The registration of the funds marks the company’s first retail product offering in South America, though it has been active in the Chilean institutional and pension sectors since 1995.
The funds, which cover equities and fixed income, are:
• FTIF Franklin European Growth Fund
• FTIF Franklin Mutual Beacon Fund
• FTIF Franklin Strategic Income Fund
• FTIF Franklin U.S. Opportunities Fund
• FTIF Templeton Asian Growth Fund
• FTIF Templeton BRIC Fund
• FTIF Templeton Frontier Markets Fund
• FTIF Templeton Global Total Return Fund
The funds will be distributed through LarrainVial, which Franklin Templeton described as a “multi-faceted” Chilean financial services company. According to Franklin Templeton, the company’s services include brokerage, research, asset management, corporate finance and institutional distribution.
Sergio Guerrien, director and country manager, South America for Franklin Templeton, said, “We’ve been operating in Chile since 1995 and already serve a wide array of institutional clients here and throughout the region.
“These eight mutual funds are the first opportunity for Chilean retail investors to tap into a wide range of global investment opportunities managed by Franklin Templeton’s distinct Franklin, Templeton and Mutual Series investment platforms.”
Franklin Templeton opened its first regional office in South America and now has offices in Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires.
