Cognizant appoints 6 women SVPs
NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES — Professional services company Cognizant has ushered in a wave of senior leadership changes with the appointment of six women to Senior Vice President (SVP) roles, a combination of promotions and new hires.
This move aligns with Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar S’ drive for diversity and inclusion in leadership, which he has prioritized since assuming the role in January 2023.
Elisa de Rocca-Serra, with the company since 2021, has been promoted to SVP, EMEA General Counsel and Contract Lifecycle Risk Management (CLRM), overseeing commercial risk management throughout the client contract lifecycle.
Thea Hayden, onboard since 2020, now serves as SVP, Global Marketing. She is charged with managing the Cognizant brand, along with design, creative services, social media, and thought leadership.
Patricia Hunter-Dennehy has been moved up to SVP, Healthcare Provider/Payor Business Unit, overseeing healthcare administration in the United States.
Sailaja Josyula, who joined in 2018, has advanced to the role of SVP, Intuitive Operations & Automation (IOA) for the Banking, Financial Services, Insurance (BFSI) industry for North American commercial markets, and global delivery. She also presides over the Hyderabad center, Cognizant’s second-largest delivery center, with over 56,000 associates.
Archana Ramanakumar, who had left Cognizant in 2020, returned on July 5 as SVP, Industry Solutions Group (ISG).
Finally, Sandra Natardonato, an industry veteran with extensive experience at Gartner and various professional services firms, joined Cognizant on July 17 as SVP, Partnerships and Alliances.
With 355,300 employees worldwide, Cognizant booked US$19.4 billion in revenues in 2022. The company ranked 5th in the Time Doctor OA500, the first objective index of the world’s top 500 outsourcing firms.
