Franklin Templeton and Schroders Expand Active ETF Offerings

The new Franklin Templeton fund brings Putnam Investments’ active management style to the UK market for the first time. The ETF focuses on a concentrated portfolio of 30 to 45 US stocks, selected by a team led by Kate Lakin, Matt LaPlant, Jackie Cavanaugh, Robert Gray, and Will Rives. This strategy stems from a broader research approach that has outperformed the S&P 500 Index in seven of the last eight years. Harry Reeves, head of UK wholesale, noted that the product serves investors seeking to move beyond traditional index exposure by targeting companies with strong long-term potential.

Simultaneously, Schroders is expanding its active ETF franchise into the Taiwan market. The strategy targets companies throughout the artificial intelligence value chain, ranging from semiconductor manufacturing to robotics and autonomous driving. By leveraging its local Taiwan equity expertise alongside a global research platform of 650 professionals, Schroders aims to identify firms best positioned for AI-driven innovation. Tom Stephen, head of ETFs at Schroders, highlighted Taiwan’s critical role in the global AI ecosystem as the primary driver for this expansion, which follows similar moves by firms including Pictet Asset Management and Invesco.