Tinder CEO Jim Lanzone will be the next CEO of Yahoo following the closure of Apollo's acquisition of Yahoo on September 1
Wall Street JournalBenjamin Mullin
Context & Ripple Effects
Jim Lanzone's move to Yahoo comes barely a year into his tenure running Tinder — Match Group only installed the ex-CBS Interactive boss as the app's CEO in mid-2020. He now departs just as Apollo's acquisition of Yahoo from Verizon closes on September 1, making him the new owner's first marquee leadership choice.
Match Group loses its Tinder chief roughly thirteen months into his tenure and must run a succession search for its largest brand — eventually resolved when Spencer Rascoff took over before laying out an AI-focused product push.
Yahoo exits Verizon's portfolio with new leadership in place at close, giving Apollo an operator with consumer-app product experience rather than a caretaker executive.
Second-order effects
Under Apollo's ownership, Yahoo pivots its product roadmap around Lanzone's profile — launching a new AI search engine and expanding original video and podcasts in sports content, moves consistent with a consumer-internet operator's instincts.
Lanzone's departure forces Match Group to promote internally or recruit externally, resetting Tinder's leadership pipeline and product cadence during peak pandemic-era dating demand.
Third-order effects
If the pattern holds, private-equity owners of legacy web properties will keep recruiting sitting CEOs from venture-backed consumer platforms to lead turnarounds aimed at relisting — Yahoo's path from Verizon spinout to profitable private firm eyeing an IPO is the template.
Success would strengthen the case that aging internet brands are more valuable as focused private companies than as divisions inside telecom conglomerates, encouraging further carve-outs from Verizon-style portfolios.
The trend: Private-equity acquirers of legacy consumer internet brands are importing operating CEOs from high-growth app companies to drive turnarounds toward eventual public listings.
SCOOP: Yahoo's new CEO will be Jim Lanzone, CEO of Tinder. His long-term plans include spinning out verticals like Yahoo Finance and Yahoo Sports or taking the entire company public https://www.wsj.com/...
@zlurie
Zander Lurie on x
The resurgence of @Yahoo starts today. Everything Jimmy touches gets better with time. Her we go @jlanzone! Tinder CEO Jim Lanzone will be next CEO of Yahoo following Apollo acquisition @CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/...
@jeremarketer
Jeremy Goldman on x
In related news, you will soon be able to swipe on all Yahoo content https://twitter.com/...
@quinnypig
Corey Quinn on x
It's important to show career progression; this is the exact opposite of that. Next he'll be the manager of a DMV branch office as he Benjamin Buttons his career. https://twitter.com/...
@russbengtson
Russ Bengtson on x
the only people who become CEOs now are already CEOs https://twitter.com/...
@darth
@darth on x
it was nine years ago that marissa mayer was named CEO of yahoo in case u were feeling young today https://twitter.com/...
@kevinkaduk
Kevin Kaduk on x
This would've been pertinent news to me, had I not been swiped left a few years ago. https://twitter.com/...
@digitalshields
Mike Shields on x
This is kinda weird - a Yahoo CEO who is a normal person who actually understands media biz and tech https://twitter.com/...
@film_girl
Christina Warren on x
Lots of easy jokes here but @jlanzone is a real one and if anyone can do well with the New Yahoo, it is him. He's a very good leader. https://twitter.com/...
@peterpham
Peter Pham on x
Yes!! what a great pic.. @jlanzone is one of the few great CEO's that intuitively knows product. This is what @yahoo needed https://twitter.com/...
@bgurley
Bill Gurley on x
1! Can't wait to see what @jlanzone does. https://twitter.com/...
@panzer
@panzer on x
Welcome back to TechCrunch @jlanzone https://t.co/RXNSmgLSCA
@benparr
Ben Parr on x
I worked for @jlanzone at CBSi. I can tell you 100% Apollo made a great decision hiring Jim to run Yahoo. If there's a person who can do something with Yahoo, it's Jim. Congrats!!! https://www.wsj.com/...
@mims
Christopher Mims on x
Yahoo swipes right on Tinder CEO https://t.co/gIfny5nTHU (with apologies to @reshmanuel, who thought of this joke and yet also possesses the restraint not to use it)
@thufirhawat
Fouad on x
Phenomenal news! @jlanzone is the only exec who has ever turned around a struggling, scaled digital media property before - the @Yahoo renaissance begins today! https://twitter.com/...
@sherman4949
Alex Sherman on x
I guess this ends my theory that Congress scooped us all with the rehiring of Marissa Mayer (https://www.engadget.com/...) https://twitter.com/...
@sherman4949
Alex Sherman on x
As we reported was likely two weeks ago, Apollo isn't sticking with the current Verizon Media management after publicly saying it would when it closed the deal. Verizon still owns ten percent of Yahoo. Apollo is already in talks with other division execs. https://www.cnbc.com/...
@rustybrick
Barry Schwartz on x
OMG - Congrats @jlanzone - CEO of Yahoo! https://www.cnbc.com/...
@reckless
Nilay Patel on x
All of those mergers and lost jobs just so the new CEO can say his plan is to spin things off, will anyone ever learn https://www.wsj.com/... https://twitter.com/...
@peteryared
Peter Yared on x
Congrats to @jlanzone! He has already turned around a massive digital media organization @CBSi, and he will make the magic happen again! https://twitter.com/...
@alex
@alex on x
Kinda hoping we go public so that I can write about my own damn S-1 https://twitter.com/...