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IT company Cognizant on Wednesday announced the appointment of Rajesh Varrier as Chairman and Managing Director, India, effective from October 1, as Rajesh Nambiar leaves the company to become President of IT industry's umbrella body Nasscom. 

Debjani Ghosh, the current President of Nasscom, said in a post on X social media platform that her time at the apex IT industry chamber “has been one of the most enriching experiences of my career”.

Meanwhile, Varrier will also be Global Head of Operations at Cognizant, effective September 2. Based in Bengaluru, Varrier will be an Executive Vice President of Cognizant, reporting to Ravi Kumar S, Cognizant's CEO.

“As we drive further operational excellence, efficiency and a sharp focus on execution into our business model, this role is a natural orchestration point for our India-based operations,” said Ravi Kumar.

Varrier’s responsibilities will include operations, delivery excellence, workforce planning, India leadership council, expansion in India and other key responsibilities.

“I’m thrilled to help accelerate the company’s growth journey, as leader of these critical business areas, and look forward to working with the amazing team the company has in place in India and globally,” said Varrier.

Prior to joining Cognizant, Varrier served as EVP, Head of Global Services and Infosys Americas, as well as Global Head of Infosys’ Digital and Microsoft businesses.

Nambiar said that he is “truly humbled to be appointed as the president of Nasscom, an organisation that has been instrumental in shaping the Indian IT industry”.

He is a seasoned leader with an extensive background in the technology sector, has held prominent roles at major companies including TCS, IBM, Ciena and Cognizant.

Meanwhile, Ghosh said that joining Nasscom was the best career decision she had made 7 years back.

“My fascination with frontier technologies has grown into a passion, and it’s now my dream to see India emerge as a global leader in these transformative fields. AI is undoubtedly poised to reshape economies worldwide, and my aspiration is for India to lead this transformation in a way that benefits both humanity and the environment,” she posted on X.

“We have embraced opportunities and continually pushed the boundaries of what is possible for India’s technology sector. There were times when we stumbled, but each setback only made us stronger, and we always emerged forward,” Ghosh added.