Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder and CEO of the social networking app Bumble, has been named to the board of directors for Imagine Entertainment, the company announced Tuesday. Wolfe Herd joins Tom Freston, Jeff Sagansky, Michael Lynton and Richard Rosenblatt as a non-voting member.
She will become the first woman on the company’s board.
Under Wolfe Herd’s vision, Bumble, a dating platform where women make the initial connection, has grown to over 35 million users in 160 countries. In 2016, Bumble launched Bumble BFF as a friend-finding feature and followed up on its success with Bumble Bizz for professional networking in 2017.
“I deeply admire Whitney as an original thinker and visionary. She is a brilliant young entrepreneur who not only created an incredible global company, but also an empowered and strong community,” said Imagine co-chairman Brian Grazer in a statement. “As we continue to evolve and grow Imagine, we wanted to add someone to the board who would bring a fresh and original perspective – someone who thinks completely differently than we do but at the same time understands the value of human connection and story-telling. Whitney brings relevancy and a fresh perspective to our business. We are honored that she has agreed to join our board.”
“Imagine and its founders have inspired generations worldwide, setting a standard for cinematic storytelling that is unrivaled in the industry,” Wolfe Herd continued. “They’ve transcended to create timeless pieces of art that champion the underdog, challenge the status quo and ignite curiosity. It’s an honor to join the team and collaborate on new ways for people to be entertained and empowered by their favorite stories.”
Imagine recently announced its expansion into documentaries and branding with the launch of Imagine Documentaries, as well as the acquisition of Jax Media, which has produced half-hour comedies including “Full Frontal With Samantha Bee” and “Inside Amy Schumer.”