Beyond Bulls & Bears

Meet the Manager: Sandy Kaul
Perspectives

Meet the Manager: Sandy Kaul

Franklin Templeton's Head of Digital Asset & Investor Advisory Services Sandy Kaul was recently named by Forbes as one of the "Crypto Gals" in its 2023 Forbes 50 Over 50 list. She was cited as a leader in the fintech industry, making an impact in a predominantly young and male field. Learn more about Sandy in this Q&A.

Meet the Manager: Ryan Biggs
Perspectives

Meet the Manager: Ryan Biggs

Winning an award for stock-picking in elementary school, Ryan Biggs has extended his wins with a recent recognition from the Business Insider as one of the venture capital industry’s rising stars in 2022. He has also established a “scout program” to help young people get a head start in their careers just like he had received from his mentors. Get to know more about Ryan’s background as well as trends he’s excited about.

Meet the manager: Wylie Tollette
Perspectives

Meet the manager: Wylie Tollette

Discovering commodity futures markets while pursuing his degree in agricultural economics, Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions’ new Chief Investment Officer Wylie Tollette has continued to grow from the different job and educational experiences he’s had over the years. In his current role, he is most excited about the democratization of private assets and helping his team succeed. In this Q&A, we get to know more about Wylie.

Meet the manager: Justin Ma
Perspectives

Meet the manager: Justin Ma

Landing in Franklin Templeton’s Floating Rate Debt Group prior to the global financial crisis, Justin Ma is no stranger to navigating market volatility and challenging environments. Today, he is excited about new applications of data science and quantitative methods to enhance his team’s portfolio management capabilities. Learn more about Justin.

Meet the Manager: Bonnie Wongtrakool
Perspectives

Meet the Manager: Bonnie Wongtrakool

As a young girl with dreams of a career in finance, Western Asset’s Bonnie Wongtrakool is a prime example of manifesting one’s future success—but not without putting in the work to make it happen. Today, she helps mentor other young women hoping to follow in her footsteps. Here, we get to know Bonnie.

Meet the Manager: Sara Araghi
Equity

Meet the Manager: Sara Araghi

Sara Araghi truly embodies what it means to be a mentor—particularly for other women—in an industry that has typically been more male-dominated. She is a portfolio manager and research analyst with Franklin Equity Group and director of Franklin Venture Partners, the firm’s specialized investment team that invests in private opportunities, focusing on mid- and late-stage companies. San Francisco Business Times recently honored Sara in its “Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business” awards, highlighting her role mentoring and investing in female founders. Here, we get to know Sara.

Meet the Manager: Jennifer Johnston
Fixed Income

Meet the Manager: Jennifer Johnston

As a child, Jennifer Johnston didn’t have visions of working in the financial field, but after 27 years in the industry, she hasn’t looked back. Being a woman in a male-dominated field has presented some challenges, but she has had an attitude of embracing every opportunity that presents itself. Here, we get to know more about Jennifer, director of our municipal bond research team.

Meet the Manager: Sonal Desai
Fixed Income

Meet the Manager: Sonal Desai

Tending her family’s garden as a child, the seeds were planted for Sonal Desai to succeed in the world of finance and economics through hard work, attention to detail and a research-driven, scientific approach. Today, she leads Franklin Templeton’s Fixed Income team, and is particularly excited about the growth of quantitative science—and how it can complement fundamental analysis. Learn more about Desai.