Jennifer Morrow Johnson (born 1964) is an American business executive who is the current president and
chief executive officer (CEO) of
Franklin Templeton Investments, a company founded in 1947 by her grandfather, Rupert H. Johnson Sr.
In 2023, Johnson ranked 61st in the
Forbes list of
World's 100 Most Powerful Women. ''
American Banker'' put Johnson as No. 4 on its 2023 Most Powerful Women in Finance list.
Early life
Johnson was born in 1964 in
. Her father
Charles B. Johnson was CEO of Franklin Resources while her mother Ann Johnson was a
physician who had graduated from
Stanford University School Medicine. Johnson is a third generational member of the Johnson family that had founded and managed
Franklin Templeton Investments. She had six siblings.
Growing up, Johnson was the only one of the siblings who wanted to work in the family business. When she was 14, during school holidays she worked in the mailroom for a local fund company.
Johnson attended
University of California, Davis where she played on the school's women basketball team and was in
Alpha Phi. She graduated in 1987 with a
BA in
Economics and
Physical education. After graduation, her father encouraged her to move away from the family base near
San Francisco to
New York City to pursue a career in finance.
Career
In 1987, Johnson joined
Drexel Burnham Lambert
Drexel Burnham Lambert was an American multinational investment bank that was forced into bankruptcy in 1990 due to its involvement in illegal activities in the junk bond market, driven by senior executive Michael Milken. At its height, it was a ...
as a trainee.
In 1988, Johnson moved back to San Francisco and started working for Franklin Templeton Investments. Her first job was working in a bank that it had acquired.
Over the next three decades, Johnson held various roles in different departments of Franklin Templeton Investments which included
consumer lending, technology and operations,
wealth management and
alternative investment
An alternative investment, also known as an alternative asset or alternative investment fund (AIF), is an investment in any asset class excluding stocks, bonds, and cash. The term is a relatively loose one and includes tangible assets such as ...
s. Johnson became
chief operating officer in 2010 and president in 2016.
In February 2020, Johnson became CEO of Franklin Templeton Investments taking over from her brother
Greg Johnson Gregory or Greg Johnson may refer to:
Entertainment
* Greg Johnson (comedian), American stand-up comedian, actor, and television host
* Gregory B. Johnson (born 1951), pianist and member of the band Cameo
* Greg Johnson (game designer) (born 196 ...
who became Executive chairman.
During her time as CEO, Johnson oversaw a series of acquisitions by Franklin Templeton Investments which included
Legg Mason,
Lexington Partners
Lexington Partners is the largest independent manager of secondary acquisition and co-Investment funds in the world, founded in 1994. Lexington manages approximately $55 billion of which an unprecedented $14 billion was committed to the firm's ...
and
Putnam Investments. As a result, Franklin Templeton Investments'
assets under management increased to over $1 trillion.
Personal life
Johnson was previously married to a tech entrepreneur and has divorced. She has two sons and three daughters.
Johnson is a keen
horse rider and enjoys spending time with her children at her
ranch in
Montana.
She also plays soccer with her children.
Johnson serves on a variety of boards which include International Advisory Panel of the
Monetary Authority of Singapore, the
New York Stock Exchange board advisory council,
Memorial Sloan Kettering cancer foundation,
Thermo Fisher Scientific and
Catalyst.
Johnson currently lives in
Florida.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Jenny
Living people
1964 births
American chief executives of financial services companies
American financial businesspeople
University of California, Davis alumni