True Search Recruits CEO for Match Group
May 13, 2022 – Executive recruiting firm True Search has assisted in the recruitment of Bernard Kim as the new chief executive officer of Match Group, a provider of digital technologies designed to help people make meaningful connections. Shar Dubey will be stepping down from the company’s top post at the end of the month. Todd Zangrillo, Agata de Reyes, and Ish Elhelbawey led the assignment. “For Match Group CEO we needed to find an executive who intuitively understands consumer tech products and community, is attuned to new technologies, has a global perspective and is experienced in managing a portfolio of highly successful brands,” said Ms. de Reyes. “In Bernard we were able to find all that plus a dynamic leader who fosters innovation and is a fantastic culture builder and people magnet. We can’t wait to see how he will shape the future of this exciting and important category and take Match Group to new heights.”
“Bernard is a perfect fit for this role,” said Mr. Zangrillo. “He has an amazing track record of building world class mobile technologies businesses and cultures. It was a pleasure to work with the board of directors and the outgoing CEO, Sharmistha Dubey.”
“Creative, dynamic executives that are able to lead an organization and promote a culture that produces innovative products, embraces new technologies, and attracts and retains the very best people are hard to find,” said Tom McInerney, chairman of Match Group. “We had it with Shar and it became apparent to us that Bernard’s clear track record of success demonstrates the same unwavering commitment to people, products, and shareholder value. The board is very grateful to Shar for her 16 years of outstanding service and accomplishments, and is at the same time fully energized by Bernard joining our very talented Match Group team and looks forward to continued future success.”
“I leave the company in great hands,” said Ms. Dubey. “With Bernard’s energy, fresh thinking, and extensive mobile technology and consumer business experience, combined with the over 70 years of institutional knowledge and category experience of our brand CEOs and leaders at Match Group, I am ever so excited about this next phase of the company and the category.”
Mr. Kim has served as president of Zynga since 2016, overseeing various functions including global marketing, user acquisition, revenue, consumer insights, data science, product management, mergers and acquisitions, and communications. He was instrumental in Zynga’s growth and pivotal in the company’s expansion to new markets such as blockchain and hyper-casual gaming, as well as new platforms like the Nintendo Switch, Snapchat, and smart home devices. This led to Zynga’s record annual performance in 2021. Between 2016 and 2022, Mr. Kim helped quadruple Zynga’s market cap, leading to its pending $12.7 billion acquisition by Take-Two, which was announced in January 2022. Prior to joining Zynga, he spent nearly 10 years at Electronic Arts Inc. as the company’s senior vice president of mobile publishing.
“I’m honored to join Match Group’s talented team at such a pivotal time, as the company continues to see powerful momentum, strong user engagement, and passionate employees who are driven to bring joy to millions of users from all walks of life,” said Mr. Kim. “I have tremendous admiration for Shar Dubey’s leadership and for Match Group’s powerful mission to create meaningful connections for every single person worldwide today and in the future.”
Related: True Search Recruits CEO for Imperfect Foods
Based in Dallas, Match Group’s global portfolio of brands includes Tinder, Match, Hinge, Meetic, OkCupid, Pairs, PlentyOfFish, OurTime, Azar, Hakuna Live, and more.
Serving the Private and Public Sectors
Working in both the private and public sectors, True Search has offices throughout the U.S. as well as the EMEA and APAC regions. Since the late 1990s, the firm’s founders have refined their search process with a blend of data-centric insights, relationship-building, and experience to produce a methodology that consistently improves hiring decisions and accelerates growth. Its clients include Jet, Work Front, and Summit Partners. True Search is a subsidiary of True Platform, a global portfolio of human capital services and products for high-growth tech and tech-enabled organizations. True recently placed No. 7 on the Hunt Scanlon Media “Top 50 Recruiters” ranking.
True Search Recruits CEO for Ancestry
Executive search firms have been stepping up their efforts to assist private equity-backed firms across the nation find top-level talent, including chief executives, chief people officers, CFOs and a plethora of C-suite roles – all seen as key players as organizations grapple with the continued fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. To that end, Haddonfield, NJ-based executive recruitment firm True Search recently placed former Facebook executive Deborah Liu as the new CEO of Ancestry in Lehi, UT. The search team included co-founder and partner Tim McDonald, partner Agata de Reyes, senior associate Lely DeSimone and associate Eva King.
A tech growth-company builder for more than 20 years, Mr. Zangrillo co-leads the firm’s consumer practice. He conducts a range of CxO searches for True clients across a broad number of sectors. The consumer team’s breadth of knowledge and expertise within consumer internet, beauty, retail and fashion, food, travel and hospitality, and digital media and entertainment provides a strong multi-faceted approach. Prior to joining True, he served as the human resources business partner with eBay’s E-commerce technology organization.
Ms. de Reyes is a partner in the CEO and board practice has extensive experience both as an executive search professional and as a senior operating executive with full P&L responsibility for publicly traded and PE backed organizations. At True she specializes in CEO, president, COO, and board of directors searches. Ms. de Reyes has led some of the biggest consumer searches in True’s portfolio and has experience both in the U.S. and internationally.
Mr. Elhelbawey is a senior associate in the New York office where he focuses on CEO, president, and other go-to-market roles for True’s gaming, entertainment, media, and sports practice. Prior to joining True, he was a senior associate at Heidrick & Struggles for four years, where he focused on placing executives at consumer technology, media, and sports companies.
Related: True Search Recruits New CFO for PE-Backed MikMak
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
