Margaret Franklin, a Canadian, has been elected chair of the Board of Governors of CFA Institute, the global association for investment professionals that administers the CFA program worldwide and advocates for high standards of practice within the global investment industry.

Franklin is the president & CEO of Kinsale Private Wealth. Based in Toronto, she has almost 20 years of financial industry experience in investment management with both institutional and private clients. She worked with global institutions including Barclays Global Investors, State Street Global Advisors and Mercer before moving to the private client business. Franklin was a partner in a boutique private client firm for eight years before Kinsale Private Wealth.

Franklin is the past chair of the audit and risk committee of the CFA Institute Board of Governors, and has also headed its external relations, and volunteer involvement, and planning committees. She is a past president of the Toronto CFA Society and received the CFA designation in 1997.

“Now, more than ever, investors, governments and regulators are seeking the highest educational, ethical and professional standards from investment professionals,” said Franklin.

“With a commitment to fairness and integrity, CFA Institute is poised to lead the industry in its efforts to regain investor confidence and trust. As a Canadian, I bring the unique perspective of having observed a global financial crisis from a country whose capital markets and financial institutions proved comparatively sound. There is a great deal that industry participants around the world can learn from this Canadian experience.”

CFA Institute members concluded their vote for the 2010-2011 CFA Institute Board of Governors members on May 16 as part of the organization’s annual conference in Boston. Franklin will begin her one-year term on September 1.

Franklin will head a 17-member Board of Governors composed of investment professionals from eight countries. She succeeds Tom Welch, managing director and regional manager of the institutional client service team at Wells Capital Management in Minneapolis.

Each year the CFA Institute membership votes at its annual meeting to elect new Board members. Welch will continue to serve on the Board as immediate past chair, and Dan Meader, founder and managing partner of Trinity Advisory Group in Southlake, Tex. will act as vice chair.