aimed to help financial professionals expand their knowledge of alternative investments and navigate the growing space with confidence. The program offers a curriculum on various types of alternatives, including courses on private equity, real estate, private credit, infrastructure, hedge strategies, and portfolio construction.
“Tony’s addition to the Franklin Templeton Institute reinforces Franklin Templeton’s commitment to success in alternative investments and bringing value beyond investments as a differentiator in the US wealth management market,” Jeff Masom, head of U.S. Distribution for Franklin Templeton, said in a news release.
On December 31, Franklin Templeton reported alternative assets under management (AUA) totaling $257 billion globally.
Davidow holds a bachelor's degree in finance and investments from Bernard M. Baruch College and has earned the certified investment management analyst (CIMA) designation from the Investments & Wealth Institute and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He currently serves as chair of the Investment & Wealth Monitor Editorial Advisory Board.
Founded in New York City in 1947 as Franklin Distributors Inc., Franklin Resources Inc., is a global investment management organization with subsidiaries operating in over 155 countries as Franklin Templeton. On January 31, the California-based company reported about $1.4 trillion in assets under management (AUM).