Vertex Inc. (NASDAQ: VERX) (“Vertex” or the “Company”), a leading global provider of indirect tax solutions, has named Christopher Young to succeed David as Vertex’s President and Chief Executive Officer, at which point he will also be appointed to the Vertex Board.
Christopher is a seasoned executive, investor, and board director with a distinguished track record of leadership over almost three decades in enterprise technology. Most recently, he served as Executive Vice President, Business Development at Microsoft, reporting directly to its Chairman and CEO, responsible for assessing opportunities for growth while overseeing the Company’s business development, venture investing, and corporate strategy groups. During his tenure, Christopher helped shape Microsoft’s investment agenda in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, while also forging strategic transformative alliances. Prior to his time at Microsoft, Christopher served as CEO of the enterprise-focused cybersecurity firm McAfee, helping lead its spinoff from Intel in 2017 and spearhead its transition to the cloud. Previously, Christopher served as Senior Vice President for the Security business at Cisco Systems, where he transformed the strategic profile of its security business, growing the business into a recognized leader.
“Underpinned by durable demand for our solutions and a clear runway for long-term growth, Vertex has an exceptionally strong foundation with a seasoned leadership team in place. The Company is well positioned for the next phase of its evolution, making now the right time to execute our succession plan and welcome Christopher as our new CEO,” said David DeStefano, President, CEO and Chairperson. “I’ve been deeply invested in Vertex’s growth and success for 26 years, through our IPO and the expansion of our partner ecosystem, and I couldn’t be more proud of the way in which the Vertex team has enabled thousands of customers around the world to grow with our leading portfolio of products and solutions. What this team has accomplished over the last few years serving as a mission critical partner to our customers is inspiring, and I couldn’t be more optimistic about our Company’s future. Christopher is a proven leader with a strong track record of scaling businesses, and I am confident he is the best person to build on the momentum underway at Vertex.”
“It is an honor to be selected to serve as Vertex’s next CEO, and I could not be more excited to take on this new role,” said Christopher Young. “Vertex has a solid product foundation, deep industry expertise, and a strong customer base. With the rapid rise of generative AI, we have an extraordinary opportunity to innovate on how tax and compliance are managed – bringing together technology and human expertise to deliver even greater value and efficiency for customers globally. I look forward to working closely with the Board, the management team and all of our talented team members to extend Vertex’s leadership position while delivering sustainable growth and shareholder value.”
“David has made a positive and lasting impact on Vertex and our people. He has established Vertex as one of the world’s most trusted brands, with a strong strategic and financial position and significant growth potential. On behalf of the entire Board, our employees, customers, and shareholders, I want to thank David for his remarkable service and his commitment to support a smooth transition. We look forward to continuing to benefit from his expertise and deep industry knowledge in the boardroom,” said Ric Andersen, Lead Independent Director of the Vertex Board.
Andersen continued, “When David informed us of his decision to retire from Vertex, the Board undertook a thorough and thoughtful succession planning process. With the assistance of Spencer Stuart, we identified an outstanding executive in Christopher Young, and we are excited to welcome him to Vertex. With meaningful enterprise software experience and a proven track record, we are confident that Christopher is the right leader to usher in our next phase of growth as we continue to scale and capitalize on the compelling market opportunities ahead.”
With the addition of Christopher, the Vertex Board will comprise nine directors, seven of whom are independent.
Preliminary Third Quarter Results
The Company today also reported preliminary third quarter 2025 financial results, including:
- Total revenue is expected to be approximately $192 million, compared to $170.4 million for the same period in the prior year.
- Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be approximately $43 million, compared to $38.6 million for the same period in the prior year.
About Christopher Young
Christopher is an accomplished enterprise technology executive with almost three decades of executive leadership across the technology industry. He most recently served as Executive Vice President, Business Development at Microsoft, where he led its business development, venture investing, and corporate strategy groups. Prior to his time with Microsoft, Christopher served as Chief Executive Officer of McAfee following its spinoff from Intel. He continued with McAfee following his tenure at Intel, where he served as Senior Vice President of Intel’s security business, which was then McAfee, responsible for building and executing the security business’s strategy and overseeing the segment’s significant growth. Christopher also served as Senior Vice President for Cisco’s security business, overseeing the growth of its security business and helping establish itself as a leader in the space. Earlier in his career, Christopher served as a Senior Vice President in VMware’s end user computing segment and held roles of increasing responsibility in the security businesses of AOL and RSA Security, the security division of EMC. He currently serves on the Boards of Directors of Qualcomm and American Express, and previously served on the Boards of Snap and Rapid7.
Christopher holds a B.A. from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Vertex, Inc. is a leading global provider of indirect tax solutions. The Company’s mission is to deliver the most trusted tax technology enabling global businesses to transact, comply and grow with confidence. Vertex provides solutions that can be tailored to specific industries for major lines of indirect tax, including sales and consumer use, value added and payroll. Headquartered in North America, and with offices in South America and Europe, Vertex empowers the world’s leading brands to simplify the complexity of continuous compliance.