Women to Watch: Sylvia Jablonski, CEO & CIO of Defiance ETFs

This is the third in a series of articles appearing each Monday in March celebrating Women to Watch in the ETF industry. 

If there’s one word that defines Sylvia Jablonski’s career, it’s resilience. As the CEO and CIO of Defiance ETFs, she’s navigated market crashes, industry shake-ups and the daunting challenge of launching an ETF firm from scratch—all while carving out a space in one of the most competitive corners of finance.

Her journey to the top started on the fast-paced derivatives trading desk at Deutsche Bank, where she was in the thick of the action—executing trades for hedge funds and ETF issuers and getting a front-row seat to the mechanics of the market.

But it was her decade-long tenure at Direxion that truly shaped her expertise. There, she learned the ETF business from the ground up—trading, sales, capital markets and product development—before deciding to take the leap and build something of her own.

The Defiance ETFs Mission

That “something” became Defiance ETFs, which she co-founded alongside Chairman Matt Bielski and a small but scrappy team. Their mission? To bring innovative, next-generation ETFs to market—often ahead of the hype. 

Their first products focused on emerging technology trends like quantum computing and 5G, long before mainstream investors caught on. But being a pioneer comes with challenges.

“We launched, and then COVID hit,” Jablonski recalled. “The market was crashing, we didn’t have much money and we couldn’t hire salespeople. It was like—OK, what now?”

Instead of backing down, Defiance pivoted. The team built out its own marketing and analytics infrastructure, found creative ways to promote its funds and doubled down on what they knew best: market trends and smart ETF design. 

That adaptability paid off. In addition to its lineup of thematic ETFs, Defiance carved out a successful niche in single-stock ETFs—leveraging Jablonski’s deep derivatives expertise to become a standout player in the space.

What's Next for Defiance ETFs?

Today, the firm manages over $3 billion in assets, a testament to its ability to navigate market trends and deliver products that resonate with investors.

But for Jablonski, growth isn’t just about numbers. It’s about staying true to the firm’s DNA.

“We’re fighters,” she said. “We’ve always been scrappy, and even as we scale, that drive—that passion—is what will keep us ahead.”

Looking ahead, she has big ambitions for Defiance, aiming to multiply its assets under management several times over in the next few years while continuing to launch cutting-edge products that resonate with younger, innovation-focused investors.

“Every intern I’ve ever had is talking about AI, quantum computing or crypto,” she said. “The next generation of investors isn’t interested in the same old products—they want what’s coming next.”

And if Jablonski’s track record is any indication, Defiance will be right there, shaping the future of ETFs.