Tinder owner Match Group announced on Thursday that it will eliminate the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO), meaning 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 deals with burnt out users and is losing popularity among Gen Z.
Hosseini held the role of COO from April 1, 2025, upon promotion, and continued in his previous role as CEO of Evergreen & Emerging Brands. His elevation to Match Group follows a change in internal leadership that also saw Match Group President Gary Swidler leave the company amid other layoffs designed to save the company $100 million annually.
Those changes, including Hosseini’s departure, come 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 joining Match Group, saying he’s “had a front-row seat to see our category evolve into the number one way people find meaningful connection” and that he’s confident about the future direction. Asked for comment, Match pointed to Rascoff’s comment on Hosseini public posting.
“18 years is a great run, Hesam. Thank you for your leadership, steady hand and deep belief in this category and company,” Rascoff wrote. “You’ve helped take online dating from the fringes to the mainstream and created teams and brands that will have a lasting impact. I’m personally grateful for your partnership.”
A source familiar with Hosseini’s planned departure notes that Rascoff has been involved in the company’s operations for some time, and the two executives had previously discussed whether or not the COO role was necessary for this chapter of the company.
Per Hosseini’s employment contracthe was paid a base salary of $635,000 with a discretionary cash bonus and other benefits. The one-year deal was set to automatically renew on 1 April 2026 unless terminated before that date, indicating the plan was to reassess the need for the role after a year. At the deadline, Hosseini made the decision to leave.
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The move comes after the dating app maker reported earnings exceeded the first quarter, on 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 next year fell short of estimates, with expectations of $3.41 billion to $3.54 billion in revenue, when Wall Street had estimated $3.59 billion. The company said it also plans to release more AI products and features for its flagship Tinder app.
Tinder plans to host its first 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 is seeing many users ditch dating apps altogether in favor of real-world experiences.
Updated after publication with Rascoff statement.
