Veteran executives Laura Jones and Spencer Rascoff have been appointed to the Match Group’s board of directors, effective immediately.

Match Group Chairman Tom McInerney expressed enthusiasm about the new board members, highlighting the unique contributions they’re poised to bring. Welcoming Jones and Rascoof is a step towards enhancing the board’s collective expertise, which is crucial for its strategic goals, McInerney said in a statement. 

He noted Jones’ expertise in shaping brands and fueling growth through her marketing prowess, and lauded Rascoff’s entrepreneurial success in scaling consumer internet businesses. “This is a time of great opportunity for Match Group, and we believe [they] will be additive as we deliver on our strategy to drive value,” McInerney said.

According to Match Group, the appointments followed a constructive dialogue with Elliott Investment Management LP, with which Match also entered into an information-sharing agreement to facilitate ongoing collaboration toward the board’s goal of driving sustainable value for all shareholders.

Match Group CEO Bernard Kim underscored the company’s drive for innovation and user-centric development. “At Match Group, we are focused on continuously innovating and evolving our global platform,” Kim said.

Kim detailed efforts to elevate Tinder’s performance, sustain Hinge’s growth, and enhance overall user experiences in response to dynamic market demands. “I look forward to collaborating with [Jones], [Rascoff], and the rest of the board as we create value by connecting millions of people around the world in meaningful ways,” Kim said, emphasizing the collective goal of fostering global connections.

Global marketing expert

Jones she’s joining the board at an important time.

“I’m honored to be joining the Match Group Board during this incredibly important time for the company as it continues to evolve and address the changing needs of its customers,” Jones said in a statement. “I look forward to working with the rest of the Match Group board and management team and bringing my global marketing and product expertise to the Company as it focuses on driving long-term user and revenue growth.”

Jones is the chief marketing officer at Instacart, where she is responsible for shaping a cohesive brand, fueling the company’s growth, and developing a world-class marketing organization.

Match said that Jones oversees all marketing functions encompassing brand, partner and product marketing, CRM, the Creative Studio, and the full-funnel media team spanning brand and performance. Before Instacart, Jones spent six years at Uber, most recently as the global head of marketing for its Rides business.

At Uber, Jones built the global product marketing team from the ground up, spanning the entire product portfolio (Rides, Eats, Freight, etc). Before Uber, she held various senior marketing positions at Google and Visa.

Aiming to ‘evolve existing brands and build new ones’

Rascoff said he sees the opportunities the company has ahead.

“I’m joining the Match Group Board because of the opportunity to build on the Company’s disruptive technology and AI to evolve existing brands and build new ones,” Rascoff said in a statement. “Match Group has a strong foundation, and I am eager to accelerate the momentum underway to generate value for all stakeholders.”

Rascoff co-founded Zillow and served as its CEO for a decade.

During his time as CEO, Zillow won dozens of “best places to work” awards as it grew to over 4,500 employees, $3 billion in revenue and $10 billion in market capitalization.

Beore Zillow, Rascoff co-founded and was VP, corporate development of Hotwire, which was sold to Expedia for $685 million in 2003. He is co-founder and chair of Pacaso, a marketplace for vacation home ownership, as well as founder of several early-stage startups.

Rascoff is an angel investor in more than 50 companies through his startup studio and venture capital firm, 75 & Sunny Ventures.

Increasing value and connections

Marc Steinberg, Partner at Elliott, said: “We are one of the largest investors of Match Group today because we believe in its opportunity for significant value creation as the global leader in online dating. We appreciate the collaboration with management and the Board over the past several months, and we are confident that Laura Jones and Spencer Rascoff are strong additions to the board. We believe their unique skills and perspectives will help support the company through its next phase of growth, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with Match Group and its management team as the company executes on the substantial opportunity ahead.”

McInerney added, “We have engaged constructively with Elliott and appreciate the feedback they have shared. We remain confident in our portfolio strategy and our ability to drive long-term sustainable growth and increase profitability.”

Match Group, through its portfolio companies, is a leading provider of digital technologies designed to help people make meaningful connections.

Its global portfolio of brands includes Tinder, Hinge, Match, Meetic, OkCupid, Pairs, PlentyOfFish, Azar, BLK, and more, each built to increase users’ likelihood of connecting with others. Match, through its brands, provides tailored services to meet the varying preferences of users.

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