Sonal Desai’s success
Sonal Desai is the Chief Investment Officer at Franklin Templeton. She demonstrated her exceptional analytical skills during the vaccine development phase in 2021. At the time, she predicted that a successful vaccination campaign would contribute to a global economic recovery. At the same time, inflation would rise. That’s exactly what happened. Desai was also right about the impact of geopolitical conflict on energy and agricultural markets.
Her responsibilities at Franklin Templeton include overseeing global multi-sector markets. She is also responsible for several key areas, such as:
– corporate lending;
– securitised products;
– municipal bonds;
– stable value products;
– asset management;
– short-term liquid fixed-income markets.
She manages US$161 billion in assets. Desai joined the company in 2009. She started as a manager in the Templeton Global Bond and Templeton Global Return divisions. Gradually, Sonal reached the position of Chief Investment Officer.
Sonal’s life and career
Desai’s achievements and journey can serve as a motivation and example for women who want to overcome the barriers that prevent them from advancing their careers in the investment industry. Desai is a native of India and is a graduate of Delhi University. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and also defended her doctorate.
However, she did not stop there. She moved to the United States, where she obtained a degree in economics from the University of Pittsburgh. She spent several years building a career in academia, working as a department chair at a university. She then moved to a division of the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC.
Another round of Sonal’s career was in the private sector. She worked in an investment bank and then moved to a hedge fund. She then joined Franklin Templeton. Desai has been working towards her current position for nine years. She was the first woman in the company to become a director. Under her leadership, the firm acquired Aviva Investors, a credit company with US$7.5 billion in assets under management.
The financier was also instrumental in improving Franklin’s internal processes. She facilitated the firm’s move to integrated approaches and expanded macroeconomic research. Her work has enabled the firm to identify strategic steps to strengthen the portfolio. Sonal has also focused on data analytics. To this end, she has created a separate division that conducts extensive research.
Sonal is one of Barron’s 100 most influential women in finance. She has a reputation in finance and investment circles for her professionalism and in-depth approach.
