Cognizant Appoints Rajesh Varrier as New India CMD Following Nambiar's Move to Nasscom

IT giant Cognizant has named Rajesh Varrier as the new Global Head of Operations and India Chairman and Managing Director. This announcement follows Rajesh Nambiar's resignation, who will become the president of Nasscom. Varrier's new roles will be effective from September 2, 2024, and October 1, 2024, respectively.

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Nasscom has also announced Nambiar as its president designate, succeeding Debjani Ghosh in November 2024. Nambiar has previously served on the Nasscom Executive Council and was elected chairperson in 2023. His leadership has been crucial in establishing India's tech sector as a global leader.

Rajesh Varrier's New Responsibilities

Varrier will oversee operations, delivery excellence, workforce planning, and the India leadership council at Cognizant. He will also focus on driving transformation programmes and representing the company in its growth plans across India. Ravi Kumar S., Cognizant's CEO, stated that Varrier would be an executive vice president reporting directly to him.

Before joining Cognizant, Varrier held several key positions at Infosys, including EVP and Head of Global Services and Infosys Americas. He also led Infosys Digital and Microsoft businesses. Additionally, he was the CIO and Digital Officer for Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance and founded the analytics firm Activecubes.

Nasscom's Leadership Transition

Nasscom highlighted Nambiar's extensive experience with global teams at TCS, IBM, Ciena, and Cognizant. His strategic initiatives have significantly contributed to India's tech sector. "This is truly an exciting time for the industry," Nambiar said, focusing on AI-first companies and talent as competitive advantages.

Debjani Ghosh, the current president of Nasscom, noted that the tech sector is vital to India's growth. She expressed confidence in Nambiar's ability to elevate Nasscom's charter further. "I welcome him and look forward to working with him," she added.

Search Committee's Role

A search committee led by Keshav R. Murugesh was responsible for appointing Nasscom's next president. The committee included industry leaders like Harish Mehta, Som Mittal, Krishnakumar Natarajan, and Sindhu Gangadharan. Murugesh praised Ghosh for her contributions and welcomed Nambiar as the new president designate.

Murugesh emphasised that Nasscom is on the brink of a significant digital transformation. He stated that identifying an India evangelist was crucial for sustaining and accelerating this transformation. "We are confident that Rajesh’s leadership will further propel the tech industry's growth trajectory," he added.

Varrier holds an undergraduate degree in Physics and a postgraduate degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Mumbai. Ravi Kumar S. praised Varrier's operational rigour and entrepreneurial spirit, aligning well with Cognizant's goals for operational excellence and efficiency.

"My years of working with Rajesh Varrier give me great confidence," Kumar said. He believes that with Varrier's leadership, Cognizant can continue to build upon its strong foundation in India.

The transition marks a significant shift in leadership for both Cognizant and Nasscom. With experienced leaders like Varrier and Nambiar at the helm, both organisations are poised for continued growth and success in their respective fields.