Cognizant appoints ex-IBM and TCS chief Rajesh Nambiar as Chairman and MD, India (CMD)

Cognizant has today announced the appointment of Rajesh Nambiar as the Chairman and Managing Director of India. He will also serve as a member of Cognizant’s Executive Committee, effective November 9, 2020.

Cognizant, one of the world's leading professional services companies help transform clients' business; operating and technology models for the digital era. Rajesh joins the ITeS firm from Ciena; a networking, systems, and software company. He served as Chairman and President of Ciena, India. He is filling in the role of Ramkumar Ramamoorthy, who quit the company in July.

Apart from Nambiar, the company has made two more announcements. Ursula Morgenstern joins as the new president, global growth markets (GGM), from early January. She will join Cognizant from French IT services firm, Atos in Cognizant London. Further, Manoj Mehta, ex-GGM will take on a new role leading the global IoT practice.

About Rajesh Nambiar

Rajesh Nambiar, CMD at Cognizant Technology Solutions, India

Rajesh is a global citizen, the company states. He has lived and worked across the globe including India, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the U.S. His extensive general management, commercial, and delivery experience include more than a dozen years with IBM and 18 years with Tata Consultancy Services.

At IBM, Rajesh was the General Manager and Global Leader for IBM’s Application Services Business; with oversight of an $8 billion global P&L. He also served on the board of IBM India. Moreover, he was a member of The National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) Executive Council while at IBM.

“We are pleased to welcome Rajesh to Cognizant and our Executive Committee,” said Brian Humphries, CEO, Cognizant. “In the repositioned and elevated role of the India Chairman and Managing Director, Rajesh will strengthen our brand positioning in India and enhance our relationships with relevant Indian government agencies, chambers of commerce, universities, the media, and key policy-making bodies, including NASSCOM.”

“Rajesh will also serve as the Executive Committee representative of our nearly 200,000 associates in India. We are confident that his extensive industry and leadership experience will provide further momentum to our operations in India, which is a critical hub of Cognizant’s leading-edge delivery capabilities.”

“I am honoured to be part of Cognizant and look forward to contributing to the company’s growth as a member of the Executive Committee. Cognizant’s technology and delivery capabilities in India provide an immense competitive advantage to the company and its clients,” added Nambiar. “My priority is to build upon Cognizant’s rich legacy of innovation, industry leadership, and client-centric employee culture to help the company engineer modern businesses that improve everyday life.”