On July 19, Cognizant announced the appointment of six women to Senior Vice President positions, a strategic move aimed at bolstering diversity within the company’s executive team. This initiative underscores Cognizant’s commitment to fostering a diverse leadership culture, as emphasized by CEO Ravi Kumar S. He stated, “These announcements are something we should collectively celebrate. Advancing diversity must be systemic, woven into everything we do starting with how we recruit and hire, develop, promote, engage, and retain talent.”
Elisa de Rocca-Serra, who joined Cognizant in 2021, has been promoted to Senior Vice President, EMEA General Counsel, and Contract Lifecycle Risk Management (CLRM). In her expanded role, de Rocca-Serra will oversee the management of commercial risk across the client contract lifecycle, with a focus on enhancing operational and financial outcomes.
Thea Hayden, who has been with Cognizant since 2020, is now the Senior Vice President of Global Marketing. In this capacity, Hayden leads an integrated marketing and digital experience team tasked with producing engaging content and overseeing brand design, creative services, social media, thought leadership, and research initiatives to captivate a global audience.
Patricia (Trish) Hunter-Dennehy has been appointed Senior Vice President of the Healthcare Provider/Payor Business Unit. Hunter-Dennehy’s responsibilities encompass revenue cycle management, clearinghouse businesses, and healthcare systems management in the U.S. Her role supports both healthcare delivery and the management of healthcare operations, reflecting her extensive experience gained since joining Cognizant in 2015 following the acquisition of TriZetto.
Sailaja Josyula has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Intuitive Operations & Automation (IOA) for the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sector. Josyula, who also serves as the Hyderabad Centre Head, will oversee commercial markets in North America and global delivery. Hyderabad is recognized as Cognizant’s second-largest delivery center, housing over 56,000 employees.
Archana Ramanakumar, who rejoined Cognizant on July 5 as Senior Vice President of the Industry Solutions Group (ISG), brings a wealth of external experience gained from previous roles at LTI and LTI Mindtree. Ramanakumar’s return continues the legacy she began when she first joined Cognizant in 1996.
Sandra Notardonato, who assumed the role of Senior Vice President of Partnerships and Alliances on July 17, previously served as a senior equities analyst at Gartner for 15 years and held positions at other professional services firms over an 11-year span.
These appointments mark a significant step toward enhancing diversity and representation in Cognizant’s leadership ranks, aligning with the company’s broader strategic objectives.
