Atlas HXM, the global workforce platform built on compliance, announced the appointment of John Fennelly as Chief Executive Officer. Fennelly, who has served on the Atlas HXM board since September 2025, brings more than 30 years of experience leading global technology, information services, and human capital businesses. The appointment positions the company to accelerate its vision for the next generation of global workforce management solutions.
Fennelly joins Atlas HXM from Lionbridge, a pioneer and leader in localization, games, and AI services, where he served as President and CEO since 2017. At Lionbridge, he led more than 7,000 people and built innovative technology solutions while delivering consistent growth. Prior to Lionbridge, he was CEO of HireRight, a global leader in HR technology serving more than 40,000 customers, where he led a major transformation program that delivered record revenue and earnings growth.
The news matters because companies of all sizes are increasingly looking across the globe for talent, and they need partners that can help them engage workers responsibly and quickly, regardless of location. As a tech-enabled services company, Atlas HXM helps businesses decide how each worker should be engaged: as an employee through Employer of Record (EOR) or as a contractor through Agent of Record (AOR), and then manage the entire lifecycle in one place. The Atlas HXM EOR service operates entities in 160+ countries and is backed by more than a decade of practitioner-led compliance expertise.
"Companies of all sizes are looking across the globe for the people that will help them innovate and grow," said Fennelly. "Companies are no longer bound by where talent lives, but they need the right partner with the expertise to engage that talent responsibly and can get them up and running, regardless of their location. Our opportunity is to bring technology and human expertise together in a way that makes global workforce management dramatically simpler."
The leadership change underscores the growing importance of global workforce platforms that combine technology with human expertise. Atlas HXM's long-standing "For People, By People" philosophy emphasizes that technology should make global employment smarter while people remain at the heart of it. Fennelly's track record of scaling global businesses and leading transformations aligns with that mission.
"Atlas HXM has built a differentiated position in global workforce management," said Bill Keenan, Chairman of the Board, Atlas HXM and Principal at Sixth Street Growth. "John has a proven record of scaling global businesses, leading transformation and building winning cultures. Having worked alongside him on the board, we know his experience and vision align closely with where Atlas HXM is going next."
For businesses expanding internationally, the appointment signals continuity and ambition. Atlas HXM is recognized as a category Leader by NelsonHall and Everest Group, and its platform provides direct EOR, AOR, payroll, and compliance capabilities backed by a decade of practitioner-led expertise. As the future of work becomes more global, the platform must become smarter—and Fennelly's mandate is to ensure it does.
