RALEIGH – Cadient Talent, which offers end-to-end hiring solutions for distributed workforces, is also making some big hires of its own.

The Texas-based firm on Wednesday announced a new leadership for its newly acquired Kronos Talent Acquisition business unit – including Jim Buchanan as its new CEO. And the company is looking to set up an office in Research Triangle Park in the coming months, where the new leadership team will be based.

Cadient Talent

Buchanan co-founded Merlin Technologies, a human capital management company that was acquired by a private equity firm in 2015. He also served as executive vice president and chief financial officer of PeopleClick, which was acquired by a private equity firm for $100 million back in 2010 and is now known as PeopleFluent.

Tom Bright, also a former PeopleClick exec, is now Cadient’s new chief technology officer. He once worked as the chief operating officer of PeopleClick where he expanded their global footprint and opened their first EU-based data center. He is also a former CEO of Field2Base.

“We are excited about the leadership experience that has been brought together to make Cadient Talent the most effective solution for our clients,” Buchanan said in a release.

In April 2019, Cadient Talent announced the formation of the new company that provides a software solution for high-volume, hourly hiring of candidates for a distributed workforce.

Services include assessments, background checks, work opportunity credit screening and drug testing services, offering today’s busy hiring managers a complete and comprehensive applicant tracking and onboarding system.

“Nearly 60 percent of the workforce in the United States is hourly-based, and those hires pose unique challenges for HR managers that are different from salaried hires,” said Buchanan. “As the U.S. continues to face a labor-shortage, it will be imperative that we bring the best innovation and support to our clients based on an already proven software solution and I know this team will rise to the challenge.”

Other members of the leadership team include:

  • Bob Cotton, CFO: Cotton has 30 years of business experience with companies ranging in size from small to Fortune 500. He has extensive experience with SaaS companies and his skills provide expertise in merger and acquisition finances, deal structuring, and contract negotiations. Cotton blends strategic planning into active day-to-day operations.
  • Michelle Barry, VP Engineering: Barry has a broad range of experience in multi-million-dollar web applications for Fortune 500 companies. She held multiple leadership roles at PeopleFluent, overseeing their suite of SaaS-based talent acquisition markets.
  • Nicky Peele, VP Marketing: With over two decades of experience, Peele has mastered a marketing prowess. As prior ALPHA Marketing president, Peele supported global clients such as Lenovo, DHL, and Samsung. Before Peele began at Cadient Talent, she held Field2Base’s VP of Marketing position, driving digital marketing transformations to a variety of industries.
  • Mark Long, VP of Sales: Long has a broad history of experience in software sales within the HCM sector.  He served as SilkRoad Technology’s senior vice president of sales, supervising software suite solutions, applicant tracking, onboarding, and performance management. Prior to his position at Cadient Talent, Long was Jobvite’s senior director of sales where he led the talent acquisition management software sales organization for mid-market account sales.
  • Jon Puckett, VP Customer Success: Puckett has delivered talent management software solutions for over twenty years. Prior to Cadient Talent, Puckett served as the director of professional services for the Kronos Talent Acquisition business unit.