ClearCourse Partnership Announces Board and Senior Management Appointments

November 12, 2018

ClearCourse Partnership LLP, a new partnership of innovative technology companies providing membership software and services to groups, organisations and businesses, today announced the launch of its platform and the hiring of two senior executives, Gerry Gualtieri as Chief Executive Officer and Joshua Rowe as Head of Mergers & Acquisitions. The company also has appointed Stephen Wolff as NonExecutive Director. ClearCourse has received capital backing from Aquiline Capital Partners, a New York and London-based private equity firm investing in financial services and technology.


ClearCourse operates as a holding company with a mission to acquire primarily UK-based group and event management software companies and drive increased growth and profitability through more efficient payments, capital investment and operational support. The platform prioritises retention of existing leadership teams and is focused on creating an environment for talented entrepreneurs and their businesses to thrive.


Gerry Gualtieri, ClearCourse’s Chief Executive Officer, is an accomplished C-level fintech executive, with over 25 years of experience leading and growing businesses in the sector. Mr. Gualtieri recently served as Senior Managing Director and executive management team member at Eze Software Group. Prior to joining Eze via acquisition, Mr. Gualtieri was the Chief Executive Officer of Tradar, a provider of hedge fund portfolio management software, as well as the Chief Operating Officer of Fidessa LatentZero, a provider of front office technology to asset managers.


“Over the course of my career, I’ve had the privilege of leading and building many companies in the fintech and software space. I’m excited to have this opportunity to create a new platform focused on the UK software market that will bring together best-in-class membership management and payments solutions,” said Mr. Gualtieri.


I’m excited to have this opportunity to create a new platform focused on the UK software market that will bring together best-in-class membership management and payments solutions.


Gerry Gualtieri – CEO


Joshua Rowe, Head of Mergers & Acquisitions for ClearCourse, has spent 10 years working as the head of mergers & acquisitions for a variety of organisations in Europe including Callcredit Information Group (now known as TransUnion UK), IHSMarkit, KPMG UK, and Capgemini.


“My goal at ClearCourse is to seek out and bring together market-leading companies where we see an opportunity to further optimise their operations and drive value,” said Mr. Rowe. “We look forward to bringing these companies onto our platform and helping them to grow and evolve.”


Stephen Wolff, currently an Executive in Residence at Aquiline Capital Partners, will join the ClearCourse board as Non-Executive Director. Mr. Wolff most recently served as the Head of Corporate Strategy and a member of the executive management team of Markit Group, a financial information and technology company. Prior to Markit, Mr. Wolff was the Head of Strategic Investments at Deutsche Bank.


“ClearCourse has the right leadership team in place with Gerry and Josh, and I look forward to leveraging my experience developing and implementing growth strategies in financial technology to help them build ClearCourse and its family of companies,” Mr. Wolff said.

Simon Black, Chair of the Board, ClearCourse

ClearCourse appoints new Chair of the Board, Simon Black

September 17, 2025
LONDON, 17 September 2025: ClearCourse, a provider of industry-specific software and embedded payment solutions for SMEs and targeted enterprises, today announces the appointment of Simon Black, current Non-Executive Director, as Chair of the Board. Simon will support the management team in leading ClearCourse’s next phase of growth, building on the company’s proven vertical software expertise and strength in integrating payment solutions for SMEs. With a clear mission to help small UK businesses grow and compete with enterprise-level technology, Simon brings deep understanding of the software and payments landscape. Before joining ClearCourse, Simon was the CEO of PPRO which, under his leadership, became a global leader in alternative payments via international expansion and multiple successful funding rounds. Prior to that, Simon was CEO of SagePay, where he led the business to 10 × revenue growth. The appointment comes at an important phase as the firm builds momentum, having made three strategic acquisitions of growing businesses so far in 2025: Computers for Flooring , AvonData (Rezcontrol) , and Davidson Richards . This supports ClearCourse’s mission to establish a leading presence in key vertical markets and power SME growth with innovative, industry-specific software and payment solutions that puts big tech in the hands of small businesses.  Christina Hamilton, CEO of ClearCourse, said: “It is fantastic that Simon has stepped into the role of Chair of the ClearCourse board at such an exciting time in our journey. His experience in supporting founders through business transitions will be invaluable in supporting ClearCourse’s ambitious plans for growth.We look forward to working more closely with him to continue delivering value for all stakeholders.” Simon Black, incoming Chair of the Board, added: “I am delighted to become the Chair of the Board of ClearCourse, supporting the team to deliver on the mission to help small and mid-size UK businesses to grow - an incredibly tangible and motivating goal, and one that I greatly relate to. SMEs are the backbone of our economy, and in these challenging trading times, technology can be the difference between surviving and thriving. I look forward to supporting ClearCourse’s management team in unlocking opportunity for their customers to scale and prosper, by adopting ClearCourse’s mission-critical sector specific software and embedded payment products.”
A member of staff at a farm shop smiles as she operates an EPOS terminal

Software and Payments Specialist ClearCourse Acquires Cloud-Based Retail Software Provider, Davidson Richards

July 29, 2025
LONDON 29 July 2025: ClearCourse, the provider of industry-specific software and embedded payment solutions for SMEs, announces the acquisition of Davidson Richards, a leading retail management and EPOS (electronic point of sale) systems provider. Davidson Richards provides cloud-based management and EPOS systems tailored to the retail industry. Founded in 1977 and based in Derby, Davidson Richards launched its flagship product, OpSuite, in 2012 after recognising the need to address gaps left by off-the-shelf products. Today, OpSuite enables retailers to centralise and streamline operations by integrating with core systems such as accounting software, eCommerce platforms, mobile and loyalty applications, and warehousing. Trusted by many leading garden centres – a sector where OpSuite has established a strong reputation – its extensive functionality also makes it suitable for a broad range of sectors, including grocery, fashion, and furniture. Joining the ClearCourse group will enable Davidson Richards to expand their offerings, providing customers with in-house payment and eCommerce solutions. By offering these in partnership with other specialist ClearCourse companies, Davidson Richards will be able to focus on building new client relationships and to profile the benefits of OpSuite to new retail market segments. Led by a long-serving expert team including ex-retailers, Davidson Richards offers its clients consultancy, training, bespoke development and dedicated in-house support. Their customer centric approach means that many of the Davidson Richards team are directly involved in technical or support delivery for clients to provide greater value to its clients. ClearCourse aims to become the engine powering small and medium businesses across the UK by putting big tech solutions in the hands of founders and their growing businesses. Davidson Richards offers a clear opportunity for ClearCourse to deepen its presence in the retail sector, and its long-standing, loyal customer base and experienced team closely align with ClearCourse’s culture and values. Christina Hamilton, CEO of ClearCourse said: “We are delighted to welcome Davidson Richards into the ClearCourse group as part of our Retail & Hospitality Software vertical. OpSuite is a market leading product that is well positioned to expand its innovative offering into new sectors. We are excited about the natural integration this partnership enables, as OpSuite will be able to offer in-house payment and other commerce enabling solutions through the wider ClearCourse group products.” Keith Bateman, Sales Director at Davidson Richards said: “This acquisition marks an exciting new chapter for our business and customers. Joining the ClearCourse group will enable us to enhance the service we offer our customers, particularly through the introduction of an in-house Electronic Funds Transfer solution. ClearCourse is the ideal partner to help us to grow the business through an increased investment into marketing and to reach more customers.”