Top Cognizant executive shifts loyalties to rival Virtusa

A top US-based executive of Cognizant Technology Solutions, Dan Smith, has left the company to join Massachusetts-based rival Virtusa Corporation, an unlisted provider of software services, as its president and chief operating officer.

In Cognizantm, Smith served as the general manager of its largest business unit, encompassing practices in healthcare, life sciences, insurance, communications and media.

During his six-year tenure as a top executive team member, the company grew from $25 million to more than $500 million.

In his new role Smith will lead Virtusa's worldwide sales, marketing, and delivery organisations and further build upon the company's unique business model with a comprehensive set of highly differentiated IT services that enhance agility, productivity and IT effectiveness for clients.

As a senior executive and industry leader, Smith brings to Virtusa twenty years of proven success in leading and growing global IT services organizations, refining go to market strategies, and implementing client-focused account management and delivery practices.

"Dan is a terrific addition to Virtusa's executive team and we are delighted to have him on-board," stated Virtusa chairman and CEO Kris Canekeratne.

"Dan brings his proven leadership and operational experience to Virtusa. His strength in building client-focused teams combined with Virtusa's unique mix of service offerings and execution model will provide our clients with an even stronger value proposition that is highly differentiated in today's global services industry. As we enter our next phase of growth and expansion, we look forward to making a significant difference to our clients by enhancing their competitive advantage."

"Virtusa's ability to deliver innovative services and complex solutions through a global model to its clients is truly impressive.

"The team's focus on creating value for their clients has been one of the key contributors to Virtusa's long-term relationships with its clients,"said Smith.

Virtusa is a global software development and IT services firm focused on increasing our client's business agility and IT efficiency by building custom software platforms tailored to create and sustain a client's competitive advantage.

Since 1996, Virtusa has partnered with Fortune 1000 enterprises and leading software product companies in the financial services, communications, retail and other industries. Headquartered in Massachusetts, the company maintains offices and technology centers through the US, UK, India and Sri Lanka.