Cleverbridge Announces Leadership Transition

Richard Stevenson succeeds CEO Wendi Sturgis as Cleverbridge builds on momentum and enters the next phase of its growth

COLOGNE, Germany & CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#B2BEcommerce--Cleverbridge, a leading provider of ecommerce and billing solutions for global software companies, today announced the appointment of Richard Stevenson as Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1, 2025. He succeeds Wendi Sturgis, who will transition into a board advisory role.

With over 25 years of leadership across B2B software and B2C financial services, Richard brings deep operational and strategic expertise to Cleverbridge. He has held executive roles at companies undergoing rapid transformation and global expansion, including CEO of Standard Life’s DACH region and VP and GM at Uniphore, where he led the company’s European growth following its acquisition of Red Box. Throughout his career, Richard has been at the forefront of launching and scaling innovative SaaS platforms, including Conversa, the first open Enterprise Voice AI platform.

“I am delighted with Richard’s appointment,” said Tom Buehlmann, Chairman of the Board at Cleverbridge. “Richard pairs extensive experience leading global technology growth companies with significant industry-specific knowledge in SaaS and financial services. His expertise and leadership skills will be decisive for the next stage of Cleverbridge’s growth.”

Buehlmann also expressed gratitude to outgoing CEO Wendi Sturgis: “I would like to thank Wendi for all her contributions. With her energy and commitment, she has made a major impact on Cleverbridge’s journey thus far — building a profitable growth trajectory and positioning us as a market-leading merchant of record provider.”

Founded in 2005 in Cologne (Germany) and Chicago (Illinois, USA), Cleverbridge has grown to a global team of 300+ employees, setting new standards as a leading merchant of record (MoR) solution provider. Some of the world’s largest technology companies — including Red Hat, Dassault Systèmes, and Sony — trust Cleverbridge to process payments, manage subscriptions, and simplify the complexities of global ecommerce. In 2024, Cleverbridge achieved record growth, expanding its client portfolio across industries while maintaining 99% logo retention and 100% platform uptime.

“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished over the past few years — from deepening our client relationships to advancing our global ecommerce capabilities,” said Sturgis. “With strong momentum in place, I’m confident that Richard will bring the right leadership and expertise to build on that success. I look forward to supporting him and the company as it moves into a new chapter.”

“This is an exciting time to join Cleverbridge,” said Stevenson. “Wendi and the team have built a strong foundation and positioned the company for long-term success. I’m honored to take the helm and look forward to accelerating our momentum in the market. Above all, we remain deeply committed to delivering exceptional value to our clients and supporting their success in an increasingly complex ecommerce landscape.”

For more information, visit grow.cleverbridge.com or follow Cleverbridge on LinkedIn.

About Cleverbridge

Cleverbridge is the all-in-one ecommerce platform for global subscription businesses. As a merchant of record (MoR), we consolidate the essential components of an ecommerce solution – including payments, subscription management, tax/VAT handling, and regulatory compliance – to help businesses offload operational work and automate digital transactions throughout the customer lifecycle. Since 2005, leading B2B and B2C technology companies across industries have trusted Cleverbridge to deliver frictionless buying experiences and optimize acquisition, expansion, and retention in over 240 countries and territories. Learn more at grow.cleverbridge.com.

Contacts

Gordon Knapp
gordon.knapp@cleverbridge.com
+1-757-345-8523