Schedule 14A Information
Proxy
Statement Pursuant to Section 14(A) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment
No. )
Filed by the Registrant
[X]
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [ ]
Check
the appropriate box:
[ ] Preliminary Proxy Statement
[ ] Confidential, for Use of the Commission
[X] Definitive Proxy Statement
Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
[ ]
Definitive Additional Materials
[ ] Soliciting Material under Section
240.14a-12
Templeton Dragon Fund, Inc.
(Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, other than the Registrant)
Payment
of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
[X] No fee required.
[
] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
(1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
(2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
(3) Per unit price or other underlying
value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing
fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
(4)
Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
(5)
Total fee paid:
[ ] Fee paid previously with preliminary
materials.
[ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided
by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously.
Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of
its filing.
(1) Amount Previously Paid:
(2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
(3) Filing Party:
(4)
Date Filed:

TEMPLETON DRAGON FUND,
INC.
IMPORTANT SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION
These
materials are for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Meeting”) scheduled for May 22, 2025,
at 12 Noon, Eastern time. The enclosed materials discuss the proposals (the “Proposals” or each,
a “Proposal”) to be voted on at the Meeting, and contain the Notice of Meeting, proxy statement and
proxy card. A proxy card is, in essence, a ballot. When you vote your proxy, it tells us how you wish
to vote on important issues relating to Templeton Dragon Fund, Inc. (the “Fund”). If you specify
a vote on a Proposal, your proxy will be voted as you indicate. If you specify a vote on a Proposal,
but not both Proposals, your proxy will be voted as specified on such Proposal and, on the Proposal for
which no vote is specified, your proxy will be voted FOR such Proposal. If you simply sign, date and
return the proxy card, but do not specify a vote on any Proposal, your proxy will be voted FOR the Proposals.
We urge you to spend a few minutes reviewing the Proposals in
the proxy statement. Then, please fill out and sign the proxy card and return it to us so that we know
how you would like to vote. When shareholders return their proxies promptly, the Fund may be able to
save money by not having to conduct additional mailings. Returning your proxy card does not preclude
you from attending the meeting or later changing your vote prior to its being cast.
We
are urging all shareholders to take advantage of voting by mail, Internet or telephone (separate instructions
are listed on the enclosed proxy card to vote by telephone or through the Internet). Additionally, while
we anticipate that the Meeting will occur as planned on May 22, 2025, there is a possibility that the
Meeting may be postponed or the location or approach may need to be changed, including the possibility
of holding a virtual meeting. Should this occur, we will notify you by issuing a press release and filing
an announcement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as definitive additional soliciting
material.
We welcome your comments. If you have any questions, call Fund Information at
(800) DIAL BEN®/342-5236.
TELEPHONE AND INTERNET
VOTING
For your convenience, you may be able to
vote by telephone or through the Internet, 24 hours a day. If your account is eligible, instructions
are enclosed.
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TEMPLETON
DRAGON FUND, INC.
NOTICE OF 2025 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
The
Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Meeting”) of Templeton Dragon Fund, Inc. (the “Fund”) will
be held at the Fund’s offices, 300 S.E. 2nd Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301-1923
on May 22, 2025, at 12 Noon, Eastern time.
During
the Meeting, shareholders of the Fund will vote on the following Proposals:
1. The election of four
Directors, Edith E. Holiday, Larry D. Thompson, Gregory E. Johnson, and Rupert H. Johnson, Jr., of the
Fund to hold office for the terms specified.
2. The ratification of the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund for the fiscal year ending December 31,
2025.
By Order of the Board of Directors,
Navid J. Tofigh
Vice
President and Secretary
April 1, 2025
Please
sign and promptly return the proxy card or voting instruction form in the enclosed self-addressed envelope
regardless of the number of shares you own. If you have any questions, call Fund Information at (800) DIAL
BEN®/342-5236.
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE
ANNAUL
MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON MAY 22, 2025
The Fund’s Notice of
Annual Meeting of Shareholders, Proxy Statement and form of Proxy are available on the Internet at https://vote.proxyonline.com/franklin/docs/tdf2025.pdf.
The form of Proxy on the Internet site cannot be used to cast your vote.
This page intentionally left blank.
TEMPLETON DRAGON FUND, INC.
PROXY STATEMENT
◆ INFORMATION ABOUT VOTING
Who
is asking for my vote?
The Board of Directors of Templeton Dragon
Fund, Inc. (the “Fund”), in connection with the Fund’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Meeting”),
has requested your vote.
Who is eligible to vote?
Shareholders
of record at the close of business on March 10, 2025, are entitled to be present and to vote at the
Meeting or any adjourned Meeting. Each share of record is entitled to one vote (and a proportionate fractional
vote for each fractional share) on each matter presented at the Meeting. The Notice of Meeting, the proxy
statement, and the proxy card were first mailed to shareholders of record on or about April 1, 2025.
On what issues am I being asked to vote?
You
are being asked to vote on two Proposals:
1. The election of four Directors, Edith E. Holiday, Larry D.
Thompson, Gregory E. Johnson, and Rupert H. Johnson, Jr., of the Fund; and
2. The ratification of
the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (“PwC”) as the independent registered public accounting
firm for the Fund for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.
How
do the Fund’s Directors recommend that I vote?
The
Directors unanimously recommend that you vote FOR the election of the four nominees for Director and
FOR the ratification of the selection of PwC as the independent registered public accounting firm for
the Fund for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.
How do I ensure that my
vote is accurately recorded?
You may attend the Meeting
and vote in person or you may complete and return the enclosed proxy card. If you are eligible to vote
by telephone or through the Internet, instructions are enclosed. Proxy cards that are properly signed,
dated and received at or prior to the Meeting will be voted as specified. If you specify a vote on either
of the Proposals, your proxy will be voted as you indicate. If you specify a vote on a Proposal, but
not both Proposals, your proxy will be voted as specified on such Proposal and, on the Proposal for which
no vote is specified, your proxy will be voted FOR such Proposal. If you simply sign, date and return
the proxy card, but do not specify a vote on either Proposal 1 or 2, your proxy will be voted FOR the
election of all nominees for Director of the Fund and FOR the ratification of the selection of PwC as
the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund for the fiscal year ending December 31,
2025.
May I revoke my proxy?
You
may revoke your proxy at any time before it is voted by forwarding a written revocation or a later-dated
proxy to the Fund that is received by the Fund at or prior to the Meeting, or by attending the Meeting
and voting in person.
What if my shares are held in a brokerage
account?
If your shares are held by your broker,
then in order to vote in person at the Meeting, you will need to obtain a “Legal Proxy” from your
broker and present it to the Inspector of Election at the Meeting. Also, in order to revoke your proxy,
you may need to forward your written revocation or a later-dated proxy card or voting instruction form
to your broker rather than to the Fund.
May I attend the Meeting in Person?
Shareholders
of record at the close of business on March 10, 2025, are entitled to attend the Meeting. Eligible shareholders
who intend to attend the Meeting in person will need to bring proof of share ownership, such as a shareholder
statement or a letter from a custodian or broker-dealer confirming ownership, as of March 10, 2025,
and a valid picture identification, such as a driver’s license or passport, for admission to the Meeting.
Seating is limited. Shareholders without proof of ownership and identification will not be admitted.
We are urging all shareholders to take advantage of voting by
mail, Internet or telephone (separate instructions are listed on the enclosed proxy card to vote by telephone
or through the Internet). Additionally, while we anticipate that the Meeting will occur as planned on
May 22, 2025, there is a possibility that the Meeting may be postponed or the location or approach may
need to be changed, including the possibility of holding a virtual meeting. Should this occur, we will
notify you by issuing a press release and filing an announcement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “SEC”) as definitive additional soliciting material.
◆ THE PROPOSALS
PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF
DIRECTORS
How are nominees selected?
The
Board of Directors of the Fund (the “Board” or the “Directors”) has a nominating committee (the
“Nominating Committee”) consisting of Edith E. Holiday (Chairperson), J. Michael Luttig and Larry
D. Thompson, none of whom is an “interested person” of the Fund as defined by the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). Directors who are not interested persons of the Fund are
referred to as the “Independent Directors,” and Directors who are interested persons of the Fund
are referred to as the “Interested Directors.”
The
Nominating Committee is responsible for selecting candidates to serve as Directors and recommending such
candidates (a) for selection and nomination as Independent Directors by the incumbent Independent Directors
and the full Board; and (b) for selection and nomination as Interested Directors by the full Board.
In considering a candidate’s qualifications, the Nominating Committee generally considers the potential
candidate’s educational background, business or professional experience, and reputation. In addition,
the Nominating Committee has established as minimum qualifications for Board membership as an Independent
Director: (1) that such candidate be independent from relationships with the Fund’s investment manager
and other principal service providers both within the terms and the spirit of the statutory independence
requirements specified under the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder; (2) that such candidate demonstrate
an ability and willingness to make the considerable time commitment, including personal attendance at
Board meetings, believed necessary to his or her function as an effective Board member; and (3) that
such candidate have no continuing relationship as a director, officer or board member of any U.S. registered
investment company other than those within the Franklin Templeton/Legg Mason fund complex or a closed-end
business development company primarily investing in non-public entities. The Nominating Committee has
not adopted any specific policy on the issue of diversity, but will consider diversity among other factors
such as experience, education and skill sets, in its consideration of new candidates to the Board.
When the Board has or expects to have a vacancy, the Nominating Committee receives
and reviews information on individuals qualified to be recommended to the full Board as nominees for
election as Directors, including any recommendations by “Qualifying Fund Shareholders” (as defined
below). Such individuals are evaluated based upon the criteria described above. To date, the Nominating
Committee has been able to identify, and expects to continue to be able to identify, from its own resources
an ample number of qualified candidates. The Nominating Committee, however, will review recommendations
from Qualifying Fund Shareholders to fill vacancies on the Board if these recommendations are submitted
in writing and addressed to the Nominating Committee at the Fund’s offices and are presented with appropriate
background material concerning the candidate that demonstrates his or her ability to serve as a Director,
including as an Independent Director, of the Fund. A Qualifying Fund Shareholder is a shareholder who
(i) has continuously owned of record, or beneficially through a financial intermediary, shares of the
Fund having a net asset value of not less than two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) during the
twenty-four month period prior to submitting the recommendation; and (ii) provides a written notice
to the Nominating Committee containing the following information: (a) the name and address of the Qualifying
Fund Shareholder making the recommendation; (b) the number of shares of the Fund which are owned of
record and beneficially by the Qualifying Fund Shareholder and the length of time that the shares have
been owned by the Qualifying Fund Shareholder; (c) a description of all arrangements and understandings
between the Qualifying Fund Shareholder and any other person or persons (naming such person or persons)
pursuant to which the recommendation is being made; (d) the name, age, date of birth, business address
and residence address of the person or persons being recommended; (e) such other information regarding
each person recommended by the Qualifying Fund Shareholder as would be required to be included in a proxy
statement filed pursuant to the proxy rules of the SEC had the nominee been nominated by the Board; (f) whether
the Qualifying Fund Shareholder making the recommendation believes the person recommended would or
would not be an “interested person” of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act;
and (g) the written consent of each person recommended to serve as a Director of the Fund if so nominated
and elected/appointed.
The Nominating Committee may amend these procedures from time
to time, including the procedures relating to the evaluation of nominees and the process for submitting
recommendations to the Nominating Committee.
The Board has adopted
and approved a formal written charter for the Nominating Committee. A copy of the charter is attached
as Exhibit A to this proxy statement.
Who are the nominees and Directors?
The Board is divided into three classes. Each class has a term of three years.
Each year, the term of office of one class expires. This year, the terms of four Directors expire: Edith
E. Holiday, Larry D. Thompson, Gregory E. Johnson and Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. These individuals have been
nominated for three-year terms, set to expire at the 2028 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. These terms
continue, however, until their successors are duly elected and qualified. All of the nominees are currently
members of the Board. Among these nominees, Gregory E. Johnson and Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. are deemed
to be Interested Directors. Edith E. Holiday and Larry D. Thompson are deemed to be Independent Directors.
In addition, all of the current nominees and Directors are also directors or trustees of other investment
companies within the Franklin Templeton fund complex.
Interested
Directors of the Fund hold director and/or officer positions with, or are principal stockholders of,
Franklin Resources, Inc. (“Resources”) and its affiliates. Resources is a publicly owned holding
company, a principal stockholder of which is Rupert H. Johnson, Jr., who beneficially owned approximately
20% of its outstanding shares as of December 31, 2024. The shares deemed to be beneficially owned by
Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. include certain shares held by a private charitable foundation or by his spouse,
of which he disclaims beneficial ownership. Resources, a global investment management organization operating
as Franklin Templeton, is primarily engaged, through various subsidiaries, in providing investment management,
share distribution, transfer agent and administrative services to a family of investment companies. Resources
is a New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) listed holding company (NYSE: BEN). Rupert H. Johnson, Jr.,
a Director of the Fund, is the uncle of Gregory E. Johnson, Chairman of the Board, Vice President and
Director of the Fund. There are no other family relationships among the Directors or nominees for Director.
Each nominee currently is available and has consented to serve
if elected. If any of the nominees should become unavailable, the designated proxy holders will vote
in their discretion for another person or persons who may be nominated to serve as Directors.
In addition to personal qualities, such as integrity, in considering candidates
for the Fund’s Board, the Nominating Committee seeks to find persons of good reputation whose experience
and background evidence that such person has the ability to comprehend, discuss and critically analyze
materials and issues presented, in exercising judgments and reaching informed conclusions relevant to
fulfillment of a Fund Director’s duties and fiduciary obligations. Information on the business activities
of the nominees and other Directors during the past five years and beyond appears below, and it is believed
that the specific background of each Director evidences such ability and is appropriate to his or her
serving on the Fund’s Board. As indicated, Harris J. Ashton has served as a chief executive officer
of NYSE listed public corporations; Larry D. Thompson and Edith E. Holiday each have legal backgrounds,
including high level legal positions with departments of the U.S. Government; David W. Niemiec has served
as a chief financial officer of a major corporation; Ann Torre Bates has served as a chief financial
officer of a major corporation and as a board member of a number of public companies; J. Michael Luttig
has fifteen years of judicial experience as a Federal Appeals Court Judge and thirteen years of experience
as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of a major public company; Constantine D. Tseretopoulos
has professional and executive experience as founder and Chief of Staff of a hospital; Terrence J. Checki
has served as a senior executive of a Federal Reserve Bank and has vast experience evaluating economic
forces and their impact on markets, including emerging markets; Mary C. Choksi has an extensive background
in asset management, including founding an investment management firm; and Gregory E. Johnson and Rupert
H. Johnson, Jr. are both high ranking executive officers of Resources.
Listed
below with the business activities of the nominees and Directors are their names and years of birth,
their positions and length of service with the Fund and the number of portfolios in the Franklin Templeton
fund complex that they oversee, and other directorships held.
| | | | |
Nominees for Independent Director to serve until 2028 Annual
Meeting of Shareholders: |
Name, Year of Birth and
Address | Position | Length
of Time Served | Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Board Member1 | Other
Directorships Held During at Least the Past 5 Years |
Edith E. Holiday (1952) 300 S.E. 2nd
Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301-1923 | Lead Independent Director | Director since 1996 and Lead
Independent Director since 2007 | 115 | Hess Corporation (exploration of oil and
gas) (1993–present); Santander Holdings USA (holding company) (2019–present); and formerly,
Santander Consumer USA Holdings, Inc. (consumer finance) (2016–2023), Canadian National Railway (railroad)
(2001–2021), White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. (holding company) (2004–2021), RTI International
Metals, Inc. (manufacture and distribution of titanium) (1999–2015) and H.J. Heinz Company (processed
foods and allied products) (1994–2013). |
|
Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years: |
Director
or Trustee of various companies and trusts; and formerly, Assistant to the President
of the United States and Secretary of the Cabinet (1990–1993); General Counsel to the United States
Treasury Department (1989–1990); and Counselor to the Secretary and Assistant Secretary for Public
Affairs and Public Liaison–United States Treasury Department (1988–1989). |
Larry D. Thompson (1945) 300
S.E. 2nd Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301-1923 | Director | Since 2005 | 115 | Graham
Holdings Company (education and media organization) (2011–2021); The Southern Company (energy company)
(2014–2020; previously 2010–2012) and Cbeyond, Inc. (business communications provider) (2010–2012). |
|
Principal
Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years: |
Director of various
companies; Counsel, Finch McCranie, LLP (law firm) (2015–present); John A. Sibley Professor of Corporate
and Business Law, University of Georgia School of Law (2015–present; previously 2011–2012); and formerly,
Independent Compliance Monitor and Auditor, Volkswagen AG (manufacturer of automobiles and commercial
vehicles) (2017–2020); Executive Vice President–Government Affairs, General Counsel and Corporate
Secretary, PepsiCo, Inc. (consumer products) (2012–2014); Senior Vice President–Government Affairs,
General Counsel and Secretary, PepsiCo, Inc. (2004–2011); Senior Fellow of The Brookings Institution
(2003–2004); Visiting Professor, University of Georgia School of Law (2004); and Deputy Attorney General,
U.S. Department of Justice (2001–2003). |
|
Nominees
for Interested Director to serve until 2028 Annual Meeting of Shareholders: |
Gregory E. Johnson2
(1961) One Franklin Parkway San Mateo, CA 94403-1906 | Chairman of the Board, Vice President and Director | Chairman
of the Board and Vice President since 2023 and Director since 2006 | 124 | None |
|
| | | | |
Principal Occupation
During at Least the Past 5 Years: |
Executive Chairman, Chairman of the Board
and Director, Franklin Resources, Inc.; officer and/or director or trustee, as the case may be, of some
of the other subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc. and of certain funds in the Franklin Templeton
fund complex; Vice Chairman, Investment Company Institute; and formerly, Chief Executive Officer
(2013–2020) and President (1994–2015) Franklin Resources, Inc. |
Rupert H. Johnson, Jr.3
(1940) One Franklin Parkway San Mateo, CA 94403-1906 | Director | Since
2013 | 115 | None |
|
Principal
Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years: |
Director
(Vice Chairman), Franklin Resources, Inc.; Director, Franklin Advisers, Inc.; and officer and/or director
or trustee, as the case may be, of some of the other subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc. and of
certain funds in the Franklin Templeton fund complex. |
|
Independent
Directors serving until 2027 Annual Meeting of Shareholders: |
Ann Torre Bates (1958) 300
S.E. 2nd Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301-1923 | Director | Since
2008 | 26 | Ares
Core Infrastructure Fund (closed-end investment management company) (October 2024–present); Ares Strategic
Income Fund (closed-end investment management company) (2022–present); Ares Capital Corporation (specialty
finance company) (2010–present); and formerly, United Natural Foods, Inc. (food distribution)
(2013–2023) and Navient Corporation (loan management, servicing and asset recovery) (2014–2016). |
|
Principal
Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years: |
Director of various
companies; and formerly, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, NHP
Incorporated (manager of multifamily housing) (1995–1997); and Vice President and Treasurer, US Airways,
Inc. (until 1995). |
Terrence
J. Checki (1945) One Franklin Parkway San Mateo, CA 94403-1906 | Director | Since 2023 | 115 | Hess
Corporation (exploration of oil and gas) (2014–present). |
|
Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years: |
Member
of the Council on Foreign Relations (1996–present); Member of the National Committee on U.S.-China
Relations (1999–present); member of the board of trustees of the Economic Club of New York (2013–present);
member of the board of trustees of the Foreign Policy Association (2005–present); member of the board
of directors of Council of the Americas (2007–present) and the Tallberg Foundation (2018–present);
and formerly,
Executive Vice President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and Head of its Emerging Markets and
Internal Affairs Group and Member of Management Committee (1995–2014); and Visiting Fellow at the Council
on Foreign Relations (2014). |
David
W. Niemiec (1949) 300 S.E. 2nd Street Fort
Lauderdale, FL 33301-1923 | Director | Since 2005 | 26 | Hess Midstream LP (oil and gas midstream infrastructure) (2017–present). |
|
Principal
Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years: |
Advisor, Saratoga Partners
(private equity fund); and formerly, Managing Director, Saratoga Partners
(1998–2001) and SBC Warburg Dillon Read (investment banking) (1997–1998); Vice Chairman, Dillon,
Read & Co. Inc. (investment banking) (1991–1997); and Chief Financial Officer, Dillon, Read &
Co. Inc. (1982–1997). |
|
Independent Directors serving until 2026 Annual
Meeting of Shareholders: |
Harris
J. Ashton (1932) 300 S.E. 2nd Street Fort
Lauderdale, FL 33301-1923 | Director | Since 1994 | 115 | Bar-S Foods (meat packing company) (1981–2010). |
| | | | |
|
Principal Occupation
During at Least the Past 5 Years: |
Director of various companies; and formerly,
Director, RBC Holdings, Inc. (bank holding company) (until 2002); and President, Chief Executive Officer
and Chairman of the Board, General Host Corporation (nursery and craft centers) (until 1998). |
Mary C. Choksi (1950) 300
S.E. 2nd Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301-1923 | Director | Since
2016 | 115 | Omnicom
Group Inc. (advertising and marketing communications services) (2011–present) and White Mountains Insurance
Group, Ltd. (holding company) (2017–present); and formerly, Avis Budget Group
Inc. (car rental) (2007–2020). |
|
Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years: |
Director
of various companies; and formerly, Founder and Senior Advisor, Strategic
Investment Group (investment management group) (2015–2017); Founding Partner and Senior Managing Director,
Strategic Investment Group (1987–2015); Founding Partner and Managing Director, Emerging Markets Management
LLC (investment management firm) (1987–2011); and Loan Officer/Senior Loan Officer/Senior Pension Investment
Officer, World Bank Group (international financial institution) (1977–1987). |
J. Michael Luttig (1954) 300
S.E. 2nd Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301-1923 | Director | Since
2009 | 115 | Boeing
Capital Corporation (aircraft financing) (2006–2010). |
|
Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years: |
Counselor
and Special Advisor to the CEO and Board of Directors of the Coca-Cola Company (beverage company) (2021–present);
and formerly,
Counselor and Senior Advisor to the Chairman, CEO, and Board of Directors, of The Boeing Company (aerospace
company), and member of the Executive Council (2019–2020); Executive Vice President, General Counsel
and member of the Executive Council, The Boeing Company (2006–2019); and Federal Appeals Court Judge,
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (1991–2006). |
Constantine D. Tseretopoulos (1954) 300
S.E. 2nd Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301-1923 | Director | Since
1998 | 17 | None |
|
Principal
Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years: |
Physician, Chief of
Staff, owner and operator of the Lyford Cay Hospital (1987–present); director of various nonprofit
organizations; and formerly, Cardiology Fellow, University of Maryland (1985–1987);
and Internal Medicine Resident, Greater Baltimore Medical Center (1982–1985). |
1. Information
is for the calendar year ended December 31, 2024, unless otherwise noted. We base the number of portfolios
on each separate series of the U.S. registered investment companies within the Franklin Templeton fund
complex. These portfolios have a common investment manager or affiliated investment managers.
2. Gregory
E. Johnson is considered to be an interested person of the Fund under the federal securities laws due
to his position as an officer, director and shareholder of Franklin Resources, Inc. (Resources), which
is the parent company of the Fund’s investment manager.
3. Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. is considered to be an interested person
of the Fund under the federal securities laws due to his position as an officer and director and a major
shareholder of Resources, which is the parent company of the Fund’s investment manager.
The following tables provide the dollar range of the equity securities of the
Fund and of all U.S. registered funds in the Franklin Templeton fund complex beneficially owned by the
Directors as of March 10, 2025:
| | |
| | |
Independent Directors: Name
of Director | Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund(1) | Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in all Funds in the Franklin
Templeton Fund Complex |
Harris J. Ashton | $1—$10,000 | Over $100,000 |
Ann Torre Bates | $10,001—$50,000 | Over $100,000 |
Terrence J. Checki | None | Over $100,000 |
Mary C. Choksi | None | Over $100,000 |
| | |
| | |
Independent
Directors: Name of Director | Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund(1) | Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in all Funds in the Franklin
Templeton Fund Complex |
Edith E. Holiday | $1—$10,000 | Over $100,000 |
J. Michael Luttig | $1—$10,000 | Over $100,000 |
David W. Niemiec | None | Over $100,000 |
Larry D. Thompson | $1—$10,000 | Over $100,000 |
Constantine D. Tseretopoulos | None | Over $100,000 |
| | |
Interested
Directors: Name of Director | Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund(1) | Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in all Funds in the Franklin
Templeton Fund Complex |
Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. | $10,001—$50,000 | Over $100,000 |
Gregory E. Johnson | None | Over $100,000 |
(1) Dollar
range based on NYSE closing price on March 10, 2025.
How often do the Directors
meet and what are they paid?
The role of the Directors
is to provide general oversight of the Fund’s business and to ensure that the Fund is operated for
the benefit of all of the Fund’s shareholders. The Directors anticipate meeting at least five times
during the current fiscal year to review the operations of the Fund and the Fund’s investment performance,
and will meet more frequently as necessary. The Directors also oversee the services furnished to the
Fund by Templeton Asset Management Ltd., the Fund’s investment manager (the “Investment Manager”),
and various other service providers.
The Fund’s Independent
Directors also serve as independent Board members of 10 other Templeton investment companies in the Franklin
Templeton/Legg Mason fund complex. As of March 1, 2023, each Independent Director is paid an annual
retainer fee of $220,000, together with a $10,000 per meeting fee for attendance at each regularly scheduled
Board meeting, a portion of which fees are allocated to the Fund. To the extent held, compensation also
may be paid for attendance at specially called Board meetings. The Fund’s Lead Independent Director
is paid an annual supplemental retainer of $50,000 for service to such investment companies, a portion
of which is allocated to the Fund. Board members who serve on the Audit Committee of the Fund and such
other investment companies receive an annual retainer fee of up to $10,000, together with a $3,000 fee
per Audit Committee meeting attended, a portion of which is allocated to the Fund. The Chairman of the
Audit Committee of the Fund and the other investment companies receives an additional retainer of $25,000
per year, a portion of which is allocated to the Fund.
During
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, there were five meetings of the Board, four meetings of the
Audit Committee, and two meetings of the Nominating Committee. Each Director then in office attended
at least 75% of the aggregate of the total number of meetings of the Board and the total number of meetings
held by all committees of the Board on which the Director served. The Fund does not currently have a
formal policy regarding Directors’ attendance at the annual shareholders’ meeting. No Directors attended
the Fund’s last annual meeting held on May 23, 2024.
Independent
Directors are also reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection with attending Board meetings. The
Interested Directors and certain officers of the Fund who are shareholders of Resources are not compensated
by the Fund for their services, but may receive indirect remuneration due to their participation in management
fees and other fees received by the Investment Manager and its affiliates from the funds in Franklin
Templeton. The Investment Manager or its affiliates pay the salaries and expenses of the officers and
the Interested Directors. No pension or retirement benefits are accrued as part of Fund expenses.
The table below indicates the total fees paid to the Independent Directors by
the Fund individually and by all of the funds in the Franklin Templeton fund complex. These Directors
also serve as directors or trustees of other funds within Franklin Templeton, many of which hold meetings
at different dates and times. The Directors and the Fund’s management believe that having the same
individuals serving on the boards of multiple funds within Franklin Templeton enhances the ability of
each fund to obtain, at a relatively modest cost to each separate fund, the services of high caliber,
experienced and knowledgeable Independent Directors who can bring their experience and talents to, and
effectively oversee the management of, several funds.
| | | |
Name
of Director | Aggregate Compensation from the Fund(1) | Total Compensation from Franklin Templeton Fund Complex(2) | Number of Boards within Franklin Templeton Fund Complex on which Director Serves(3) |
Harris J. Ashton | $ 3,132 | $ 630,000 | 34 |
Ann Torre Bates(4) | $ 3,344 | $ 652,000 | 13 |
Terrence J. Checki | $ 3,344 | $ 725,000 | 34 |
Mary C. Choksi | $ 3,132 | $ 667,000 | 34 |
Edith E. Holiday | $ 3,715 | $ 760,000 | 34 |
J. Michael Luttig | $ 3,313 | $ 673,000 | 34 |
David W. Niemiec | $ 3,635 | $ 611,000 | 13 |
Larry D. Thompson | $ 3,132 | $ 670,000 | 34 |
Constantine D. Tseretopoulos | $ 3,267 | $ 281,400 | 10 |
(1) Compensation received for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2024.
(2) Compensation
received for the 12 months ended December 31, 2024.
(3) We base the number of boards on the number of U.S. registered
investment companies in the Franklin Templeton fund complex. This number does not include the total number
of series or funds within each investment company for which the Board members are responsible.
(4) Ms. Bates
is also an independent trustee of Franklin Mutual Series Funds and may, in the future, receive payments
pursuant to a discontinued retirement plan that generally provides payments to independent board members
who have served seven years or longer for such fund.
Board
members historically have followed a policy of having substantial investments in one or more of the funds
within Franklin Templeton, as is consistent with their individual financial goals. This policy was formalized
in February 1998, and revised in May 2019, through the adoption of a requirement that each Board member
annually invest one-third of the fees received for serving as a director or trustee of a Templeton fund
(excluding committee fees) in shares of one or more Templeton funds (which may include the Fund) until
the value of such investments equals or exceeds three times the annual retainer and regular Board meeting
fees paid to such Board member. Investments in the name of family members or entities controlled by a
Board member constitute fund holdings of such Board member for purposes of this policy, and a three-year
phase-in period applies to such investment requirements for newly elected Board members. In implementing
such policy, a Board member’s fund holdings existing on February 27, 1998, were valued as of such
date with subsequent investments valued at cost. All of the current members of the Board, including the
Fund’s nominees, are compliant with this policy.
Who
are the Executive Officers of the Fund?
Officers of the Fund
are appointed by the Directors and serve at the pleasure of the Board. Listed below, for the Executive
Officers, are their names, years of birth and addresses, their positions and length of service with the
Fund, the number of portfolios in the Franklin Templeton fund complex that they oversee, other directorships
held and principal occupations during at least the past five years.
| | | | |
| | | | |
Name, Year of Birth and Address | Position | Length
of Time Served | Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Board Member1 | Other
Directorships Held During at Least the Past 5 Years |
Gregory E. Johnson2 (1961) One
Franklin Parkway San Mateo, CA 94403-1906 | Chairman of
the Board, Vice President and Director | Chairman of the Board and Vice President since 2023 and Director since 2006 | 124 | None |
|
Principal
Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years: |
Executive Chairman,
Chairman of the Board and Director, Franklin Resources, Inc.; officer and/or director or trustee, as
the case may be, of some of the other subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc. and of certain funds in
the Franklin Templeton fund complex; Vice Chairman, Investment Company Institute; and formerly,
Chief Executive Officer (2013–2020) and President (1994–2015) Franklin Resources, Inc. |
| | | | |
| | | | |
Name, Year of Birth and
Address | Position | Length of Time Served | Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Board Member1 | Other
Directorships Held During at Least the Past 5 Years |
Bjorn A. Davis (1965) 100 First Stamford Place Stamford,
CT 06902 | Chief Compliance
Officer | Since October 2024 | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
|
Principal Occupation During at Least the
Past 5 Years: |
Vice President, Franklin Templeton Global Regulatory Compliance US Advisory Services;
Chief Compliance Officer, Franklin Advisers, Inc., Franklin Mutual Advisers LLC, Franklin Templeton Institutional
LLC, Templeton Investment Counsel LLC and Templeton Global Advisors Limited (since 2023); formerly,
Director, Franklin Templeton Global Regulatory Compliance; Chief Compliance Officer, K2 Advisors, LLC
and K2/D&S Management Co., LLC (2011–2023). |
Susan Kerr (1949) 280 Park Avenue New
York, NY 10017 | Vice President – AML Compliance | Since
2021 | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
|
Principal Occupation During at Least the
Past 5 Years: |
Senior Compliance Analyst, Franklin Templeton;
Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer, Legg Mason & Co., or its affiliates; Anti Money
Laundering Compliance Officer; Senior Compliance Officer, Franklin Distributors, LLC; and officer of
certain funds in the Franklin Templeton fund complex. |
Christopher Kings (1974) One Franklin Parkway San
Mateo, CA 94403-1906 | Chief Executive Officer–Finance and Administration | Since 2024 | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
|
Principal Occupation During at Least the
Past 5 Years: |
Senior Vice President, Franklin Templeton
Services, LLC; and officer of certain funds in the Franklin Templeton fund complex. |
Manraj S. Sekhon (1969) 7
Temasek Blvd. Suntec Tower 1, #38-03 Singapore 038987 | President and Chief Executive Officer – Investment Management | Since 2018 | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
|
Principal Occupation During at Least the
Past 5 Years: |
Chief Investment Officer, Franklin Templeton
Emerging Markets Equity; and officer of certain funds in the Franklin Templeton fund complex. |
Navid J. Tofigh (1972) One
Franklin Parkway San Mateo, CA 94403-1906 | Vice
President and Secretary | Vice
President since 2015 and Secretary since 2023 | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
|
Principal Occupation During at Least the
Past 5 Years: |
Senior Associate General Counsel, Franklin
Templeton; and officer of certain funds in the Franklin Templeton fund complex. |
Jeffrey W. White (1971) One
Franklin Parkway San Mateo, CA 94403-1906 | Chief
Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer | Since 2024 | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
|
Principal Occupation During at Least the
Past 5 Years: |
Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer & Treasurer and officer
of certain funds in the Franklin Templeton fund complex; and formerly, Director and
Assistant Treasurer within Franklin Templeton Global Fund Tax and Fund Administration and Financial Reporting
(2017-2023). |
1. Information is for the calendar year ended December 31, 2024,
unless otherwise noted. We base the number of portfolios on each separate series of the U.S. registered
investment companies within the Franklin Templeton fund complex. These portfolios have a common investment
manager or affiliated investment managers.
2. Gregory E. Johnson is considered to be an interested person
of the Fund under the federal securities laws due to his position as an officer, director and shareholder
of Franklin Resources, Inc. (Resources), which is the parent company of the Fund’s investment manager.
PROPOSAL 2: RATIFICATION OF THE SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING
FIRM
How are independent auditors selected?
The
Board has a standing Audit Committee currently comprised of David W. Niemiec (Chairman), Ann Torre Bates,
Terrence J. Checki, J. Michael Luttig and Constantine D. Tseretopoulos, all of whom are Independent Directors
and considered to be “independent” as that term is defined by the NYSE’s listing standards. The
Audit Committee is responsible for the appointment, compensation and retention of the Fund’s independent
registered public accounting firm (“independent auditors”), including evaluating their independence,
recommending the selection of the Fund’s independent auditors to the full Board, and meeting with such
independent auditors to consider and review matters relating to the Fund’s financial reports and internal
controls.
Which independent auditors did the Board select?
The
Audit Committee and the Board have selected the firm of PwC as the independent auditors for the Fund
for the current fiscal year. PwC has examined and reported on the fiscal year-end financial statements
dated December 31, 2024, and certain related SEC filings. You are being asked to ratify the Board’s
selection of PwC for the current fiscal year ending December 31, 2025. Services to be performed by the
independent auditors include examining and reporting on the fiscal year-end financial statements of the
Fund and certain related filings with the SEC.
The selection of PwC
as the independent auditors for the Fund for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025, was recommended
by the Audit Committee and approved by the Board on February 24, 2025. PwC’s reports on the financial
statements of the Fund for the fiscal years for which it has served as auditors did not contain an adverse
opinion or a disclaimer of opinion, nor were qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or
accounting principles.
The Audit Committee and the Board have
been advised by PwC that neither PwC nor any of its members have any material direct or indirect financial
interest in the Fund. Representatives of PwC are not expected to be present at the Meeting, but will
have the opportunity to make a statement if they wish, and will be available to respond to appropriate
questions.
◆ AUDITOR INFORMATION
Audit Fees. The
aggregate fees paid to PwC for professional services rendered by PwC for the audit of the Fund’s annual
financial statements or for services that are normally provided by PwC in connection with statutory and
regulatory filings or engagements were $50,368 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, and $58,505
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.
Audit-Related Fees. There
were no fees paid to PwC for assurance and related services rendered by PwC to the Fund that are reasonably
related to the performance of the audit of the Fund’s financial statements and are not reported under
“Audit Fees” above for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, and December 31, 2024.
Tax Fees. The aggregate fees paid to PwC for professional services
rendered by PwC for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning (“tax services”) were $0 for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, and $11,000 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024. These
services consisted of (i) review or preparation of U.S. federal, state, local and excise tax returns;
(ii) U.S. federal, state and local tax planning, advice and assistance regarding statutory, regulatory
or administrative developments, and (iii) tax advice regarding tax qualification matters and/or treatment
of various financial instruments held or proposed to be acquired or held.
In
addition, the Audit Committee pre-approves PwC’s engagement for tax services to be provided to the
Investment Manager and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Investment
Manager that provides ongoing services to the Fund, which engagements relate directly to the operations
and financial reporting of the Fund. The aggregate fees paid to PwC for such services were $70,000 for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, and $70,000 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024. The
services for which these fees were paid included global access to tax platform International Tax View.
All Other Fees. There were no fees paid to PwC for products and services
rendered by PwC to the Fund, other than the services reported above for the fiscal years ended December 31,
2023, and December 31, 2024.
In addition, the Audit
Committee pre-approves PwC’s engagement for other services to be provided to the Investment Manager
and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Investment Manager that provides
ongoing services to the Fund, which engagements relate directly to the operations and financial reporting
of the Fund. The aggregate fees paid to PwC for such services were $5,500 for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2023, and $59,972 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024. The services for which these fees were
paid included fees in connection with a license for accounting and business knowledge platform Viewpoint,
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, and professional fees in connection with SOC 1 reports,
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.
Aggregate Non-Audit Fees. The aggregate fees
paid to PwC for non-audit services rendered by PwC to the Fund or to the Investment Manager and to any
entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Investment Manager that provides
ongoing services to the Fund were $75,500 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, and $140,972
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.
The
Audit Committee has considered whether the provision of the non-audit services that were rendered to
the Investment Manager and to any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the
Investment Manager that provides ongoing services to the Fund is compatible with maintaining PwC’s
independence.
Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures. As
of the date of this proxy statement, the Audit Committee has not adopted written pre-approval policies
and procedures within the meaning of Rule 2-01(c)(7)(i) of Regulation S-X. As a result, the services
described above that are subject to Audit Committee pre-approval and provided by PwC must be directly
pre-approved by the Audit Committee or by a designated member of the Audit Committee pursuant to delegated
authority.
Audit Committee Charter. The Board has adopted
and approved a formal written charter for the Audit Committee which sets forth the Audit Committee’s
responsibilities. A copy of the charter is attached as Exhibit B to this proxy statement.
As required by the charter, the Audit Committee reviewed the Fund’s audited
financial statements and met with management, as well as with PwC, the Fund’s independent auditors,
to discuss the financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.
Audit Committee Report. The Audit Committee received the written
disclosures and the letter(s) from PwC mandated by the applicable requirements of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) regarding PwC’s communications with the Audit Committee concerning
independence. The Audit Committee also received the report of PwC regarding the results of their audit.
In connection with the Audit Committee’s review of the financial statements and PwC’s report, the
members of the Audit Committee discussed with a representative of PwC, PwC’s independence, as well
as the matters required to be discussed by the applicable requirements of the PCAOB and the SEC, including,
but not limited to, the following: PwC’s responsibilities in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards; PwC’s responsibilities for information prepared by management that accompanies the Fund’s
audited financial statements and any procedures performed and the results; the initial selection of,
and whether there were any changes in, significant accounting policies or their application; management’s
judgments and accounting estimates; whether there were any significant audit adjustments; whether there
were any disagreements with management; whether there was any consultation with other accountants; whether
the auditors encountered any difficulties in dealing with management in performing the audit; and PwC’s
judgments about the quality of the Fund’s accounting principles.
Based
on its review and discussions with management and PwC, the Audit Committee did not become aware of any
material misstatements or omissions in the Fund’s financial statements. Accordingly, the Audit Committee
recommended to the Board that the audited financial statements be included in the Fund’s Annual Report
to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, for filing with the SEC.
AUDIT COMMITTEE
David
W. Niemiec (Chairman)
Ann Torre Bates
Terrence J. Checki
J.
Michael Luttig
Constantine D.
Tseretopoulos
◆ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
ABOUT THE FUND’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Board Role in Risk Oversight. The
Board, as a whole, considers risk management issues as part of its general oversight responsibilities
throughout the year at regular Board meetings, through regular reports that have been developed by management
in consultation with the Board and its counsel. These reports address certain investment, valuation and
compliance matters. The Board also may receive special written reports or presentations on a variety
of risk issues, either upon the Board’s request or upon the Investment Manager’s initiative. In addition,
the Audit Committee of the Board meets regularly with the Investment Manager’s internal audit group
to review reports on their examinations of functions and processes within Franklin Templeton that affect
the Fund.
With respect to investment risk, the Board
receives regular written reports describing and analyzing the investment performance of the Fund. In
addition, the portfolio managers of the Fund meet regularly with the Board to discuss portfolio performance,
including investment risk. To the extent that the Fund changes a particular investment strategy that
could have a material impact on the Fund’s risk profile, the Board generally is consulted with respect
to such change. To the extent that the Fund invests in certain complex securities, including derivatives,
the Board receives periodic reports containing information about exposure of the Fund to such instruments.
In addition, the Investment Manager’s investment risk personnel meet regularly with the Board to discuss
a variety of issues, including the impact on the Fund of the investment in particular securities or instruments,
such as derivatives and commodities, if applicable.
With
respect to valuation, the Investment Manager provides periodic reports to the Board that enable the Board
to oversee the Investment Manager, as the Board’s Valuation Designee, in monitoring and assessing material
risks associated with fair valuation determinations, including material conflicts of interest. In addition,
the Board reviews the Investment Manager’s performance of an annual valuation risk assessment under
which the Investment Manager seeks to identify and enumerate material valuation risks which are or may
be impactful to the Fund including, but not limited to (1) the types of investments held (or intended
to be held) by the Fund, giving consideration to those investments’ characteristics; (2) potential
market or sector shocks or dislocations which may affect the ongoing valuation operations; and (3) the
extent to which each fair value methodology uses unobservable inputs. The Investment Manager reports
any material changes to the risk assessment, along with appropriate actions designed to manage such risks,
to the Board.
With respect to compliance risks, the
Board receives regular compliance reports prepared by the Investment Manager’s compliance group and
meets regularly with the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) to discuss compliance issues,
including compliance risks. In accordance with SEC rules, the Independent Directors meet regularly in
executive session with the CCO and the CCO prepares and presents an annual written compliance report
to the Board. The Fund’s Board adopts compliance policies and procedures for the Fund and approves
such procedures for certain of the Fund’s service providers. The compliance policies and procedures
are specifically designed to detect and prevent violations of the federal securities laws.
The
Investment Manager periodically provides an enterprise risk management presentation to the Board to describe
the way in which risk is managed on a complex-wide level. The presentation covers such areas as investment
risk, reputational risk, personnel risk, and business continuity risk.
Board
Structure. Seventy-five percent or more of the Fund’s Board members consist of Independent
Directors who are not deemed to be “interested persons” by reason of their relationship with the
Fund’s management or otherwise as provided under the 1940 Act. While the Chairman of the Board is an
interested person, the Board is also served by a Lead Independent Director. The Lead Independent Director,
together with independent counsel, reviews proposed agendas for Board meetings and generally acts as
a liaison with Fund management with respect to questions and issues raised by the Independent Directors.
The Lead Independent Director also presides at separate meetings of Independent Directors held in advance
of each scheduled Board meeting where various matters, including those being considered at such Board
meeting, are discussed. It is believed such structure and activities assure that proper consideration
is given at Board meetings to matters deemed important to the Fund and its shareholders.
◆ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND
The
Investment Manager. The Investment Manager of the Fund is Templeton Asset Management Ltd., a Singapore
company with a branch office at The Chater House, 17th Floor, 8 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong. Pursuant
to an investment management agreement, the Investment Manager manages the investment and reinvestment
of Fund assets. The Investment Manager is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Resources.
The Administrator. The administrator of the Fund is Franklin Templeton Services,
LLC (“FT Services”), with offices at 300 S.E. 2nd Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301-1923. FT
Services is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Resources and an affiliate of the Investment Manager.
Pursuant to a subcontract for administrative services, FT Services performs certain administrative functions
for the Fund. JPMorgan Chase & Co. (“JPMC”), 270 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017, has an agreement
with FT Services to provide certain sub-administrative services for the Fund.
The
Transfer Agent. The transfer agent, registrar and dividend disbursement agent for the Fund
is Equiniti Trust Company, LLC, 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219.
The Custodian. The custodian for the Fund is JPMorgan Chase Bank, 270
Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017-2070.
Other Financial Information. The
Fund’s latest audited financial statements and annual report for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2024, are available free of charge. To obtain a copy, please call (800) DIAL BEN®/342-5236
or forward a written request to Franklin Templeton Investor Services, LLC, P.O. Box 33030, St. Petersburg,
Florida 33733-8030.
Principal Shareholders. As of March 10,
2024, the Fund had 25,353,031 shares outstanding. The Fund’s shares are listed on the NYSE (NYSE: TDF).
To the knowledge of the Fund’s management, as of March 10, 2025, there were no entities holding beneficially
or of record more than 5% of the Fund’s outstanding shares, except as shown in the following table:
| | |
Name
and Address of Beneficial Ownership | Amount and Nature of Beneficial Ownership | Percent of Outstanding Shares |
City of London Investment
Group PLC | 8,744,030* | 34.49% |
City of London Investment Management Company
Limited 77 Gracechurch Street London EC3U 0AS England | | |
* The
nature of beneficial ownership is sole voting and dispositive power as reported on Form 13F-HR, filed
with the SEC on February 14, 2025. |
| | |
Lazard
Asset Management Limited | 2,675,162 ** | 10.55 % |
Lazard Asset Management LLC 30 Rockefeller Plaza New
York, NY 10112 | | |
** The nature of beneficial ownership is sole voting and dispositive
power as reported on Form 13F-HR, filed with the SEC on February 14, 2025. |
| | |
Allspring
Global Investments Holdings, LLC | 2,014,046 *** | 7.94% |
Allspring Global
Investments Holdings, LLC 525 Market Street, 10th
Fl San Francisco, CA 94105 | | |
*** The nature of beneficial ownership is sole voting and dispositive
power as reported on Form 13F-HR, filed with the SEC on January 29, 2025. |
In addition, to the knowledge of the Fund’s management,
as of March 10, 2025, no nominee or Director of the Fund owned 1% or more of the outstanding shares
of the Fund, and the Directors and officers of the Fund owned, as a group, less than 1% of the outstanding
shares of the Fund.
Contacting the Board of Directors. If a shareholder
wishes to send a communication to the Board, such correspondence should be in writing and addressed to
the Board of Directors at the Fund’s offices, 300 S.E. 2nd Street, Fort Lauderdale,
Florida 33301-1923, Attention: Secretary. The correspondence will be given to the Board for review and
consideration.
◆ FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT
VOTING AND THE MEETING
Solicitation of Proxies. Your vote is being
solicited by the Directors. The cost of soliciting proxies, including the fees of a proxy soliciting
agent, is borne by the Fund. The Fund reimburses brokerage firms and others for their reasonable expenses
in forwarding proxy material to the beneficial owners and soliciting them to execute proxies. In addition,
the Fund may retain a professional proxy solicitation firm to assist with any necessary solicitation
of proxies. The Fund expects that the solicitation would be primarily by mail, but also may include telephone,
facsimile, electronic or other means of communication. If the Fund does not receive your proxy by a certain
time, you may receive a telephone call from a proxy soliciting agent asking you to vote. If professional
proxy solicitors are retained, it is expected that soliciting fees would be approximately $5,000, plus
expenses. The Fund does not reimburse Directors and officers of the Fund, or regular employees and agents
of the Investment Manager involved in the solicitation of proxies. The Fund intends to pay all costs
associated with the solicitation and the Meeting.
Voting by Broker-Dealers. The
Fund expects that, before the Meeting, broker-dealer firms holding shares of the Fund in “street name”
for their customers will request voting instructions from their customers and beneficial owners. If these
instructions are not received by the date specified in the broker-dealer firms’ proxy solicitation
materials, the Fund understands that current NYSE Rules permit the broker-dealers to vote on the Proposals
on behalf of their customers and beneficial owners. Certain broker-dealers may exercise discretion over
shares held in their name for which no instructions are received by voting these shares in the same proportion
as they vote shares for which they received instructions.
Quorum. A majority of the
Fund’s shares entitled to vote at the Meeting—present in person or represented by proxy—constitutes
a quorum at the Meeting. The shares over which broker-dealers have discretionary voting power, the shares
that represent “broker non-votes” (i.e., shares held by brokers or nominees as
to which (i) instructions have not been received from the beneficial owners or persons entitled to vote
and (ii) the broker or nominee does not have discretionary voting power on a particular matter), and
the shares whose proxies reflect an abstention on any item will all be counted as shares present and
entitled to vote at the Meeting for purposes of determining whether the required quorum of shares exists.
Method of Tabulation. Provided a quorum is present or represented
at the Meeting, Proposal 1, the election of Directors, requires that a Director receive a majority of
the votes cast with respect to that Director at the Meeting. This means that the number of shares voted
“FOR” a Director must exceed the number of shares cast “AGAINST” that Director. Proposal 2, ratification
of the selection of the independent registered public accounting firm, requires the affirmative vote
of a majority of the votes cast. Abstentions and broker non-votes will be treated as votes present at
the Meeting, but will not be treated as votes cast and, therefore, will not be counted for purposes of
obtaining approval of either proposal. Broker non-votes are not expected since the Proposals are considered
routine proposals.
Simultaneous Meetings. The Meeting is to
be held at the same time as the annual meeting of shareholders of Templeton Emerging Markets Income Fund.
If any shareholder at the Meeting objects to the holding of simultaneous meetings and moves for an adjournment
of the Meeting to a time promptly after the simultaneous meetings, the persons designated as proxies
will vote in favor of such adjournment.
Adjournment. The holders of a
majority of shares entitled to vote at the Meeting and present in person or by proxy, whether or not
sufficient to constitute a quorum, or any officer present entitled to preside or act as Secretary of
the Meeting may adjourn the Meeting. Such authority to adjourn the Meeting may be used in the event that
a quorum is not present at the Meeting or in the event that a quorum is present but sufficient votes
have not been received to approve the Proposals or to permit further solicitation of proxies or for any
other reason consistent with Maryland law and the Fund’s Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws. Unless
otherwise instructed by a shareholder granting a proxy, the persons designated as proxies may use their
discretionary authority to vote as instructed by management of the
Fund on questions of adjournment and on any other proposals raised at the Meeting
to the extent permitted by the SEC’s proxy rules, including proposals for which management of the Fund
did not have timely notice, as set forth in the SEC’s proxy rules and the Fund’s proxy statement
for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
Shareholder Proposals. The Fund anticipates
that its 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be held on or about May 21, 2026. A shareholder who
wishes to submit a proposal for consideration for inclusion in the Fund’s proxy statement for the 2026
Annual Meeting of Shareholders must send such written proposal to the Fund’s offices, at 300 S.E. 2nd
Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301-1923, Attention: Secretary, so that it is received no later than
December 2, 2025, in order to be included in the Fund’s proxy statement and proxy card relating to
that meeting and presented at the meeting.
A
shareholder of the Fund who has not submitted a written proposal for inclusion in the Fund’s proxy
statement by December 2, 2025, as described above, may nonetheless present a proposal at the Fund’s
2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders if such shareholder notifies the Fund in writing, at the Fund’s
offices, of such proposal by February 15, 2026. If a shareholder fails to give notice by this date,
then the persons designated as proxies for the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders may exercise discretionary
voting power with respect to any such proposal.
A shareholder proposal
may be presented at the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders only if such proposal concerns a matter that
may be properly brought before the meeting under applicable federal proxy rules and state law.
Submission of a proposal by a shareholder does not guarantee that the proposal
will be included in the Fund’s proxy statement or presented at the meeting.
By Order of the Board of Directors,
Navid
J. Tofigh
Vice President and Secretary
April 1,
2025
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EXHIBIT A
TEMPLETON FUNDS BOARDS
NOMINATING AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE CHARTER
This
Charter has been adopted by each Board (each, a “Board”) of Directors/Trustees of the various Templeton
Trusts1 and each of their respective series (each, a “Fund”)
to govern its Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (each, a “Committee”), which shall have
the purposes, goals, responsibilities, authority and specific powers described herein.
I. The
Committee.
The Committee is a committee
of, and established by, the Board of Directors/Trustees of the Fund (the “Board”). The Committee
consists of such number of members as set by the Board from time to time and its members shall be selected
by the Board. The Committee shall be comprised entirely of “independent members.” For purposes of
this Charter, independent members shall mean members who are not “interested persons” of the Fund
(“Disinterested Board members” or “Independent Board members”) as defined in Section 2(a)(19)
of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). A member of the Committee shall
be selected by the Board of Trustees to serve as the Committee’s chairperson. The Committee may delegate
any portion of its authority to a subcommittee comprised solely of its members.
II. Board Size, Composition and Nominations.
1. The Committee shall
periodically review the size and composition of the Board and shall make recommendations to the full
Board concerning (a) the necessity of adding one or more Independent Board members or conducting a shareholder
vote to comply with the Fund Governance Policy provisions relating to Board composition, (b) the desirability
of increasing or decreasing the size of the Board based on the workload of the Board, or (c) adding
individuals as Independent Board members with differing backgrounds or skill sets in order to provide
an appropriate mix of perspectives, diversity, knowledge and experience on the Board. The Committee shall
establish processes for developing candidates for Independent Board members and for conducting searches
with respect thereto, and shall recommend to the independent trustees and the full Board (i) a slate
of Independent Board members to be elected at Fund shareholders meetings, or (ii) nominees to fill Independent
Board member vacancies on the Board of Trustees, where and when appropriate.
2. The Committee shall
evaluate candidates’ qualifications for Board membership and the independence of such candidates from
the Fund’s investment managers and other principal service providers, consistent with the requirements
of the Fund Governance Policy, based on information provided in response to a comprehensive questionnaire
prepared by counsel to elicit the relevant information. Persons selected must be independent in terms
of both the letter and the spirit of the 1940 Act. The Committee shall also consider the effect of any
relationships beyond those delineated in the 1940 Act that might impair independence, such as, business,
financial or family relationships with investment managers, employees or service providers of the Fund.
1 The Templeton Trusts are listed at Appendix A.
3. The
Committee also shall evaluate candidates’ qualifications and make recommendations for “interested”
members on the Board to the full Board.
4. The Committee may adopt from time to time specific, minimum
qualifications that the Committee believes a candidate must meet before being considered as a candidate
for Board membership and consider and recommend to the independent trustees or the Board, as appropriate,
procedures for implementing changes required by statute, regulatory bodies and case law relating to nominating
committees and the nomination, election or solicitation process with regard to election of trustees.
5. The
Committee shall review shareholder recommendations for nominations to fill vacancies on the Board if
such recommendations are submitted in writing and addressed to the Committee at the Fund’s offices.
The Committee shall adopt, by resolution, a policy regarding its procedures for considering candidates
for the Board, including any recommended by shareholders.
III. Committee Nominations and Functions.
The
Committee shall make recommendations to the full Board for independent trustee membership on committees
of the Board.
The Committee shall review as necessary
the responsibilities of any committees of the Board, whether there is a continuing need for each committee,
whether there is a need for additional committees of the Board, and whether committees should be combined
or reorganized. The Committee shall make recommendations for any such action to the independent trustees
or the full Board, as appropriate.
The Committee shall periodically
assess the membership, scope of activities and charters of all Board committees to confirm that they
comply with the Fund Governance Policy, to the extent applicable.
IV. Corporate Governance.
1. The Committee shall
review proposed changes in, and where appropriate propose changes with respect to, the Fund’s governing
instruments, including, but not limited to, its declaration of trust and bylaws, as such documents relate
to corporate governance matters.
2. The Committee shall ensure that the provisions of the Fund
Governance Standards found in Rule 0-1(a)(7) under the 1940 Act, as contained in the Fund Governance
Policy, are met by the Board. The Committee shall periodically review the Fund Governance Policy and
other policies relating to the operation of the Board and recommend any appropriate changes to the full
Board.
3. The
Committee shall initiate consideration, and otherwise be available to consider, issues relating to the
respective roles entrusted to the Fund’s adviser, the Fund, the Board of Trustees and the independent
trustees.
4. The
Committee shall monitor the continued independence of Independent Board members and evaluate any circumstances
that may arise through the submission of an annual questionnaire intended for this purpose or that are
otherwise brought to the Committee’s attention.
5. The Committee shall
oversee an annual evaluation by all Board members of Board effectiveness and the adequacy of the Board’s
adherence to industry corporate governance best practices. This evaluation shall include a consideration
of the effectiveness of the committee structure of the Board and the number of Funds on whose Boards
each Trustee serves, and to make recommendations to the Board with respect to any changes to such process.
The Committee shall recommend to the Board or its committees the implementation of proposed enhancements
resulting from the annual evaluation.
6. The Committee shall periodically review, at such times as
determined to be appropriate by the Committee or when requested by the Disinterested Board members, the
compensation of the Independent Board members (including the compensation of the Chair of the Board and
of each committee thereof) and to make recommendations to the Independent Board members regarding such
compensation.
7. The
Committee shall evaluate any proposed board memberships of an Independent Board member to confirm that
no conflict exists with the Independent Board member’s current service on the Board.
8. The
Committee shall facilitate educational and training programs for Independent Board members as needs arise.
9. The
Committee shall review persons who are under consideration to act as legal counsel to the Disinterested
Board members and their qualifications to serve or continue to serve as “independent legal counsel”
under applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rules, and shall make recommendations to the independent
trustees with regard thereto. The Committee shall monitor the performance of legal counsel employed by
the Fund and by the Disinterested Board members.
V. Other Powers and Responsibilities.
1. The Committee shall
meet at least once each year or more frequently in open or executive sessions. The Committee may invite
members of management, counsel, advisers and others to attend its meetings as it deems appropriate. The
Committee shall have separate sessions with management and others, as and when it deems appropriate.
2. The
Committee shall have the resources and authority appropriate to discharge its responsibilities, including
authority to retain special counsel and other experts or consultants at the expense of the Fund.
3. The
Committee shall report its activities to the Board and make such recommendations as the Committee may
deem necessary or appropriate.
4. A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute
a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Committee. The action of a majority of
the members of the Committee present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the action of
the Committee. The Committee may meet in person or by telephonic or electronic means, and the Committee
may act by written consent, to the extent permitted by law and by the Fund’s by-laws. In the event
of any inconsistency between this Charter and the Fund’s organizational documents, the provisions of
the Fund’s organizational documents shall be given precedence.
5. The
Committee shall review this Charter at least annually and recommend any changes to the full Board.
ADDITIONAL
STATEMENT FOR CLOSED-END FUNDS ONLY
The Committee shall comply
with any rules of any stock exchange, if any, applicable to nominating committees of closed-end funds
whose shares are registered thereon.
EXHIBIT B
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON
AUDIT
COMMITTEE CHARTER
I. The
Committee.
The Audit Committee (“Committee”) is a committee of, and
established by, the Board of Directors/Trustees of the Fund (the “Board”).1
The Committee shall consist of such number of members as set by the Board from time to time, but in no
event fewer than three (NYSE-listed Funds only), and its members shall be selected by
the Board. The Committee shall be comprised entirely of members who satisfy the requirements for independence
set out in Rule 10A-3(b)(1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”) (“Disinterested
Board members”).2 Each member of the Committee must be financially literate,
as such qualification is interpreted by the Board in its business judgment, or must become financially
literate within a reasonable period of time after his or her appointment to the Committee. At least one
member of the Committee must be an “audit committee financial expert,” as determined by the Board
and as defined in Item 3(b) of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Form N-CSR. The Committee
will make recommendations to the Board for its approval with respect to such audit committee financial
expert determinations at least annually.
If a Committee member of an NYSE-listed
Fund simultaneously serves on the audit committee of more than three public companies, the Board must
determine that such simultaneous service would not impair the ability of such member to effectively serve
on the Fund’s Committee. When a member serves on multiple boards in the same fund complex, such service
will be counted as one board for these purposes (NYSE-listed Funds only).
II. Purposes of the Committee.
The
function of the Committee is to assist Board oversight of the Fund’s financial statements and accounting
and auditing processes, which shall include being directly responsible for the appointment, compensation,
retention and oversight of the work of the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm (“auditors”)
engaged (including resolution of disagreements between management and the auditors regarding financial
reporting) for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or performing other audit, review
or attest services for the Fund. It is management’s responsibility to prepare the Fund’s financial
statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and to maintain appropriate
systems for accounting and internal controls. It is the auditors’ responsibility to express an opinion
on the Fund’s financial statements, to plan and carry out an audit in accordance with the standards
of the SEC and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) and to report directly to
the Committee. It is not the duty of the Committee to plan or conduct audits or to determine that the
Fund’s financial statements are complete and in accordance with GAAP.
1 This
document serves as the Charter for the Committee of certain U.S. registered investment companies within
Franklin Templeton, and each series thereof as applicable (a “Fund”), including the Franklin, Templeton
and New Jersey/Alternative Strategies Funds, as well as Franklin Templeton ETF Trust, Franklin ETF Trust,
Franklin Templeton Trust, Legg Mason ETF Investment Trust, and Legg Mason ETF Investment Trust II. Exchange-listed
Funds and their principal exchanges are included on Appendix A.
2 Each member of the Committee may not, other than in his or
her capacity as a member of the Committee, the Board, or any other Board committee: (A) accept directly
or indirectly any consulting, advisory, or other compensatory fee from the Fund or any subsidiary thereof,
provided that, unless the rules of the applicable national securities exchange or national securities
association provide otherwise, compensatory fees do not include the receipt of fixed amounts of compensation
under a retirement plan (including deferred compensation) for prior service with the Fund (provided that
such compensation is not contingent in any way on continued service); or (B) be an “interested person”
of the Fund as defined in section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940.
Consistent
with such allocation of functions, the purposes of the Committee are:
(a) To oversee the Fund’s accounting and financial reporting policies and practices
and its internal controls, and to obtain, where it deems appropriate, reports on internal controls of
service providers to the Fund;
(b) To oversee or, as appropriate, assist
Board oversight of the quality, objectivity and integrity of the Fund’s financial statements and the
independent audit thereof;
(c) To oversee or,
as appropriate, assist Board oversight of the Fund’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
(primarily as they relate to the Fund’s accounting and financial reporting, internal control over financial
reporting and independent audits);
(d)
To approve prior to appointment the engagement of the Fund’s auditors and, in connection therewith,
to review and evaluate the auditors’ qualifications, independence and performance, taking into account
the opinions of management;
(e) To act as a liaison
between the Fund’s auditors and the Board;
(f) to prepare, or authorize
the preparation of, the disclosure required by Item 407(d)(3)(i) of Regulation S-K (the “Audit Committee
Report”) for inclusion in the Fund’s annual proxy statement (NYSE- and NYSE American-listed
Funds only); and
(g)
To consider such other matters as it deems appropriate in carrying out its purpose and any other matters
that may be assigned to it by the Board.
In addition, the Committee
shall serve as the Fund’s Qualified Legal Compliance Committee (“QLCC”) pursuant to Section 205
of the SEC’s Standards of Professional Conduct for Attorneys Appearing and Practicing before the Commission
in the Representation of an Issuer (the “Standards”). In this capacity, the Committee is required
to adopt and maintain written procedures for the confidential receipt, retention and consideration of
any report of evidence of a material violation. “Evidence of a material violation” means credible
evidence, based upon which it would be unreasonable, under the circumstances, for a prudent and competent
attorney not to conclude that it is reasonably likely that a material violation of an applicable U.S.
federal or state securities law, a material breach of fiduciary (or similar) duty to the Fund arising
under U.S. federal or state law, or a similar material violation of any U.S. federal or state law has
occurred, is ongoing, or is about to occur.
III. Powers
and Duties.
The Committee shall have
the following powers and duties to carry out its purposes:
(a)
To select the auditors, subject to approval both by the Board and by a separate vote of the Disinterested
Board members, and, in connection therewith, to evaluate the independence and qualifications of the auditors
in accordance with applicable federal securities laws and regulations and the rules and standards of
the PCAOB.
(b) To be directly
responsible for approving the services to be provided by, and the compensation of, the auditors, including:
(i) pre-approval
of all audit and audit related services;
(ii) pre-approval of all non-audit related services to be provided
to the Fund by the auditors;
(iii) pre-approval
of all non-audit related services to be provided by the auditors to the Fund’s investment adviser3
or to any entity that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Fund’s investment
adviser and that provides ongoing services to the Fund where the non-audit services relate directly to
the operations or financial reporting of the Fund; and
(iv) if deemed necessary or appropriate, as an alternative to Committee
pre-approval of services to be provided by the auditors, as required by paragraphs (ii) and (iii) above:
(A) establishment
by the Committee of policies and procedures to pre-approve such services, provided the policies and procedures
are detailed as to the particular service and the Committee is informed of each service and such policies
and procedures do not include delegation of audit committee responsibilities, as contemplated under the
1934 Act), to management; or
(B) delegation by the Committee to one or more designated members
of the Committee who are Disinterested Board members of authority to pre-approve such services,
provided the Committee is informed of the decisions of any
member pursuant to such delegated authority no later than its next scheduled meeting;
subject,
in the case of (ii) through (iv), to any waivers, exceptions or exemptions that may be available under
applicable law or rules.
(c) To meet with
the auditors, including private meetings, as necessary to (i) review the arrangements for and scope
of the annual audit and any special audits; (ii) discuss any matters or concerns relating to the Fund’s
financial statements, including any recorded and/or unrecorded adjustments to such statements recommended
by the auditors, or other results of audits; (iii) consider the auditors’ comments with respect to
the Fund’s financial, accounting and reporting policies, procedures and internal controls and management’s
responses thereto; and (iv) to review the form of opinion the auditors propose to render.
(d) To meet to review and discuss the Fund’s annual audited financial statements,
as well as the Fund’s annual shareholder report or a written summary of such report, with management
and the auditors.
(e) To meet to review and discuss the Fund’s
annual audited financial statements with management and the auditors, including reviewing the Fund’s
disclosures under “Management’s Discussion of Fund Performance” (“MDFP”) in its annual shareholder
report (NYSE-listed Funds only). To meet to review and discuss the Fund’s
semi-annual financial statements with management, including reviewing the Fund’s MDFP disclosures in
its semi-annual shareholder report, as applicable (NYSE-listed Funds only). Such meetings may
be telephonic.
(f) To consider the
effect upon the Fund of any changes in accounting principles or practices proposed by management or the
auditors.
3 For these purposes, an investment adviser does not include
an unaffiliated sub-adviser whose role is primarily portfolio management and is sub-contracted or overseen
by another investment adviser.
(g)
To receive and consider reports from the auditors:
(i) as required by generally accepted accounting standards, including
Auditing Standard (“AS”) No. 1301 (Communications with Audit Committees);
(ii) annually and by update
as required by SEC Regulation S-X, regarding:
(A) all critical accounting policies and practices of the Fund
to be used;
(B) all
alternative treatments within GAAP for policies and practices related to material items that have been
discussed with management of the Fund, including ramifications of the use of such alternative disclosures
and treatments, and the treatment preferred by the auditors;
(C) other material written communications between the auditors
and management of the Fund, such as any management letter or schedule of unadjusted differences; and
(D) all
non-audit services provided to any entity in an investment company complex, as defined in SEC Regulation
S-X, that were not pre-approved by the Committee pursuant to SEC Regulation S-X;
(iii) at least annually regarding
the auditors’ internal quality-control procedures; and
(iv) at least annually regarding any material issues raised by
the most recent internal quality-control review, or peer review, of the auditors, or by any inquiry or
investigation by governmental or professional authorities, within the preceding five years, respecting
one or more independent audits carried out by the auditors, and any steps taken to deal with any such
issues.
(h) To review (i) major
issues regarding accounting principles and financial statement presentations, including any significant
changes in the Fund’s selection or application of accounting principles, and major issues as to the
adequacy of the Fund’s internal controls and any special audit steps adopted in light of material control
deficiencies; and (ii) analyses prepared by management and/or the auditors setting forth significant
financial reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation of the financial statements,
including analyses of the effects of alternative GAAP methods on the financial statements.
(i) In considering the independence of
the auditors:
(i) at
least annually to receive from the auditors a formal written statement, and other reports as necessary,
describing all relationships between the auditors and the Fund, the Fund’s investment adviser and service
providers, and other entities advised or serviced by, including any entities controlling, controlled
by or under common control with, the investment adviser or any other service providers to the Fund that,
in the auditors’ judgment, could be thought to bear upon the auditors’ independence;
(ii) to
receive and consider, if applicable, periodic reports from the auditors regarding whether the provision
of non-audit services (including tax services) is compatible with maintaining the auditors’ independence;
(iii) to
request from the auditors a written affirmation that they are independent auditors under the federal
securities laws and standards adopted by the PCAOB; and
(iv) to discuss with the
auditors any disclosed relationships or services that may impact the objectivity, impartial judgment,
and independence of the auditors and for taking, or recommending that the Board take, appropriate action
to oversee the independence of the auditors.
(j)
To require that the auditors regularly provide timely information to the Committee with respect to new
rules and pronouncements by applicable regulatory and accounting standards agencies, along with an explanation
of how such developments may affect the Fund’s financial statements and accounting principles and practices.
(k) To review the effect of regulatory
and accounting initiatives, as well as off-balance sheet structures, on the financial statements of the
Fund.
(l) To consider any reports of audit
problems or difficulties that may have arisen during the course of the audit, including any limitations
of the scope of the audit, and management’s response thereto.
(m)
To review communications from the Fund’s Chief Executive Officer – Finance and Administration, and
Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer concerning (i) all significant deficiencies and
material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are
reasonably likely to adversely affect the Fund’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial
information; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees
who have a significant role in the Fund’s internal controls over financial reporting, and to review
requested communications from management for any other purposes the Committee deems appropriate.
(n) In connection with the preparation of the Audit Committee
Report (NYSE and NYSE American-listed Funds only):
(i) to review and discuss
the audited financial statements of the Fund with management;
(ii) to discuss with the
auditors the matters required to be discussed by the applicable requirements of the PCAOB and the SEC;
(iii) to
receive the written disclosures and the letter(s) from the auditors required by applicable requirements
of the PCAOB regarding the auditor’s communications with the Committee concerning independence (referred
to in paragraph (h) above), and discuss with the auditors the auditor’s independence; and
(iv) based
on the review and discussions referred to in paragraphs (i) through (iii) above, to recommend to the
Board that the audited financial statements be included in the Fund’s annual report on Form N-CSR for
the last fiscal year for filing with the SEC.
(o)
To review and discuss, as appropriate, the Fund’s earnings press releases (including the type and presentation
of information to be included therein, paying particular attention to any use of “pro forma,” or
“adjusted” non-GAAP, information), as well as any financial information and earnings guidance provided
to analysts and rating agencies. (NYSE-listed Funds only)
(p) To review and discuss the Fund’s processes with respect to risk assessment
and risk management.
(q) To set clear policies relating to the
hiring by entities within Franklin Templeton of employees or former employees of the auditors.
(r) To evaluate, as either part of the
full Board or as a Committee, its performance at least annually.
(s) To review potential conflict of interest situations where appropriate in connection
with the Fund’s ongoing review of all related party transactions.
(t)
To inform the chief legal officer (“CLO”) and chief executive officer (“CEO”) of the Fund (or
the equivalents thereof) of any report of evidence of a material violation by the Fund, its officers,
directors/trustees, employees (if any), or agents (collectively, “affiliates”). In connection therewith,
the Committee shall:
(i) determine
whether an investigation is necessary regarding any report of evidence of a material violation by the
Fund or its affiliates;
(ii) if the Committee determines such an investigation is necessary
or appropriate, (A) notify the Board; (B) initiate an investigation, which may be conducted by either
the CLO or by outside attorneys; and (C) retain such additional expert personnel as the Committee deems
necessary to assist in the investigation;
(iii) at the conclusion of any such investigation, (A) recommend
by a majority vote, that the Fund implement an appropriate response (as defined in Section 205.2(b)
of the Standards) to evidence of a material violation, and (B) inform the CLO and the CEO and the Board
of the results of such investigation and the appropriate remedial measures to be adopted;
(iv) acting
by majority vote, take all other appropriate action, including the authority to notify the SEC in the
event the Fund fails in any material respect to implement an appropriate response that the Committee
has recommended the Fund to take; and
(v) otherwise respond to evidence of a material violation.
IV. Other
Functions and Procedures of the Committee.
(a)
The Committee shall meet at least twice each year or more frequently, in open or executive sessions,
as may be necessary to fulfill its responsibilities. The Committee shall meet as frequently as circumstances
require with (i) the auditors as provided in III(c), above; and (ii) management’s internal audit
department to review and discuss internal audit functions and reports. The Committee may invite members
of management, the auditors, counsel, advisers and others to attend its meetings as it deems appropriate.
The Committee shall meet separately, periodically, with management and with the auditors.
(b) The Committee shall establish procedures for (i) the receipt, retention and
treatment of complaints received by the Fund or the Fund’s adviser regarding accounting, internal accounting
controls, or accounting matters relating to the Fund; and (ii) the confidential, anonymous submission
by employees of the Fund or Franklin Resources, Inc. and its subsidiaries of concerns regarding questionable
accounting or auditing matters.
(c)
The Committee shall have the authority to engage special or independent counsel, experts and other advisers
as and when it determines necessary to carry out its duties.
(d)
The Fund must provide for appropriate funding, as determined by the Committee in its capacity as a Committee
of the Board, for payment of (i) compensation to any auditors engaged for the purpose of preparing or
issuing an audit report or performing other audit, review or attest services for the Fund; (ii) compensation
to any advisers employed by the Committee (under paragraph (c) above); and (iii) ordinary administrative
expenses of the Committee that are necessary or appropriate in carrying out its duties.
(e) The Committee shall have unrestricted access to the Fund’s
management and management of the Fund’s adviser, including, but not limited to, their chief executive
officer(s), chief financial officer(s), internal auditors and any other executives and financial officers.
(f) The Committee shall report its activities
to the Board, including any issues that arise with respect to the quality or integrity of the Fund’s
financial statements, the Fund’s compliance with legal or regulatory requirements, or the qualifications,
performance and independence of the Fund’s auditors, and make such recommendations as the Committee
may deem necessary or appropriate.
(g)
The Committee shall review and assess the adequacy of this Charter annually, or more frequently if it
chooses, and recommend any changes to the Board. The Board shall adopt and approve this Charter and may
amend it on its own motion.
(h) The Committee shall meet jointly
with the Audit Committees of the other Funds within the Franklin Templeton Fund complex as may be appropriate,
including to attend presentations and review proposals and other matters of common concern to all such
Audit Committees.
(i) Pursuant to delegated authority from
the Board, and at the request of the applicable investment manager of the Fund (the “Investment Manager”),
the Committee, or an appointed delegate of the Committee as applicable, shall provide proxy voting instructions
as a representative of the Fund to the Investment Manager in certain situations where the Investment
Manager has identified a material conflict of interest between the Investment Manager or one of its affiliates
and an issuer (i.e., the Committee or its appointed delegate will approve or
disapprove the Investment Manager’s voting recommendation).
(j)
To the extent applicable to the Fund, the Committee shall comply with such other rules of the applicable
national securities exchanges and the SEC applicable to exchange-listed funds, as such may be adopted
and amended from time to time. (Exchange-listed Funds only)
Appendix A
Amended as of November 26, 2024
EXCHANGE-LISTED
FUNDS
Funds
listed on New York Stock Exchange LLC (“NYSE-listed Funds”)
Franklin Universal Trust
Templeton Dragon Fund,
Inc.
Templeton Emerging Markets Fund
Templeton
Emerging Markets Income Fund
Fund listed on NYSE American LLC (“NYSE American-listed
Fund”)
Franklin Limited Duration Income Trust
Funds
listed on NYSE Arca, Inc.
Franklin ETF Trust
Franklin
Short Duration U.S. Government ETF
Franklin Templeton ETF
Trust
Franklin FTSE Asia ex Japan ETF
Franklin
FTSE Australia ETF
Franklin FTSE Brazil ETF
Franklin
FTSE Canada ETF
Franklin FTSE China ETF
Franklin
FTSE Europe ETF
Franklin FTSE Eurozone ETF
Franklin
FTSE Germany ETF
Franklin FTSE Hong Kong ETF
Franklin
FTSE India ETF
Franklin FTSE Japan ETF
Franklin
FTSE Japan Hedged ETF
Franklin FTSE Latin America ETF
Franklin FTSE Mexico ETF
Franklin FTSE Saudi Arabia
ETF
Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF
Franklin
FTSE Switzerland ETF
Franklin FTSE Taiwan ETF
Franklin
FTSE United Kingdom ETF
Franklin Dynamic Municipal Bond ETF
Franklin Emerging Market Core Dividend Tilt Index ETF
Franklin
Income Equity Focus ETF
Franklin Income Focus ETF
Franklin
International Core Dividend Tilt Index ETF
Franklin International
Dividend Multiplier Index ETF
Franklin Investment Grade Corporate ETF
Franklin Municipal Green Bond ETF
Franklin
Systematic Style Premia ETF
Franklin Ultra Short Bond ETF
Franklin
U.S. Core Bond ETF
Franklin U.S. Core Dividend Tilt Index
ETF
Franklin U.S. Dividend Multiplier Index ETF
Franklin
U.S. Equity Index ETF
Franklin U.S. Treasury Bond ETF
Funds listed on Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.
Franklin
Templeton ETF Trust
Franklin Disruptive Commerce ETF
Franklin Exponential Data ETF
Franklin
Focused Growth ETF
Franklin Genomic Advancements ETF
Franklin High Yield Corporate ETF
Franklin
Intelligent Machines ETF
Franklin International Aggregate Bond
ETF
Franklin Senior Loan ETF
Franklin
U.S. Large Cap Multifactor Index ETF
Franklin U.S. Mid Cap
Multifactor Index ETF
Franklin U.S. Small Cap Multifactor Index
ETF
Legg Mason ETF Investment Trust
Franklin
International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF
Funds listed on The
Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Franklin Templeton ETF Trust
BrandywineGLOBAL
– Dynamic US Large Cap Value ETF
BrandywineGLOBAL –
U.S. Fixed Income ETF
ClearBridge Sustainable Infrastructure
ETF
Martin Currie Sustainable International Equity ETF
Western Asset Bond ETF
Legg Mason ETF Investment
Trust
ClearBridge Dividend Strategy ESG ETF
(to
be renamed Franklin ClearBridge Enhanced Income ETF)
ClearBridge
Large Cap Growth ESG ETF
Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend
Index ETF
Royce Quant Small-Cap Quality Value ETF
Western
Asset Short Duration Income ETF
Western Asset Total Return
ETF
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TLTDF PROXY 04/25


Grafico Azioni Templeton Dragon (NYSE:TDF)
Storico
Da Mar 2025 a Apr 2025
Grafico Azioni Templeton Dragon (NYSE:TDF)
Storico
Da Apr 2024 a Apr 2025