The former CEO of North America at Randstad is taking over the CEO role at S.i. Systems. The IT staffing provider ranks as Canada’s fifth-largest staffing firm.

Traci Fiatte Thomas succeeds S.i. Systems’ founder Derek Bullen, who will serve as executive chairman and remain actively involved in the business.

Fiatte Thomas comes to S.i. Systems with years of experience. She joined Randstad when it acquired Vedior in 2008. She has held multiple roles spanning sales, business development and national accounts at Vedior and Sapphire Technologies.

“I’m really excited because I believe it’s the perfect time to take the helm as CEO of S.i. Systems,” Fiatte Thomas told SIA in an interview.

While growth in IT staffing has softened, especially compared to the highs of 2021 and 2022, the disruptions of the global pandemic are moving into the past.

“Yes, there has been some softness in IT staffing, but I look at it as more of a normalization,” Fiatte Thomas said, pointing to measures such as The Conference Board’s CEO Confidence Index, which has improved.

“The soft landing, we think we’ve got it,” Fiatte Thomas said. “You don’t have this recession looming, but you also don’t have people saying, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s going to be so awesome in six months.’ Everyone kind of feels like we’ve somewhat normalized and we’re seeing plenty of indicators, like small indicators, where that optimism makes sense.”

Fiatte Thomas also said she’s stepping into a healthy organization at S.i. Systems.

“I really wasn’t interested in joining a turnaround,” she said. “I was interested in joining a really well-run organization, and I’m there.”

Fiatte Thomas joins S.i. Systems as it’s expanding into the US. The company in October 2023 announced its first US acquisition, Elign Consulting, a Minneapolis-based firm specializing in technology staffing, recruitment process outsourcing and workforce solutions.The deal came after private equity firms Cornell Capital and TorQuest Partners took a majority stake in S.i. Systems in 2022.

S.i. Systems’ Bullen said in a press release the announcement of Fiatte Thomas taking over the CEO role comes as staffing is at an inflection point as businesses continue to digitize their operations.

“Having an adept ability for identifying and capitalizing on emerging trends and technologies to drive transformative impact for employees and customers is more important than ever,” Bullen said. “Traci is a well-regarded industry leader with decades of experience growing and transforming human capital companies.”

Leonie Tyler, president of Canadian operations at S.i. Systems, said Fiatte Thomas’ experience will come in handy as the company expands.

“Traci’s decades of experience across both the United States and Canada will be invaluable as we continue to reinforce our position as the human capital partner of choice in Canada while concurrently adding the United States to our go-forward strategic priorities for this next phase of growth,” Tyler said.

Fiatte Thomas has appeared on SIA’s Global Power 150 Women in Staffing and Staffing 100 North America lists.