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Hinge’s CEO Justin McLeod departs to run his AI dating startup company which was bred at Hinge and will be financed by Match Group
- Match Group announced that Hinge’s CEO Justin McLeod will leave the company to run his AI dating startup which was bred at Hinge throughout 2025 and which will be financed by Match Group.
- Jackie Jantos, Hinge’s current president and CMO will take over as CEO.
- Jantos joined Hinge on November 2021 as CMO, bringing almost 20 years of marketing experience earned at Dashlane, Spotify, Coca-Cola, and Ogilvy & Mather.
- Hinge appointed Jantos as its president in March 2025, a role that involves driving day-to-day strategy and execution (see screenshot).
- Some articles describe Jantos as the person behind Hinge’s strong performance and is credited with Hinge’s most high‑profile campaigns such as “Designed-to-be-deleted”.
Assessment
It appears that Jantos had already been effectively running Hinge’s day-to-day operations since her promotion to president in March 2025, suggesting that McLeod’s departure was likely anticipated, following Spencer Rascoff’s appointment as Match Group CEO in February 2025. Jantos brings a strong marketing and brand-building background, but further evaluation is needed to assess her operational leadership, product instincts, and ability to sustain Hinge’s growth trajectory.
McLeod’s exit may also reflect differences in ideology or strategic alignment. He has historically emphasized Hinge’s distinct identity and even described Tinder and Hinge as rivals, which may not align with Rascoff’s push for tighter cross-brand collaboration and a centralized operating model.