Whitney Wolfe Herd to step down as CEO of Bumble

Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Lidiane Jones, the CEO of Slack, was selected to replace Whitney Wolfe Herd as CEO of the dating app Bumble starting Jan. 2, the company said on Monday.

A statement from Bumble said that WolfeHerd, the founder of Bumble, will transition to executive chair as the time of the move.

"It's a monumental moment, one that has taken a great deal of time, consideration and care, for me to pass the baton to a leader and a woman I deeply respect," Wolfe Herd said. "This move to executive chair gives me the ability to step forward into a new and exciting role, get back to my founder roots and bring immense passion and focus to this next chapter of growth.

"I am so pleased to have found Lidiane. Lidiane's expertise and track record in product and technology is exceptional and having her leading the next chapter of Bumble Inc. is a major win for our company, customers and team."

Wolfe Herd founded Bumble in 2014 as an online dating space focused on women. Bumble evolved to become one of the world's leading networking apps, enabling members to connect through dating, networking or meeting friends online. Bumble has also promoted women's safety online.

Before joining Slack as its CEO, Jones served as executive vice president and general manager for Salesforce Digital Experiences. She also led Sonos' software product team and spent nearly 13 years at Microsoft as a leader in a variety of products.

"I have long admired Bumble's mission and it is truly a privilege to join Bumble Inc. as CEO and work alongside Whitney and such an amazing global team, and I want to sincerely thank Whitney and the Board for the confidence and trust they have placed in me," Jones said.

Wolfe Herd started Bumble after leaving another dating app she co-founded, Tinder. She would file sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuits against Tinder which were later settled.

Bumble is the parent company of four apps, Bumble, Official, Badoo and Fruit. Its shares, though, have slid 80% since its initial public offering of $76 per share in 2021.