Laura Rachel Jones
Match GroupAbout Laura Rachel Jones
Laura Rachel Jones is an independent director of Match Group, appointed in 2024, age 43. She is Chief Marketing Officer at Instacart and previously held senior marketing roles at Uber, Google, and Visa, bringing deep consumer internet and brand-building expertise to Match Group’s board . The board determined she is independent under Nasdaq rules in 2025 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instacart | Chief Marketing Officer | 2022–Present | Leads brand and product marketing across broad portfolio; builds world-class marketing organization |
| Instacart | Head of Marketing; VP, Brand & Marketing | 2021–2022 | Shaped brand refreshes and growth initiatives |
| Uber | Global Head of Marketing, Rides & Masterbrand (Sr. Director) | Feb–May 2021 | Led global brand and product marketing for rides |
| Uber | Global Head of Product Marketing (Director) | 2018–2021 | Drove product marketing across consumer portfolio |
| Uber | Group Product Marketing Manager | 2016–2018 | Built and scaled global marketing teams |
| Uber | Senior Product Marketing Manager | 2015–2016 | Consumer internet marketing leadership |
| Brand & Marketing Communications, Commerce | 2011–2015 | Commerce brand and marketing programs | |
| Visa | Business Leader, Innovations & eCommerce Marketing | 2010–2011 | Innovation and eCommerce marketing leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNICEF USA | Board Member | 2023–Present | Non-profit board service |
| Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) | Chief Marketing Officer | 2022–Present | Public company executive role; not a director |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Member, Compensation and Human Resources Committee; the committee met eight times in 2024; Chair is Ann L. McDaniel .
- Independence: Board determined Jones is independent under Nasdaq rules in 2025 .
- Attendance: In 2024, all incumbent directors (other than Ms. Murdoch) attended at least 75% of board and committee meetings on which they served .
- Board leadership: Independent Chairman (Thomas J. McInerney); independent directors meet in executive session at least twice a year .
- Risk oversight: Board and committees oversee risk; CHR oversees executive/employee compensation and human capital .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Policy Amount | 2024 Actual for Jones | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Retainer (cash) | $50,000 | $550 cash paid | Paid quarterly in arrears |
| Committee Membership Fee – CHR | $5,000 | Included in fee totals | CHR chair receives $20,000; Jones is member, not chair |
| Audit Committee Membership Fee | $10,000 | N/A for Jones | Jones not on Audit Committee |
| Nominating Committee Membership Fee | $5,000 | N/A for Jones | Jones not on Nominating Committee |
| Board Chair Additional Retainer | $80,000 | N/A (not chair) | Applies to independent chair |
| Fees Deferred (into share units) | Per director election | $38,049 deferred | Deferred comp plan allows deferral into share units or cash fund |
| Meeting Fees | Not provided | Not disclosed | Program emphasizes retainers; reimbursement of reasonable expenses |
Performance Compensation
| Award Type | 2024 Amount | Vesting | Other Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director RSU Award | $250,000 grant-date fair value | Vests in full on earlier of first anniversary of grant or next annual meeting | Dividend equivalents pay only if vesting; full acceleration upon change in control |
| Outstanding RSUs (as of 12/31/2024) | 6,993 units | Unvested as of 12/31/2024 | Granted under non-employee director program |
Program structure: Beginning June 20, 2024, annual director RSUs are granted on the annual meeting date and vest by the next annual meeting; off-cycle initial grants are prorated and align vesting to the next annual meeting cadence . Director awards after Feb 1, 2024 have dividend equivalent rights; dividends only payable upon vesting . The plan caps total non-employee director compensation at $750,000 per year ($1,000,000 for newly appointed directors) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Public/Private | Overlap/Interlocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | No other public company directorships disclosed for Jones . |
| Instacart | Executive (CMO) | Public | No related-person transactions disclosed; board independence affirmed despite ordinary-course purchases from director-affiliated entities . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep consumer internet and brand-building expertise from Instacart, Uber, Google, Visa; experienced in brand refreshes and growth marketing .
- Built and led global marketing teams; strong leadership across brand, partner, and product marketing .
- Recognized work featured in top industry publications; valuable insight for portfolio of consumer-facing brands .
Equity Ownership
| Holding | Quantity | % of Shares Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership (as of 4/11/2025) | 7,033 shares | <1% (“*”) | Table assumes vest/exercise within 60 days where applicable |
| Outstanding RSUs (as of 12/31/2024) | 6,993 units | — | Not counted as owned until vested |
- Stock ownership guidelines: Non-employee directors must own shares equal to at least 5x the standard annual cash retainer ($50,000) within 5 years of initial election (or 1/1/2022 if later); unvested RSUs/PSUs and unexercised options do not count; directors must retain 50% of net shares until in compliance .
- Hedging and pledging prohibited: Directors may not hedge or pledge Match Group securities, including options, collars, forwards, margin accounts, or short sales .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Jones adds contemporary consumer internet and brand expertise; serves on the CHR Committee overseeing executive pay and human capital in a year when the company strengthened pay-for-performance and received 93% say-on-pay support in 2024 .
- Independence and conflicts: Independence affirmed in 2025; no related-person transactions in 2024; board considered director-affiliated ordinary-course relationships and found none interfering with independent judgment .
- Alignment and incentives: Director pay mix is balanced—cash retainers plus time-based RSUs vesting by next AGM; dividend equivalents only upon vesting; compensation capped; clawback policy applies under the 2024 plan—supporting investor alignment and governance discipline .
- Attendance and engagement: At least 75% attendance threshold met by incumbent directors (excluding Ms. Murdoch) in 2024; CHR and board met 8 times and 8 times respectively, supporting robust oversight cadence .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Jones. Prohibitions on hedging/pledging and absence of related-party transactions mitigate alignment risks; compensation guardrails and annual equity grant cadence reduce pay anomalies .