Whitney Wolfe Herd has returned to lead Bumble, the dating platform she founded and brought to the public market, following the recent and unexpected departure of CEO Lidiane Jones. In a candid interview, Wolfe Herd revealed she had no initial intention of re-entering the role and had begun a new chapter defined by introspection, self-care, and attending Bumble’s board meetings with a more detached perspective.
Her return was set in motion when Jones, her successor, reached out privately and admitted feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of the position. Soon thereafter, Jones stepped down, prompting Wolfe Herd to resume leadership. Wolfe Herd addressed rumors of discord between them directly, insisting there was no underlying tension. She described her reaction to Jones’s struggles as deeply empathic, explaining, “I felt like I was looking in a mirror… [Jones] herself had made some of the same mistakes I had made, which was working that extra hour, putting in that extra trip.”
Wolfe Herd, who recently shared news on Instagram that she is expecting her third child, acknowledged the significant challenges the company is currently facing. Bumble’s latest quarterly earnings dropped 7.7% year-over-year, highlighting ongoing struggles. She expressed personal difficulty seeing the company’s position weakened, stating, “Bumble needs me back. It’s an extension of me to some degree, and watching it fall from its peak has been very hard.”
