Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar joins USISPF board

The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) has named Ravi  Kumar S, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cognizant to its Board of Directors.

At the helm of Cognizant, Kumar sets the strategic direction of the company and has inculcated a strong client-first culture at all levels, according to a media release. Since taking over in January 2023, Kumar’s focus at Cognizant has been on ensuring sustainable growth and prioritizing long-term shareholder value.

USISPF President and CEO, Dr Mukesh Aghi said, “Ravi is a doyen in the tech industry and is a foremost thought leader who has unparalleled insights on the dynamic and fast-changing nature of the tech sector.

“At USISPF, our ethos is building stronger bridges between the United States and India, and the services sector, particularly IT, with the export of IT services remains, one of India’s flagship contributions to the United States tech economy.

“In an era of a digital-first economy and digital trade, Cognizant’s work through the years exemplifies the burgeoning collaboration in the US-India technology partnership success story.

“India’s robust tech talent remains pivotal in fortifying and expanding the tech sector within the United States. I wholeheartedly welcome Ravi to the USISPF Board and look forward to the next chapter in the US-India story.”

Congratulating Kumar, USISPF Chairman John Chambers said, “It’s a pleasure to welcome Ravi to the USISPF Board of Directors. Ravi is an accomplished leader in IT services, and his broad experience in the industry – touching digital transformation, engineering services, data analytics, and more – puts him in the top caliber of experts supporting innovation in this space, particularly in India.

“Cognizant’s role in strengthening the tech ties between the US and India is clear, demonstrated by the company’s integral role in India’s near $200 billion software exports for 2023. I look forward to having Ravi on our board. His partnership will undoubtedly help further the flourishing tech partnership between our two democracies.”

Kumar said, “I am honored to join the USISPF Board of Directors. At Cognizant, I have the honor of leading an American company which is India’s second-largest employer among multinationals.

“Seventy percent of our nearly 350,000 employees live in India, and I believe that their work is the critical cog on the tech talent wheel that will help drive economic success for both countries. This is the mission to which the USISPF has dedicated itself and I am thrilled to help author the story of our nations’ mutual success.”

In addition to joining the Board of Directors at USISPF, Kumar is also a member of the board of directors of TransUnion and the board of directors for the US Chamber of Commerce. He is also on the board of governors of the New York Academy of Sciences.

USISPF, an independent not-for-profit institution dedicated to strengthening the US-India partnership in Washington, DC, and in New Delhi, says it’s committed to creating the most powerful partnership between the United States and India.

USISPF, it says is the trusted partner for businesses, non-profit organizations, the diaspora, and the governments of India and the United States.