Hinge CEO steps down, to lead AI-powered dating app Overtone - Who is Justin McLeod?

Hinge founder Justin McLeod is stepping down from his role of CEO at the company to launch a dating service platform backed by artificial intelligence.
In a statement on Tuesday, Hinge parent Match Group said that McLeod will now run Overtone, an AI-powered dating venture backed by the company.
Overtone, incubated within Hinge during 2025, will operate as an independent company, Match Group said as it signalled a big bet on AI.
Match Group plans to lead Overtone's initial funding round in early 2026 and hold a substantial ownership position
“Match Group today announced a leadership transition at Hinge as Founder and CEO Justin McLeod steps away from the company to launch Overtone, a new standalone AI-driven venture backed by Match Group,” the company said in the statement.
Jackie Jantos, who currently serves as Hinge's president and chief marketing officer, will take over as CEO.
Under her four-year tenure as CMO and president, Jantos has expanded Hinge to new regions including Europe and Latin America. She is also credited with introducing new product innovations and strengthening Hinge's cultural relevance with Gen Z, which now represents the platform's largest audience globally.
“Hinge's mission to help people find meaningful, in-person relationships has never been more important. I am honored to lead this next chapter and to continue building on the strong foundation Justin created. Our focus will remain on intentional innovation that is grounded in culture, creativity, and a deep understanding of how people connect today,” Jantos said in a statement on Tuesday.
Who is Justin McLeod?
Justin McLeod founded Hinge in 2011, a dating app which went to become one of the most popular in its category across several countries in the world.
Kentucky-born McLeod launched Hinge in 2013 as a service that would connect people with friends of their friends. The story behind launching the app is no short of a romantic drama.
According to a 2019 article on Time Magazine, Hinge was born out of a heartbreak that Justin McLeod suffered when he was graduating from Harvard University.
His girlfriend, with whom he had an on-and-off relationship for four years, rejected his proposal — marking the inspiration moment for McLeod.
After graduating from Harvard Business School and rejecting a job offer from consulting firm McKinsey & Company, McLeod was roped into developing a Valentine’s Day matchmaking game for students, which later gave birth to Hinge.
Before getting his MBA degree from Harvard, Justin McLeod graduated from the Colgate University with a BA in mathematical economics and political science.
In his new role at Overtone, Justin McLeod will act as the Chairman of the company.