Hesam Hosseini
Match GroupAbout Hesam Hosseini
Hesam Hosseini, age 40, is Match Group’s Chief Operating Officer (since April 2025) and concurrently CEO, Evergreen & Emerging Brands (since February 2023). He joined Match Group in 2013, previously serving as CEO of Match & Match Affinity (2017–2023), CEO of PlentyOfFish (2016–2017), and GM, New Initiatives (2013–2016); he began his career as a Business Analyst at McKinsey & Company and holds a BBA from The University of Western Ontario . As context, Match Group’s 2024 performance featured revenue growth of 3% to $3.5B, AOI margin of 36%, and free cash flow of $882M, while 2024 long‑term incentives emphasized PSUs linked to 3‑year relative TSR versus Nasdaq Composite companies and prior 2021 PSUs vested at 0% in Feb 2024—underscoring pay-for-performance alignment .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Match Group | Chief Operating Officer | Apr 2025–present | Enterprise COO role; operational leadership and execution across portfolio . |
| Match Group | CEO, Evergreen & Emerging Brands | Feb 2023–present | Led legacy and emerging brands portfolio strategy and growth . |
| Match Group | CEO, Match & Match Affinity | Dec 2017–Feb 2023 | Drove product, subscription and monetization initiatives in core brands . |
| Match Group | CEO, PlentyOfFish | Jan 2016–Dec 2017 | Managed scale and engagement of POF community platform . |
| Match Group | GM, New Initiatives | Feb 2013–Jan 2016 | Built new products and growth vectors within Match Group . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| McKinsey & Company | Business Analyst | Prior to 2013 | Foundational analytical and strategic skill set development . |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Effective Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Salary | $635,000 | Apr 1, 2025 | Per employment agreement as COO . |
| Target Annual Bonus % of Salary | 150% | Apr 1, 2025 | Discretionary annual bonus based on performance goals . |
| Actual Bonus Paid | Not disclosed | N/A | Company notes 2025 NEO comp will be discussed in 2026 Proxy . |
Performance Compensation
2024 Annual Bonus Program (Company design used for NEOs; metrics apply company-wide)
| Metric | Weighting | Threshold (25% payout) | Target (100% payout) | Maximum (200% payout) | Actual | Payout % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 35% | $3,533M | $3,615M | $3,800M | $3,479M | 0% |
| AOI Margin | 35% | 36.0% | 36.5% | 38.0% | 36.0% | 25% |
| Individual Component | 30% | 0% | 100% | 125% | Individual assessment | Program feature . |
Notes:
- Program introduced formulaic revenue and AOI margin targets (70% weighting) plus an individual performance component (30%) for 2024; PSUs vest on 3-year rTSR vs Nasdaq Composite companies .
- 2021 PSU tranche (scheduled to vest Feb 2024) paid 0% based on relative stock performance over the period .
PSU Design (Company program reference)
- Metric: 3‑year relative TSR percentile versus Nasdaq Composite companies; vesting contingent at the end of the performance period .
- Vesting: At conclusion of three years; payout based on rTSR achievement; dividends only upon vesting per plan .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- Beneficial ownership: Hesam Hosseini is listed as an executive officer, but he is not individually itemized in the “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management” table as of April 11, 2025 (which names current directors and other executive officers) .
- Hedging/pledging: Company prohibits hedging (derivatives, collars, short sales) and pledging/margin accounts for directors, officers, and employees, supporting alignment and reducing risk of forced selling .
- Stock ownership guidelines: Company maintains executive stock ownership guidelines (program disclosure) .
- Equity plan governance: No evergreen; no repricing; no automatic single‑trigger vesting; dividend equivalents only upon vesting; clawback applies to awards .
Employment Terms
| Term | Provision | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Title & Reporting | COO; CEO, Evergreen & Emerging Brands | Reports to CEO; Dallas HQ with remote flexibility per policy . |
| Contract Term | 1 year auto‑renewal | Automatically renews for successive one‑year terms unless non‑renewed in writing . |
| Severance (Qualifying Termination) | Cash + Equity + Benefits | 12 months base salary continuation; pro‑rated target annual bonus; accelerated vesting of awards that would vest within 1 year post‑termination (PSUs vest only to extent performance conditions met within that year); up to 12 months Company‑paid COBRA premiums grossed‑up for taxes (ceases upon equivalent employer coverage) . |
| Change‑in‑Control (CIC) | Enhanced economics | Performance conditions deemed satisfied at greater of target or actual; vesting accelerated; benefits duration increases to up to 18 months; cash payout formula references “1.5x Target Bonus” and states “amount equal to 300% of base salary” (monitor for consistency with 150% target bonus disclosed elsewhere) . |
| Post‑Termination Option Exercise | Extended window | Vested options remain exercisable up to 12 months post‑termination (or earlier if scheduled expiration), subject to release . |
| Non‑Compete | Duration & scope | Covenants not to compete during employment term and for 12 months thereafter; standard confidentiality and proprietary rights terms . |
| Non‑Solicit (Employees/Partners) | 12 months post‑term | Employee non‑solicit during employment and 12 months post‑term; business partner non‑solicit 12 months post‑term . |
| Clawback | Recovery policy | Subject to Company Compensation Recoupment Policy and clawback/recoupment requirements . |
| 409A & 280G | Compliance & cutback | 409A six‑month delay if specified employee; no 409A tax gross‑ups; 280G CIC payments reduced to avoid excise tax unless “after‑tax” analysis favors no reduction; independent auditor determination . |
| Indemnification | Agreement | Indemnification agreement executed contemporaneously . |
| Release Condition | Severance requires release | Payments/benefits contingent on timely execution and non‑revocation of the release; awards eligible for acceleration remain outstanding pending release effectiveness . |
Investment Implications
- Compensation alignment: High at‑risk profile—bonus tied to objective revenue/AOI targets and equity tied to 3‑year rTSR—supports shareholder alignment and discourages short‑termism (PSU zero payout in 2024 corroborates rigor) .
- Retention vs flexibility: One‑year auto‑renewal plus 12‑month non‑compete/non‑solicit and modest severance (12 months salary; pro‑rated target bonus; limited acceleration window) provide retention incentives without excessive guarantees; CIC terms accelerate vesting and extend benefits (to 18 months), with 280G cutback limiting gross pay inflation .
- Selling pressure risk: Company‑wide prohibition on hedging/pledging reduces forced‑sale risk and aligns long‑term ownership; individual beneficial ownership for Hosseini was not itemized in the 2025 proxy table, which warrants monitoring once Form 4 filings accumulate post‑appointment .
- Governance signals: Strong equity plan controls (no repricing/evergreen; dividend equivalents only on vest) and clawback policy are positive; note the apparent discrepancy between target bonus (150% of salary) and CIC payout reference (300% of salary via 1.5x Target Bonus)—clarification from future filings advisable .