Fernando Bleichmar

Chief Executive Officer

Fernando leads Risepoint, overseeing the teams who are dedicated to helping universities grow so more students can access affordable education, improve their career opportunities, and meet employer and community needs. 

Before joining Risepoint in 2022, Fernando led the U.S. Higher Education division of the global edtech company Cengage Group. He previously served on the management team of Elsevier Health Sciences and spent the first decade of his career with The Boston Consulting Group, advising leaders on strategy and corporate development. 

Fernando’s passion for education and student success was inspired by his parents, who founded a school in Mexico City during his youth. Both of his siblings are now professors at U.S. colleges. 

Fernando holds an MBA from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Cristina, have two children. Outside of work, Fernando enjoys traveling, sports, hiking, and reading. 

“It’s an honor to lead a mission-driven company like Risepoint that supports the needs of our university partners with a single-minded focus on advancing university and student success.”

What traits do you admire in a leader?

Listening, empathy, communication, thoughtfulness, joy/fun, customer focus.

What are your core values?

Impact, transparency, customer centricity, innovation, and drive.

What is a Risepoint moment in your life?

A key Risepoint moment for me was immigrating to the U.S. for my bachelor’s degree. It was very difficult to move to a new country at 18 and be by myself, and I was not sure if I was ready for it. Through the help of everyone at the university, I was able to adjust and thrive. I am thankful for the support I received to help me achieve that Risepoint moment – it truly changed my entire life. I think about that moment often, especially here at Risepoint, where our job is to help our university partners, and their students reach similar moments that can change their lives forever.