Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar S: What I did in the past is my past... I am accountable for ...

Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar S has emphasized his commitment to the company's future and downplayed the ongoing legal dispute with his former employer, Infosys. In an interview with Economic Times, Ravi Kumar asserted his dedication to "doing what is right for this firm" and dismissed the lawsuit as a distraction, stating, "Everything else, I just want to put on the side."
"Caught red handed" stealing trade secrets and more.... Sharp accusations continue to be exchanged in the lawsuit between Infosys and Cognizant. In the very recent charges, Cognizant claimed that Infosys was caught "Red handed" stealing trade secrets of its healthcare software TriZetto. Infosys on its part named its former President and now Cognizant CEO in the counter lawsuit. Ravi Kumar held the position of President in Infosys when he resigned in October 2022. He replaced Brian Humphries as Cognizant CEO in January 2023.
Kumar, who recently marked his second year at Cognizant, highlighted the company's transition from a "stabilization phase" to "organic, sequential growth." He reportedly cited consistent performance at the upper end of guidance ranges, margin expansion, and strategic investments in AI and mergers and acquisitions, notably the acquisition of Belcan, as key achievements.
Ravi Kumar outlined a "three-vector AI opportunity," focusing on AI-assisted code development, AI integration into enterprise landscapes, and the development of AI agents. Notably, he revealed that 20% of Cognizant's code is now generated by machines, with expectations for this figure to rise.
"We’re focusing on a three-vector AI opportunity: AI-assisted code development, AI integration into enterprise landscapes, and unlocking new service pools through agentification," Kumar said. He also noted significant productivity improvements among developers due to AI assistance.
While acknowledging ongoing macroeconomic challenges, including high interest rates and inflation, Kumar expressed optimism about the decreasing uncertainty and the practical adoption of AI. He noted a shift in the IT services landscape, with AI creating new addressable spend areas beyond traditional cost budgets.
"The traditional view of IT services relying solely on cost budgets is changing," Kumar stated, highlighting the company's focus on being "in the business" rather than just "enabling the business." He also pointed to the company's success in securing large deals, including 29 deals worth over $100 million in the past year.
Kumar addressed concerns about leadership changes, attributing some departures to natural turnover and strategic restructuring. He emphasized the company's success in attracting top talent, including returning former employees, and highlighted key hires across various departments. He denied allegations of active poaching, stating that most hires resulted from formal searches.
"We’ve attracted a lot of talent, including former Cognizant employees who have returned," Kumar said, emphasizing the stability of the leadership team over the past two years.