# Fernando Bleichmar

> Fernando Bleichmar is the CEO of Risepoint, the online program management company formerly known as Academic Partnerships, which helps regional universities build and grow online degree programs for working adults. He joined in 2022 after running the U.S. higher education business at Cengage, serving on the leadership team at Elsevier Health Sciences, and spending his first decade in strategy consulting at Boston Consulting Group. The son of educators who founded a school in Mexico City, he frames the company's work around closing the access and affordability gap in American higher education.

- **Role:** Chief Executive Officer at Risepoint
- **Organizations:** Risepoint, Academic Partnerships, Cengage Group, Elsevier Health Sciences, Boston Consulting Group
- **From:** Mexico City, Mexico
- **Nationality:** Mexican-American
- **Education:** MBA, Columbia University, Bachelor's degree, University of Pennsylvania
- **Known for:** Named one of America's Best CEOs (large company category) by Comparably in December 2023, based on anonymous employee feedback, Led the 2024 rebrand of Academic Partnerships into Risepoint, Oversees roughly 1,500 employees serving regional university partners across the United States

## Career timeline

- **circa 1990s-2000s** — Spent the first decade of his career at Boston Consulting Group advising leaders on strategy and corporate development
- **2000s-2010s** — Served on the management team of Elsevier Health Sciences
- **2010s-2022** — Led the U.S. Higher Education division of Cengage Group
- **2022** — Joined Academic Partnerships as Chief Executive Officer
- **2023-12** — Named one of America's Best CEOs by Comparably
- **2024-05** — Led the rebrand of Academic Partnerships to Risepoint

## Achievements

- Named one of America's Best CEOs (large company category) by Comparably in December 2023, based on anonymous employee feedback
- Led the 2024 rebrand of Academic Partnerships into Risepoint
- Oversees roughly 1,500 employees serving regional university partners across the United States

## Latest updates

- **2025-07** — Risepoint released its 2025 Voice of the Online Learner report, finding learners are career-focused, AI-aware, and demanding flexibility and connection.
- **2025-02** — Risepoint published an Impact Report highlighting its partnerships with regional universities.

## Links

- Website: https://risepoint.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernandobleichmar/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/fernando-bleichmar
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-12