Business
LendingTree Announces Promotion of Ian Smith to Chief Operating Officer and Laura Nelson to Head of Insurance
LendingTree, Inc. (NASDAQ: TREE), the nation's leading online financial services marketplace, today announced the promotion of Ian Smith to Chief Operating Officer. Scott Peyree previously served as Chief Operating Officer before he was appointed Chief Executive Officer following the passing of founder Doug Lebda.
About this update from Lendingtree, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- LendingTree, Inc. (NASDAQ: TREE), the nation's leading online financial services marketplace, today announced the promotion of Ian Smith to Chief Operating Officer. Scott Peyree previously served as Chief Operating Officer before he was appointed Chief Executive Officer following the passing of founder Doug Lebda.","length":365,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"image","alt":"LendingTree logo (PRNewsfoto/LendingTree)","displaySize":"","headline":null,"caption":"LendingTree logo (PRNewsfoto/LendingTree)","className":"","disableSlideshowImg":false,"size":{"original":{"width":400,"height":400,"url":"https://media.zenfs.com/en/prnewswire.com/30445456376085176239a2f34b0b5a83"},"resized":{"url":"https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/1AoTXb4svEtTLRaP0vlrcw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTcwNTtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/prnewswire.com/30445456376085176239a2f34b0b5a83","width":400,"height":400}},"href":"https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/719580/Lending_Tree_square_Logo.html","hrefExternal":true,"rel":"nofollow"},{"type":"text","content":"Laura Nelson will step into the Head of Insurance role following Smith's transition. The leadership appointments reflect LendingTree's continued focus on disciplined execution, operational scale, and long-term growth.","length":225,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"As Chief Operating Officer, Smith will oversee day-to-day operations across LendingTree, bringing the operating rigor and discipline he established within the company's insurance business to lending and the broader organization. Nelson will lead LendingTree's insurance marketplace, building on its momentum and continuing to drive performance, innovation, and partner success.","length":385,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":""Ian has built a strong operating system within our insurance business, and this move allows him to bring that same discipline and expertise across lending and the broader organization," said Scott Peyree, CEO of LendingTree. "Laura has been a driving force behind our sales performance, and her leadership experience and deep understanding of our partners make her the right choice to lead insurance into its next chapter."","length":444,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Smith most recently served as Senior Vice President of I...