Tinder’s new CEO takes the helm, calling it a ‘moment of transition for the industry’

Tinder’s chief operating officer, Faye Iosotaluno, is taking over as CEO of the dating giant, effective immediately, parent company Match Group announced Tuesday.

Tinder’s top role has been empty since the August 2022 departure of Renate Nyborg. Match Group CEO Bernard Kim was serving as the company’s interim leader.

Iosotaluno became Tinder’s COO in August 2022 after spending five years at Match Group, where she had served as chief strategy officer. Her appointment to Tinder’s top spot comes as the company continues its turnaround efforts in an attempt to win subscribers. Shares of Match Group, which also owns dating apps Hinge and OkCupid, have fallen more than 13% in the past year. Iosotaluno will continue to report to Kim, the company said.

“I believe we’re at a moment of transition for the industry and for Tinder,” Iosotaluno said in a letter to Tinder employees obtained by Fast Company. “When Tinder was founded 11 years ago, it catalyzed a level of growth never before seen in the industry. Someone will do it again soon—and this should be us. It means building the most modern and safest experience that is in the service of our vision, for all genders, ethnicities, geographies, intent, socioeconomic class. This doesn’t happen overnight. It happens with creative, deliberate, progressive work and commitment from all of us. I’m thrilled to be able to lead our way through this.”

Kim praised Iosotaluno in an internal memo to Match Group employees. “I’ve seen firsthand Faye’s remarkable ability to align our team, refine our strategy, drive execution, and deliver momentum,” he wrote. “Since joining Tinder as COO, she has led major initiatives related to member experience, people, business development, strategy, finance, analytics, marketing, and international operations. She’s equally skilled at solving detailed problems, grasping the complexities of the product, and creating an inspiring vision for our future. Her understanding of our industry is unparalleled, and her impact is undeniable.”

Kim also pointed to Tinder’s recent experiments with AI as an area of opportunity for the brand. “While I’ll always remain closely connected to Tinder as we collaborate across the portfolio and create new avenues of opportunity—such as our exploration of AI,” he wrote, “it is the right time for this change.”