Bio

Rick Essex is a managing director in our PSG Boston office, where he leverages more than 20 years of financial and operational leadership experience. Previously, Rick served as the CFO of Blackboard Inc. There, he was instrumental in driving both strategic and operational efforts. Prior to Blackboard, Rick was the CFO of Survey Sampling International (SSI), where he led the global business through a period of strong organic and inorganic growth, including the successful acquisition and integration of numerous businesses, the sale of the company to HGGC and subsequent merger with Research Now. That process created Dynata, one of the world’s largest providers of first-party data solutions and services. Rick joined Providence Equity Partners in 2003 and served as a principal before leaving to join SSI as CFO in 2012. Prior to Providence, Rick served as a vice president of BCI Partners and also held roles at Dillon Read & Co and Arthur Andersen. Rick received a Master of Business Administration from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Business Administration from Washington and Lee University.