Bumble pays $7.86 million in compensation to the chief legal officer

Bumble disclosed Deirdre Runnette's 2025 compensation reached $7.86 million, including substantial stock awards. The filing also detailed severance packages, with potential payouts reaching $4.75 million in the event of a change in control. Runnette, appointed Chief Legal Officer in April 2025, brings extensive legal and compliance experience to the company.

ETLegalWorld

Published On Apr 20, 2026 at 04:12 PM IST

Dating app company Bumble has disclosed that Deirdre Runnette’s total compensation stood at $7.86 million, comprising a $100,000 bonus, stock awards valued at $7.16 million, non-equity incentive plan compensation of $267,198, and $13,186 classified as other compensation in 2025.

The proxy filing further outlines severance arrangements. In the event of termination without cause or for good reason, Runnette would be entitled to cash salary severance of $450,000 and continued health benefits valued at $23,788, taking the total to $473,788. If such termination occurs following a change in control, the payout would include accelerated vesting of equity worth $4.28 million, with total benefits aggregating $4.75 million.

Advt Deirdre Runnette, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary, has served as Bumble’s chief legal officer since April 2025. The filing notes that her appointment followed the return of founder Whitney Wolfe Herd as chief executive officer in March 2025, after which the company refreshed its senior leadership team to support its transformation efforts.

According to the disclosure, Runnette brings more than 25 years of experience in legal, risk, and compliance. Before joining Bumble, she served as general counsel, corporate secretary, and chief people officer at Flexe, Inc. from April 2019 to February 2024.

Before that, she was senior vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary at Zulily, Inc. between September 2012 and December 2018. She also served as a non-executive director at Naked Wines plc from June 2022 through December 2025.

Runnette holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Washington State University and a law degree from the University of Montana.