HEAD-TO-HEAD: Franklin Templeton versus Merian

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Manager review

The Franklin Templeton fund is led by Grant Bowers, who joined the firm in 1993 and started managing the strategy in 2007, according to Khizou. He is supported by deputy manager Sara Araghi, who was appointed to the role in 2016. Like Bowers, Araghi is a longtime Franklin Templeton employee, having joined in 2003.

Both managers leverage the firm’s sizable US equity team of at least 40 analysts, each having an average of 18 years of industry experience, Khizou added. Analysts operate as industry specialists within sector teams and provide the managers with fundamental research.

Turning to the Merian fund, Khizou said that the strategy is led by Ian Heslop, who also heads the firm’s quant team and global equities investment desk. He first joined Merian in 2000 (when it was Old Mutual Global Investors) and the firm’s quant team in 2004.

Supporting Heslop are co-managers Mike Servant and Amadeo Alentorn, who each have around 18 years of investment experience. The three managers are supported by four dedicated quant analysts.

Khizou has no concerns over both teams, as the managers are experienced and the teams supporting them have been stable.

However, Khizou noted that she is keeping an eye on the Merian fund, as well as its other funds, following Jupiter Asset Management’s announcement earlier this year that it will acquire Merian.

“We will be watching how both firms will integrate in the new set-up,” she said.

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