COLOGNE, Germany & CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 31, 2025--
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.
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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.
Richard Stevenson, Chief Executive Officer of Cleverbridge
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Social Security Administration's acting commissioner is facing calls to resign after he issued an order — which was quickly rescinded — that would have required Maine parents to register their newborns for Social Security numbers at a federal office rather than the hospital.
Newly unearthed emails show that the March 5 decision was made as political payback to Maine's Governor Janet Mills, who has defied the Trump administration’s push to deny federal funding to the state over transgender athletes.
In the email addressed to the agency's staff, acting commissioner Leland Dudek, said, “no money will go from the public trust to a petulant child.” Staff members warned that terminating the contracts would result in improper payments and the potential for identity theft.
Dudek's order initially drew widespread condemnation from medical organizations and public officials, who described it as unnecessary and punitive. The practice of allowing parents to register a newborn for a Social Security number at a hospital or other birthing site, called the Enumeration at Birth program, has been common for decades.
Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree, one of two House members from Maine, said Dudek should resign immediately. She characterized Dudek’s actions as retaliation for Mills publicly opposing President Donald Trump.
“If a federal agency can be turned into a political hit squad at the whim of an acting appointee, what checks remain on executive power? Commissioner Dudek’s vindictive actions against Maine represent a fundamental betrayal of public trust that disqualifies him from public service,” Pingree said.
Mills said Wednesday that Social Security is being subjected to “rushed and reckless cuts” and needs leadership that treats it like a public trust. She said that is especially important in Maine, which has a high number of recipients.
“Social Security is not a scheme, as some have said, it’s a covenant between our government and its people. The Social Security Administration’s leadership must act in a manner that reflects this solemn obligation,” Mills said.
Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, sent a letter to Dudek on Tuesday, calling for his immediate resignation and a request that he sit for an interview with the committee.
“The American people deserve answers about your activities and communications in the time between President Trump’s February 21, 2025, public threat to Governor Mills and your February 27, 2025, order to cancel the enumeration at birth and electronic death registration contracts with the state of Maine, and about your knowledge that cancelling these contracts would lead to increased waste, fraud, and abuse," Connolly said in his letter.
Connolly, in a letter on Tuesday, said Democrats on the House oversight committee obtained internal emails from the Social Security Administration that he says shows Dudek cancelled the contracts to retaliate politically against Maine.
A representative from the Social Security Administration did not immediately respond to an Associated Press request for comment.
Dudek on a March 18th call with reporters to preview the agency's tighter identity-proofing measures, initially said the cancellation of the Maine contract happened “because I screwed up,” adding that he believed that the contract looked strange. “I made the wrong move there. I should always ask my staff for guidance first, before I cancel something. I’m new at this job."
He added, "Well, I was upset at the governor’s treatment, and I indicated in email as such, but the actual fact of the matter was it looked like a strange contract.”
“I'm not interested in political retaliation. I’m interested in serving the public.”
Maine has been the subject of federal investigations since Gov. Mills sparked the ire of Trump at a meeting of governors at the White House in February. During the meeting, Trump threatened to pull federal funding from Maine if the state does not comply with his executive order barring transgender athletes from sports.
Mills responded: “We’ll see you in court.”
The Trump administration then opened investigations into whether Maine violated the Title IX antidiscrimination law by allowing transgender athletes to participate in girls' sports. The Education Department issued a final warning on Monday that the state could face Justice Department enforcement soon if it doesn't come into compliance soon.
Whittle reported from Scarborough, Maine.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaking, is joined by, from left, Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., as they criticize efforts by President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Republicans in Congress to compromise Social Security, during a news conference, at the Capitol, in Washington, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
FILE - Democratic Gov. Janet Mills delivers her State of the State address, Jan. 30, 2024, at the State House in Augusta, Maine. Mills vetoed on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, a bill to establish a minimum hourly wage for agricultural workers that she initially submitted herself. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)
