A Message from CEO Chris Young
Earlier today, President and CEO Chris Young sent the following note to Vertex employees.
Team,
Today, we made a very difficult decision to part ways with some Vertex employees. These are colleagues and friends who have contributed meaningfully to this company, and they will always be part of Vertex’s story. I’m grateful for their work and commitment, and we will support them through this transition with care, respect, and access to financial and outplacement resources.
Decisions like this are never easy. But it was necessary.
Our industry is being reshaped by new technologies, accelerating regulatory change, and intensifying competition. The window to lead that change, rather than react to it, is not unlimited. If Vertex is going to lead the next chapter of tax and compliance technology, we must change our circumstances before they change us.
I’ve said that we are on a journey to becoming an AI-first company. I want to be clear about what that means. AI is a bridge that helps our customers navigate an increasingly complex regulatory environment. It must be a first principle in how we design products, workflows, and experiences, not an afterthought. Done well, it is a force multiplier for human expertise, judgment, and creativity.
At the same time, the regulatory realities our customers face are reshaping our own business. As customer needs evolve, so must we. By expanding areas like compliance, e-invoicing, and global execution, we can help them meet their obligations with confidence, anywhere they operate.
To enable that level of innovation, we must prioritize our investments and focus our efforts. Today’s restructuring allows us to accelerate a product roadmap that redesigns customer workflows around the best combination of human expertise and intelligent systems, delivering outcomes neither could achieve alone. This is about solving meaningful customer problems and building a durable competitive advantage for the long term.
What does this mean for you?
Our leaders will be holding team meetings throughout the week to walk through what today’s changes mean for your team, including any shifts in structure, priorities, or scope. I encourage you to engage openly, ask questions, and share feedback as we move forward together.
The pace of change around us is accelerating. What does not change are our values: putting customers at the center, communicating transparently even when the messages are hard, playing to win, moving with speed, and boldly innovating. These values will continue to guide us as we write the next chapter of Vertex’s story.
Today is hard, and I recognize that. Vertex has earned its place through trust, expertise, and consistency. My responsibility and our shared focus is making sure we continue to live up to that for years to come. I remain optimistic about the future we will build together: one that humbly honors our legacy while it relentlessly pushes all of us to our best days still ahead.
Chris
This content contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Statements that refer to our future financial performance, our anticipated growth and trends in our businesses, and other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements, and include, but are not limited to, statements by our President and CEO, expectations (financial or otherwise), the expected benefits of the restructuring and position eliminations related to the restructuring. Vertex, Inc. disclaims any obligation to update forward-looking statements. For a description of risks and uncertainties, see Vertex Inc.’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q reports.
