Advisory Board

The Advisory Board brings together senior leaders from across the global online dating, matchmaking and social discovery industries, providing industry expertise and perspectives to support Global Dating Insights (GDI.news), Online Personals Watch (OPW.news) and LTR.us.

As online dating platforms face increasing scrutiny around trust and safety, regulation, monetisation, AI, and user wellbeing, the Board will provide experienced, balanced perspectives to ensure coverage remains relevant, informed, and genuinely useful to founders, operators, investors, and partners.

What the Advisory Board Will Do
The Advisory Board will act as a strategic sounding board, supporting the team on the themes, topics, and issues that matter most to the industry.

Members will help identify emerging trends, highlight under-reported challenges, and provide insight into how operators are navigating growth, regulation, and innovation across different markets.

Importantly, the Board is not a governance body and does not influence day-to-day editorial decisions.

Advisory Board Members

Matthew Gai n (CEO, ParshipMeet Group)
Matthew oversees a portfolio of nine dating apps generating over one billion matches and 100 million video streams annually, with a global team of 550 employees across seven locations. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President and Head of Europe at Audible, overseeing business growth and investments across Europe and Asia.
Karima Ben Abdelmalek (CEO & President, happn)
Karima joined happn in 2017 as General Counsel, later becoming Secretary General before being appointed CEO & President in 2021. With over 15 years of experience spanning law, technology and business, she leads a team of 100 in France. She also serves as President of Women In Dating, bringing expertise in privacy law, intellectual property and international business growth.
Carsten Böltz (CEO, Online Personals Group)
Carsten has over 20 years of experience in the online dating industry, having started his career at FriendScout24 before joining be2 and becoming CEO of Insparx in 2011. He oversees a portfolio of international dating brands, including be2, C-Date, Academic Singles and Singles50, operating across more than 35 markets.
Michael O’Sullivan (Founder & CEO, HubPeople)
Michael is the Founder of HubPeople, a global technology company that powers thousands of dating and social brands worldwide. HubPeople provides the technology, AI tools and support that allow partners to launch, operate and grow their own online communities and dating platforms.
Simon Newman (CEO of ODDA, the Online Dating and Discovery Association)
Simon has extensive experience in programme management, business transformation and strategic communications. He has led multidisciplinary teams and delivered complex projects across the UK and internationally, with a strong focus on stakeholder management and business strategy.
Ophir Laizerovich (President & Co-Founder, LeadThink)
Ophir has over 25 years of experience helping companies grow through strategic partnerships, customer acquisition and business development. He has worked with leading companies across the online dating, technology and digital marketing industries, including Match Group, ParshipMeet Group and Social Discovery Group. He also serves on the boards of Quantum Network and SecureCo.
Lucia Haigh (CEO, RSVP.com.au)
Lucia has over 20 years of experience in technology, digital marketing and online dating. She previously worked in advertising and marketing at Oasis.com, as well as in technical roles at Credit Suisse and Hewlett-Packard. She has led RSVP, one of Australia’s longest-established dating platforms, since 2023.
Violet Lim (Co-Founder & CEO, Lunch Actually Group)
Violet co-founded Lunch Actually in 2004, growing it into one of Asia’s leading matchmaking companies, with offices across six cities. A certified matchmaker and dating coach, she has overseen more than 150,000 first dates and expanded the business into dating coaching and premium matchmaking services.
David Vermeulen (Founder & CEO, Inner Circle)
David is the Founder and CEO of Inner Circle, a dating app known for its curated, quality-driven approach to matchmaking. With experience across technology, travel, and startups, David founded Inner Circle to address the growing demand for meaningful connections in an increasingly crowded dating landscape. He is widely recognized for advocating intentional dating, strong community standards, and thoughtful product design.
Jason Du (Founder & CEO, SuccessfulMatch)
Jason founded MillionaireMatch in 2001, creating a dating platform for successful singles seeking long-term relationships. A graduate of UC Berkeley, he also established SuccessfulMatch, a network of niche dating sites.
Paul Rider (CEO & Co-Founder, SALT)
Paul co-founded SALT in 2018, creating a dating app that helps Christian singles connect through shared faith and values. With a background in economics, fintech and strategic partnerships, he has helped expand SALT internationally, building a platform that combines dating with community features and relationship support.
Nicky Wake (Founder, Chapter 2 Dating)
Nicky is the Founder and CEO of Chapter 2 Dating, a dating platform specifically created for people aged over 50 who are seeking meaningful relationships. With a background in business leadership and a passion for challenging age stereotypes in dating, Nicky has become a leading voice in the fast-growing mid-life dating segment. Her work focuses on inclusion, emotional intelligence, and designing products that reflect real life stages.
Claire Rénier (Head of Communications, happn)
Claire is Head of Communications for happn, the location-based dating app designed to help people connect with those they cross paths with in real life. With a strong background in brand strategy, communications, and consumer marketing, Claire has played a pivotal role in shaping happn’s distinctive identity and global growth. She brings a sharp understanding of modern dating culture, user behavior, and the importance of authenticity in social discovery.
Louise O’Connor (Co-Founder & CTO, CitySwoon)
Louise has over 20 years of experience in full-stack software development and managing large teams on complex projects across banking, telecommunications and advertising. As Founder and CTO of CitySwoon, she has helped expand the matchmaking platform across the US, Canada, Australia and the UK.