Former US Presidential Appointee is Now Cognizant’s Global Leader of Technology

As the company’s leader of Technology, Anil Cheriyan will be responsible for informing strategy, digitizing the business, and strengthening IT and Security capabilities and resilience, according to Cognizant.

In our popular CISO update, we are featuring Cognizant’s latest hiring of industry veteran Anil Cheriyan as the new EVP of Strategy & Technology. This announcement comes in the wake of a growing number of ransomware attacks emerging out of loopholes in IT modernization practices and social engineering. As the new EVP at Cognizant, Anil Cheriyan would head the company’s global IT and Security systems, in addition to modernizing its strategy to build and consolidate alliances, business development and other core digital transformation operations. Anil would report to Cognizant’s CEO Brian Humphries –an incredible feat considering Cognizant has never hired a Head of Technology who reports directly to the CEO.

According to Cognizant, Anil will join on 3 August as part of the Executive Council. He will be responsible for informing strategy, digitizing the business, and strengthening IT and Security capabilities and resilience.

Anil Cheriyan is a very well-known technology expert in the US IT industry. He has led various transformational groups as the Director of Technology Transformation in the US Federal government. In his most recent active roles, the new Cognizant Head of Technology Transformation served as the US Presidential Appointee in charge of Technology Transformation Services. The role involved working very closely with the Federal IT Security and Risk Management systems, building the technology transformation strategy, roadmap, and agenda across the US federal government. He was solely responsible for acquiring the 100 billion technology budget and worked very closely with the White House, Agency leadership, and the Federal CIO.

Anil Cheriyan will oversee the company’s Global IT, Global Security, Strategy, Alliances, and Business Development organizations and will report directly to chief executive Brian Humphries. As the company’s leader of Technology, he will be responsible for informing strategy, digitizing the business, and strengthening IT and Security capabilities and resilience, according to Cognizant.

Anil Cheriyan will head a team of formidable IT and Security, and Revenue Generation leaders, led by Rakesh Bhardwaj, Global Dan Smith, and Brad Berry. As businesses see huge potential in IT modernization and MSP technologies core to their very digital identity, Cognizant’s new hiring comes as a force to continue with the trend. AI, Cloud and Compute, Edge, and Security remain the pillars of any modern-day IT infrastructure– with Cheriyan heading the Global IT strategy and Business development departments, Cognizant is expected to further grow its presence across new regions and industries.

Cognizant also informed that Greg Hyttenrauch, President of Digital Systems and Technology at Cognizant, will continue to focus on leading Digital Systems and Technology.