Cognizant, Persistent lose top execs after outsiders join as CEOs: Reports

Debashis Chatterjee is said to be leaving Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. as executive vice-president and president of global delivery after 23 years of service in various capacities, said The Times of India.

The news comes after Cognizant recently appointed outsider Brian Humphries as chief executive, who has made leadership changes to the company, Chatterjee being the latest.

As part of the recent rejig, Malcolm Frank, who was chief strategy officer, supplanted Gajen Kandiah, who has been with the firm for 16 years, as president of the digital business.

Superseding Sriniketh Chakravarthi, Prasad Chintamaneni, executive vice-president and president of global industries and consulting, is taking charge of the banking and financial services business on an interim basis in addition to his existing responsibilities.

Among his several roles at the firm, Chatterjee headed up Cognizant’s banking and financial services practice as senior vice-president and global head until 2007.

Chatterjee has over 30 years of experience in the field of IT.

Chatterjee, who has worked for IBM, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Mahindra & Mahindra, joined Cognizant in 1996.

Persistent loses top executives 

Pune-based IT services company Persistent Systems Ltd saw the exits of top executives in a top-deck rejig, less than a month after IBM veteran Christopher O’Connor took over the company as chief executive-designate.

Chief product officer Nara Rajagopalan and president of technology services Sudhir Kulkarni exited the company, according to a report by The Economic Times citing persons in the know.

Sandeep Kalra has taken over as president, technology services. Kalra was senior vice-president and general manager at Samsung subsidiary Harman International in its connected services division.

During his six-year stint at Persistent, Rajagopalan was the chief executive of digital technology services subsidiary Accelerite.

Persistent has been transitioning from a single founder-promoter-run entity to a professionally-run firm over the last year with the appointment of O’Connor as chief executive. The company was founded in 1990 by Anand Deshpande who serves as chairman.

Persistent has in the past invested an undisclosed amount in US-based Big Data firm Cazena. Also, it has acquired US-based Herald Technologies Inc., at an enterprise valuation of $5.2 million.