Cognizant appoints Sailaja Josyula as global head of GCC division

Cognizant

IT major Cognizant announced on April 1 that Sailaja Josyula has been appointed the new Global Head of its Global Capability Center (GCC) service line.

"Based in Hyderabad, Sailaja will lead the definition and execution of Cognizant's global GCC strategy, working closely with the leadership team to ensure it is future-ready and client-centric," the company said in a release.

Josyula will establish and lead a cross-functional team to help clients build and scale next-generation GCCs, ensuring seamless setup and delivery. Her leadership will ensure the deepening of Cognizant’s expertise in this high-growth area and the delivery of long-term value to clients through innovation, agility, and operational excellence.

“Sailaja truly understands our business, our clients, and our team," Surya Gummadi, president -Americas, Cognizant, was quoted as saying in the release. “With her extensive experience and proven track record, Sailaja's leadership will boost our ability to build and scale GCCs, delivering great value for our clients. Her return to Cognizant is a big milestone as we look to seize the GCC opportunity.”

Josyula returns to Cognizant after a brief stint at EY. Between 2018 and 2024, she held multiple leadership positions at Cognizant, including, Center Head of Hyderabad and Global Head of BFSI Operations Delivery.

On January 22 at the World Economic Forum, the US-headquartered firm's CEO (chief executive officer) Ravi Kumar S told Moneycontrol that approximately 10,000 more employees want to return to the IT major after 13,000 former Cognizant employees rejoined the company in 2024.

With nearly three decades of industry experience, Josyula brings deep domain knowledge in financial services and a proven track record in transformation, execution, and program management. Before Cognizant, she held leadership roles at Thomson Reuters and HSBC, where she led large-scale offshore delivery, customer experience transformation, and global payment operations.

A chemical engineer by training and a certified Six Sigma Black Belt, Sailaja is a fellow of the International Women’s Leadership Forum and a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion. She is widely recognized for her people-centric leadership and commitment to operational excellence.