Match Group COO out, as dating apps struggle to connect with Gen Z
TL;DR
Match Group eliminates COO role, ending Hesam Hosseini's 18-year tenure amid industry struggles with Gen Z users. The move follows leadership changes and cost-cutting efforts as dating apps face burnout and declining popularity.
Key Takeaways
- •Match Group eliminated the COO position, resulting in Hesam Hosseini's departure after 18 years with the company.
- •The dating app industry is facing challenges with user burnout and declining popularity among Gen Z users.
- •CEO Spencer Rascoff has been restructuring leadership to save $100 million annually, including previous departures like President Gary Swidler.
- •Despite a recent earnings beat, Match Group's revenue forecast fell short of Wall Street estimates for the coming year.
- •The company plans to introduce more AI features for Tinder and host a product event to address changing user preferences toward real-world experiences.
Tags
Tinder-owner Match Group announced on Thursday that it will eliminate the role of chief operating officer (COO), which means Hesam Hosseini will be out of a job after 18 years with the dating app giant. The move comes as the dating-app industry is facing burned-out users and losing popularity among Gen Z.
Hosseini had been in the COO role since April 1, 2025, after a promotion, and continued to hold his prior role of CEO of Evergreen & Emerging Brands. His elevation at Match Group followed a shakeup in internal leadership, which also saw Match Group President Gary Swidler leave the company amid other layoffs designed to save the company $100 million annually.
These changes, including Hosseini’s departure, are taking place under Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff, the former Zillow co-founder who joined Match Group in February of last year. No other leadership departures or layoffs were announced today.
In his LinkedIn announcement, Hosseini celebrated his time at Match Group, saying he’s had “a front row seat to seeing our category grow into the number one way people find meaningful connection,” and that he’s confident in the future direction. Reached for comment, Match pointed to Rascoff’s comment on Hosseini’s public post.
“18 years is an extraordinary run, Hesam. Thank you for your leadership, steady hand and deep belief in this category and company,” Rascoff wrote. “You helped take online dating from the margins to the mainstream and built teams and brands that will have a lasting impact. I’m personally grateful for your partnership.”
A source familiar with Hosseini’s planned exit notes that Rascoff has been engaged in the company’s operations for some time, and the two executives had previously discussed whether or not the COO role was even needed for this chapter of the company.
Per Hosseini’s employment agreement, he was paid a base salary of $635,000 with a discretionary cash bonus and other benefits. The one-year agreement was set to be automatically renewed on April 1, 2026, unless terminated prior to that date, indicating the plan was to reassess the need for the role after a year’s time. At the deadline, Hosseini made the decision to leave.
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The move comes after the dating app maker reported an earnings beat in the first quarter, with revenue of $878 million and earnings per share of 83 cents, above estimates of $871 million and earnings per share of 70 cents. However, the company’s forecast for the year ahead fell short of estimates, with expectations of $3.41 billion to $3.54 billion in revenue, when Wall Street was estimating $3.59 billion. The company said it was also planning to roll out more AI products and features for its flagship app Tinder.
Tinder is planning to host its first-ever product event this month to show off new features and dive into its future roadmaps. The event is meant to reassure investors that the company has a plan to address the revamped dating app landscape, which sees many users opting out of dating apps altogether in favor of real-world experiences.
Updated after publication with Rascoff’s statement.