Scott Dennis: The ETF Visionary Leading TCW’s Next Chapter of Innovation
Scott Dennis is an accomplished financial leader and ETF strategist with more than 25 years of experience in global capital markets. Currently serving as the Managing Director and Head of ETFs at The TCW Group, he has become one of the most respected figures in the investment management industry. His journey from the trading systems of Bloomberg to leading ETF strategy at TCW highlights a career defined by innovation, discipline, and deep expertise in fixed income markets.
Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Scott Dennis combines technical skill, strategic insight, and leadership cultivated through a long tenure at industry giants like BlackRock, Morgan Stanley, and Bloomberg. His educational foundation from Lafayette College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Law and played varsity baseball, reflects both his analytical mindset and competitive spirit.
Early Career Foundations: Bloomberg and Morgan Stanley
Scott Dennis began his professional journey in 2000 at Bloomberg, where he worked in Order Management and Trading System Sales for over six years. This role exposed him to the technology and infrastructure that drive global financial markets. His work at Bloomberg provided a unique perspective on how data systems, trading platforms, and analytics empower investors and institutions to make informed decisions.
In 2006, Dennis transitioned to Morgan Stanley, joining its Institutional Fixed Income Sales division. Over the next two years, he developed a strong command of fixed income instruments, credit markets, and institutional client relationships. His experience in sales and trading at a leading investment bank laid the groundwork for the strategic mindset and market intuition that would later define his career in ETFs.
The BlackRock Era: Building the Foundation of ETF Leadership
The defining chapter of Scott Dennis’s career came with his move to BlackRock in 2009, where he would spend nearly 16 years shaping the global exchange-traded fund (ETF) landscape. Initially joining the iShares Business Development team, he quickly advanced into leadership positions within iShares Capital Markets and Distribution.
Between 2010 and 2023, Dennis played a key role in expanding BlackRock’s iShares Capital Markets division. As a Director, he oversaw trading strategies, market structure, and liquidity management across the firm’s ETF offerings. He became known for bridging the gap between asset managers, market makers, and institutional investors—ensuring efficient ETF trading and execution.
Later, as Head of iShares Insurance and Insurance ETF Distribution, he pioneered efforts to integrate ETFs into insurance company portfolios. His initiatives focused on increasing ETF adoption on insurance general account balance sheets, while addressing complex accounting and regulatory frameworks. Under his leadership, iShares deepened its footprint within the insurance industry, contributing significantly to BlackRock’s trillion-dollar fixed income ETF platform.
The TCW Appointment: Leading a New ETF Frontier
In May 2025, Scott Dennis was appointed Managing Director and Head of ETFs at The TCW Group, a milestone that marked both personal achievement and strategic evolution for TCW. With over two decades of experience, he was brought in to lead the firm’s ETF Capital Markets, Portfolio Management, and Trading divisions.
At TCW, Dennis’s mandate is clear: to accelerate the firm’s presence in the expanding global ETF arena. His vision focuses on integrating TCW’s renowned active management expertise with the operational efficiency and transparency of ETF structures. This approach aligns with the industry’s growing shift toward actively managed ETFs and multi-share class innovation, which aim to offer investors more choice and flexibility.
Dennis’s appointment reflects TCW’s recognition of his track record in navigating complex markets and driving large-scale ETF platforms. Having been part of the core iShares team that built a trillion-dollar fixed income ETF franchise, his expertise directly complements TCW’s ambitions to expand into active ETFs while maintaining its strong heritage in fixed income investing.
Strategic Leadership and Industry Impact
Throughout his career, Scott Dennis has been recognised for his ability to anticipate market trends and influence industry evolution. He has regularly collaborated with major financial institutions, including the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, providing insights on ETF flows, market structure, and liquidity conditions. His voice carries weight in discussions on regulatory frameworks and the integration of ETFs into broader portfolio strategies.
Dennis is also known for his hands-on leadership approach—balancing technical understanding with strategic clarity. His teams describe him as analytical yet approachable, someone who encourages innovation while maintaining a disciplined focus on execution. His leadership style mirrors the same precision and teamwork he displayed during his varsity baseball years, embodying a blend of competition, collaboration, and consistency.
Academic and Personal Background
A proud graduate of Lafayette College, Scott Dennis earned his Bachelor of Arts in Government and Law between 1996 and 2000. During his undergraduate years, he was a four-year starter on the Division I varsity baseball team, reflecting both athletic excellence and leadership under pressure.
Beyond the corporate world, Dennis has shown commitment to community engagement. He has served as a coach with the First Tee of San Francisco, an organisation that promotes youth development through golf, combining mentorship with life skills. This involvement highlights his belief in guiding the next generation with the same discipline and teamwork that have defined his own professional journey.
The Future of ETFs Under Scott Dennis’s Leadership
Under Scott Dennis, TCW’s ETF business is poised for significant transformation. His focus on innovation, transparency, and investor access aligns with the broader shift toward active management and the evolving regulatory landscape around multi-share class ETFs.
With markets becoming increasingly dynamic, Dennis’s experience in fixed income, capital markets, and product strategy positions TCW to capture new opportunities across both institutional and retail segments. His ability to connect regulatory insight with practical execution ensures TCW’s ETF platform will grow with both resilience and creativity.
Looking ahead, his leadership is expected to shape how TCW navigates the competitive ETF environment—leveraging the firm’s active management expertise while embracing cutting-edge fund structures and digital distribution.
Conclusion: A Leader Redefining ETF Excellence
Scott Dennis stands at the intersection of innovation and leadership in the financial industry. From his early years at Bloomberg and Morgan Stanley to his long tenure at BlackRock and current leadership at TCW, his career exemplifies consistency, adaptability, and vision.
As the Head of ETFs at TCW, Dennis brings more than experience—he brings a philosophy rooted in performance, integrity, and evolution. His story reflects the modern face of asset management: data-driven, client-focused, and committed to shaping the next generation of investment solutions.
In a rapidly changing global market, Scott Dennis continues to lead with expertise forged in decades of experience and a forward-looking mindset that will define TCW’s success in the ETF space for years to come.
