Three months after purchasing Halogen Software, California-based Saba says it has retained 90 per cent of the Ottawa technology firm’s employees, including two of its top executives.
That includes Pete Low, Halogen’s former chief financial officer who’s been appointed to the same job at Saba. Additionally, Karen Williams – Halogen’s former chief product officer – has been appointed executive vice-president of customer advocacy at Saba.
One well-known name in Ottawa who will not be joining Saba is former Halogen CEO Les Rechan. A company spokesperson said he left the firm after completing integration planning for the transition. Mr. Rechan’s LinkedIn profile says he’s recently joined the board of Houston-based business analytics firm PROS.
(Sponsored)
Advanced Business Interiors (ABI) is Making Space Work in Ottawa
ABI’s journey began with a small team on Thurston Drive in 1989; four locations and almost 37 years later, Advanced Business Interiors is now one of the largest office furniture
OBJ launches the 2026 Executive Report on Cornwall
Cornwall has emerged as one of Eastern Ontario’s most compelling locations for business investment, thanks to a combination of affordability, strategic positioning, and a steadily growing economic base.
At the time of February’s $293-million acquisition, Halogen employed about 425 staff, of which roughly 85 per cent were based in Ottawa.
A spokesperson said this week that 90 per cent of those employees – both globally and in Ottawa – have joined Saba.
Halogen, which develops and sells HR software-as-a-service, had formed a special committee slightly more than a month before the acquisition was announced to explore ways of maximizing shareholder value in response to “significant interest” among prospective suitors in purchasing the local firm.
The head of that committee, Rob Ashe, said in February that Saba’s takeover strengthens and accelerates Halogen’s future growth prospects, arguing that both were “pioneers” in the talent management technology field.
