Excess Returns · Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Jenny Johnson, CEO of Franklin Templeton, reflected on her journey from intern to CEO, advising young professionals to approach every role with full enthusiasm and to learn from diverse experiences. She highlighted that skills gained in seemingly unrelated areas, like running a credit card department, can become invaluable later in one's career.
“So, I think every job and I would take different things. I did operations, I did technology. I ran an auto finance division that we had, which, by the way, is now relevant again, because private markets, asset-backed lending is a big sector in the private marketplace.”
“So, all I'd say is like, my advice to any intern, throw yourself into it. Get to know it, become a real expert in it. Get your hands dirty.”