Background at BlackRock, Bank of Korea and Western Asset

'Outstanding leadership and business development capabilities,' says co-president

Kim In-keun, the newly appointed CEO of Franklin Templeton Korea. [Franklin Templeton]
Kim In-keun, the newly appointed CEO of Franklin Templeton Korea. [Franklin Templeton]

Global asset manager Franklin Templeton announced Tuesday it has appointed Kim In-keun as CEO of its Korea operations.

Kim joins Franklin Templeton after stints at BlackRock Asset Management, the Bank of Korea and Western Asset Management's Singapore office. He brings more than 27 years of experience in asset management, with deep expertise in institutional client relations covering sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, insurers and major financial institutions across the Asia-Pacific region.

He served as Korea head of Western Asset Management — a Franklin Templeton subsidiary — for six years beginning in 2020. In his new role, Kim will lead Franklin Templeton Investment Advisory, the firm's local entity in Korea, overseeing strategy and operations while driving growth for the business.

Kim succeeds Kim Tae-hee, who spent more than 20 years at Franklin Templeton. The outgoing CEO played a central role in directing the firm's domestic operations and building its standing in the Korean market.

Daniel Gamba, co-president and chief commercial officer of Franklin Templeton, said Korea is a strategically important market and a cornerstone of the firm's Asia-Pacific business. "I am confident that Kim In-keun, with his outstanding leadership and business development capabilities, will open a new chapter for Franklin Templeton's Korea business and further strengthen our presence in the country," he said.

Kim said he would build on the firm's strong foundation in "the dynamic and sophisticated Korean market" alongside clients, partners and the local team. "I will mobilize the full breadth of the firm's global investment capabilities to help clients achieve their goals," he added.

Franklin Templeton was founded in the United States in 1947 and entered the Korean market in 1997, offering investment solutions spanning traditional assets and alternative investments. It works with major institutional investors in Korea, including pension funds, mutual aid associations and insurers. As of July 2026, the firm manages approximately $1.8 trillion in assets across more than 35 countries worldwide. In January, it merged the brands of two subsidiaries — Benefit Street Partners and Alcentra — to launch a unified alternative credit platform spanning the United States and Europe.


park.jiyeong@heraldcorp.com