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WWW.GLOBALDATINGINSIGHTS.COM POWER BOOK 2019 RECOGNISING EXCELLENCE AND ACHIEVEMENT IN THE ONLINE DATING INDUSTRY 2019 Sponsors 1 INTRODUCTION WELCOME TO THE FIFTH ANNUAL GDI POWER BOOK, THE DEFINITIVE LIST OF THOSE INFLUENCERS, LEADERS AND INNOVATORS WHO HAVE SHAPED OUR INDUSTRY OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS. For us, 2018 will be remembered as the since February 2018. At the F8 developer year the wider tech, business and academic conference in May, Mark Zuckerberg communities really took notice of the dating announced his intention to bring Facebook world. We saw major publications in the US into the arena with Facebook Dating. At the and Europe investigating the ‘loneliness time, the social media giant was an outside epidemic’ in spring, before public attention contender to be the world’s first trillion-dollar shifted to the ways in which social apps can company; the news changed the entire help or hinder the search for human landscape in an instant. A slower-than- connection. Tinder, Bumble and the rest have expected rollout, however, has allowed Match revolutionised courtship for millions this to recover from the initial shock of a new decade, and there is a growing recognition FAANG competitor, and Badoo to continue these platforms will be at the heart of human marching its brands forward with relentless interaction going forward. This perceptual user acquisition. The latter is now in deep shift brought increased scrutiny, but also discussions concerning an IPO for Bumble, helped to highlight the enormous so we have the exciting prospect of three opportunities in a sector charging towards a publicly listed product titans battling it out $12 billion valuation. for dating supremacy. Accordingly, there have been some Turning to APAC, we’ve seen innumerable substantial developments in Western markets brands vying for a foothold in India this year. 2 INTRODUCTION The young, progressive, tech savvy took control of Tantan and demonstrated to population of 1.3 billion is making its all that hybrid dating-streaming platforms presence felt in the app economy, so much so are a force to be reckoned with. that even foreign startups are striving to enter Globally, safety was a recurring theme the space as soon as possible. No clear winner over the course of the year. GDPR shook up has emerged on the subcontinent as of yet, so the white label category, and FOSTA/SESTA expect huge marketing efforts there to be legislation provided a real challenge to adult another feature of 2019. In China, Momo sites with global operations. As LGBTQ consumers began to feel private data concerns more acutely, Grindr’s Beijing- based parent Kunlun Tech faced pressure to secure user data and act transparently. Making sure singles are safe to build profiles, chat and venture out to find a connection will be crucial as the public increasingly looks for love online. It’s been a fascinating year with some rollercoaster moments and, as always, Global Dating Insights is honoured to keep professionals and executives informed at every turn. In association with SecurionPay, we are proud to present the GDI Power Book 2019. SIMON CORBETT FOUNDER, GLOBAL DATING INSIGHTS 3 INTRODUCTION exists thanks to the efforts of creative and hardworking individuals at every level. GDI is always taking action to ensure we keep pace with the acceleration we’re seeing. In June 2018, we launched our first stateside conference at Shutters on the Beach, Los Angeles. Executives from household names like Tinder and The Inner Circle helped to make the event a huge success, and we’ve already penned in more great speakers for 2019. In May, we’re opening up the GDI What a year! We’ve covered a bit of Singapore Conference at the iconic Marina everything since the 2018 Valentine’s period: Bay Sands hotel in Downtown Core. Along major lawsuits, stock market turbulence, with our flagship London Conference, these giant acquisitions in Europe and Asia, and an dates will be at the heart of our global events electric cultural conversation around gender, offering going forwards. sex and dating. The sector is really coming Moreover, readers can look to GDI for top alive, with passionate entrepreneurs and editorial content throughout this coming executives addressing every conceivable year. We’ve just launched our new website, niche and geo. with News, Interviews, Events and Insight In this year’s Power Book, the fifth annual subcategories, and will be populating each celebration of excellence and achievement in feed with more material and analysis than our industry, we’ve really considered the ever before. On behalf of the Global Dating depth and breadth of talent helping to shape Insights team, thanks for downloading the the way singles meet. We have marketers, 2019 Power Book. Happy Valentine’s Day! technologists, events staff and activists listed alongside a diverse group of CEOs and SCOTT HARVEY founders, and deservedly so. The momentum EDITOR, online dating companies are seeing only GLOBAL DATING INSIGHTS “ON BEHALF OF THE TEAM, THANKS FOR DOWNLOADING THE GDI POWER BOOK.” 4 POWER BOOK 2019 LYDIA DAVIS IRA KRACHANOVSKAYA Founder, Toffee Head of Growth Marketing, Badoo MANDY GINSBERG Chief Executive Officer, Match Group TAMARA GOLDSTEIN SHANA SUMERS CHRIS COX Founder, Pickable Head of Community, HER Chief Product Officer, Facebook LAUREN HALLANAN Vice President of Livestreaming, The Meet Group BEN CELEBICIC ALON RIVEL NICHI HODGSON Chief Technology Officer, Director of Global Sales & Author, Hinge Marketing, Jack’d The Curious History of Dating 5 POWER BOOK 2019 OCÉANE KRÜGEL Global Event & Experience Marketing Manager, The Inner Circle TANG YAN LIGA PUKITE TIM TAYLOR Chief Executive Officer, MOMO Head of Creative, CLiKD Founder, FDP Ventures SAM DUMAS MEREDITH DAVIS Global Head of Brand, Chappy Marketing & Communications Leader DAWOON KANG Co-founder, Coffee Meets Bagel BEA SLATER NAVTEJ SINGH JOHAR STUART MURGATROYD Jdate Yenta, Jdate Activist Founder, appMi 6 SPONSOR MESSAGE START A NEW and run your business the way you like. 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We’ve found your perfect match! Dating Website $25 3-Month Plan [email protected] 29 12 25 896 Remember me in SecurionPay Pay UX for a better dating Strong relationships Dating beyond borders experience with subscriptions with 160 currencies API loved by developers AI-based fraud prevention Mobile payments to flirt on the go Contact: [email protected] Always Better Payments www.securionpay.com 8 POWER BOOK 2019 “COX HAS LIMITLESS CASH RESERVES WITH WHICH TO TURN THE PLATFORM INTO A BEHEMOTH” CHRIS COX CHIEF PRODUCT OFFICER, FACEBOOK “Did you know,” said Facebook founder Mark into the main Facebook app, it would leverage Zuckerberg, on stage at his company’s annual San prepopulated groups and events, it would hide your Francisco conference in spring, “that one in three profile from your first-degree network, and it would marriages in the United States start online?” begin testing in 2018. The Chief Product Officer has What came next took a $2 billion chunk out of since rolled the features out in Colombia, Thailand Match Group’s market cap, a number not dissimilar and Canada, arguably making its beta-test a more to the social media giant’s monthly active user base at significant force than several established players. the time. Standing in front of the phrase “Meaningful Things have been quiet in 2019 but, working Relationships”, the world’s fifth-richest man alongside Dating manager and Instagram Stories announced his intention to help millions of singles pioneer Nathan Sharp, Cox has limitless cash reserves find life partners by developing and launching free with which to turn the platform into a behemoth. dating functionality. America will be the real test; how will the press Chris Cox, who has been at Facebook since its receive the product after a tumultuous two years at university days, then took the stage to drop anvil after Menlo Park? market-altering anvil: Dating would be integrated 9 POWER BOOK 2019 IRA KRACHANOVSKAYA HEAD OF GROWTH MARKETING, BADOO Badoo is currently the third highest grossing by executing a (direct or Bumble-led) stock dating app by consumer spend worldwide according market entry.