Gig economy firm ShiftPixy Inc. (NASD: PIXY) appointed Patrice Launay as CFO, effective immediately. He succeeds Stephen DeSantis, who resigned from the company on Oct. 5.

Launay most recently was a financial and accounting manager for RxSight Inc., providing month-end close assistance, designing and implementing effective controls, and drafting accounting procedures.

ShiftPixy, based in Irvine, Calif., provides PEO services and has developed an online staffing app that it plans to release this year. It targets the restaurant and hospitality industry in Southern California. It aims to harness the gig economy concept but serve as the employer to its workforce rather than provide them as independent contractors.

Launay began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers where he spent six years in Paris and Los Angeles. He then spent two years at Groupe Roullier as corporate controller, and the following two years as an audit manager for the City Auditor Office of the City of Long Beach, Calif., where he led several audits to help prevent and deter fraud within the city’s programs. From 2011 to 2016, Launay worked for BDO USA and was involved in the audits of several listed and non-listed companies in the US and Australia. 

“The board and I are very excited about Patrice joining ShiftPixy as our new CFO,” said CEO Scott Absher. “His exemplary skills and deep experience in accounting along with his astute business acumen make him the right person to lead our finance team.”