Our distinguished keynote speaker, the son of a minister and teacher, grew up in Baltimore, MD, during the civil rights movement. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in economics from Lincoln University in 1966, at the advice of a professor, he applied to Balliol College, Oxford, where he studied as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow and earned a bachelor’s of philosophy in economics in 1970.
Upon his return, he was appointed Assistant to the President of the University of Pennsylvania in community affairs. While at Penn, Mr. Franklin created the first Philadelphia Black Film Festival in 1972, which caught the eye of W. Wilson Goode Sr., who appointed Mr. Franklin as deputy city representative for arts and culture when he became Philly’s first Black mayor in 1984. Mr. Franklin held that position for five years and then entered the financial world, starting as an analyst and working his way up. He was a senior vice president for Fidelity Investments in 1993, when he met Nelson Mandela, who came to Philadelphia to receive the Liberty Medal. Inspired by Mandela, Franklin created his own firm, Reinvest in South Africa. He went on to head International House Philadelphia and serve as vice chairman for a financial services digital design firm. Today, he’s a senior adviser to companies and banks in the U.S. and U.K.
On September 23, 2023., Mr. Franklin was granted an honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), an honor just below knighthood. The honor was awarded in recognition of his exemplary “services to UK/US relations.” Honorary Consul Franklin was appointed to his role as the representative of the UK government in Greater Philadelphia in 1998. Since then he has liaised with the Consul General in New York and the British Embassy in Washington, DC to support and promote UK efforts and activities in the Greater Philadelphia region. In this role he has hosted senior members of the British Royal Family, UK government ministers and members of Parliament. He also founded a program for Philadelphia public high school students to visit London and another initiatives to provide opportunities for mid-career American minorities to work in UK investment banks. In 2019, Honorary Consul Franklin received ‘The Distinguished Friend of Oxford’ Award, and was also elected an Honorary Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford. He is leading member of the business community of Philadelphia and a board member of the British American Business Council of Greater Philadelphia, partnering on initiatives that support US-UK commercial endeavors and promote a positive relationship with the UK.
Upon his return, he was appointed Assistant to the President of the University of Pennsylvania in community affairs. While at Penn, Mr. Franklin created the first Philadelphia Black Film Festival in 1972, which caught the eye of W. Wilson Goode Sr., who appointed Mr. Franklin as deputy city representative for arts and culture when he became Philly’s first Black mayor in 1984. Mr. Franklin held that position for five years and then entered the financial world, starting as an analyst and working his way up. He was a senior vice president for Fidelity Investments in 1993, when he met Nelson Mandela, who came to Philadelphia to receive the Liberty Medal. Inspired by Mandela, Franklin created his own firm, Reinvest in South Africa. He went on to head International House Philadelphia and serve as vice chairman for a financial services digital design firm. Today, he’s a senior adviser to companies and banks in the U.S. and U.K.
On September 23, 2023., Mr. Franklin was granted an honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), an honor just below knighthood. The honor was awarded in recognition of his exemplary “services to UK/US relations.” Honorary Consul Franklin was appointed to his role as the representative of the UK government in Greater Philadelphia in 1998. Since then he has liaised with the Consul General in New York and the British Embassy in Washington, DC to support and promote UK efforts and activities in the Greater Philadelphia region. In this role he has hosted senior members of the British Royal Family, UK government ministers and members of Parliament. He also founded a program for Philadelphia public high school students to visit London and another initiatives to provide opportunities for mid-career American minorities to work in UK investment banks. In 2019, Honorary Consul Franklin received ‘The Distinguished Friend of Oxford’ Award, and was also elected an Honorary Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford. He is leading member of the business community of Philadelphia and a board member of the British American Business Council of Greater Philadelphia, partnering on initiatives that support US-UK commercial endeavors and promote a positive relationship with the UK.
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