Growing With Optimism

US digital consultant Cognizant expands Hong Kong office as part of its Greater China growth strategy

Originally set up in 1994 as a captive technology arm of business services company Dun and Bradstreet, Cognizant today has over 250,000 employees across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. Within 10 years of its establishment, the New Jersey‑based company had made it to the NASDAQ‑100 list. In 2011, it became a Fortune 500 company and is currently ranked 230 on the list. Looking to grow its footprint in the Greater China region, Cognizant recently expanded its Hong Kong operations with the opening of a new office in Central.

“The expansion in Hong Kong underscores our confidence and commitment to the city,” said Venkatesh Sriraman, Market Head for Greater China at Cognizant. “Hong Kong’s booming information and communication technology sector is among the world’s most advanced. That, combined with Hong Kong’s specialist business and technology talent, makes the city a great location for us.”

It all started in 2006 when Cognizant set up its Hong Kong office in a small room that could accommodate just about 2-3 people, serving the regional needs of a few US clients. After the company made the strategic decision to allocate more resources to meet the growing demand for its services in the high-growth Asia market, Cognizant’s Hong Kong office moved from a business centre to a 4,000 square feet office last December. The Hong Kong office now houses delivery, sales and corporate teams, as the company delivers a broad range of digital services to more than 30 global, regional and local companies spanning industries such as financial services, insurance, retail and consumer goods.

The expansion is an integral part of a bigger plan, as Sriraman explained, “Cognizant’s increased presence in the city positions the company well to tap into the huge business opportunities in the Greater China region. Services and solutions developed for the mature Hong Kong market can be refined and deployed to serve clients in mainland China. ” According to Sriraman, who has been with the company for over 10 years, the Hong Kong office is a regional hub that enables the company to deliver deep local insights. The time-zone and geographical advantages also allow the team to engage regional customers on a daily basis. He added, “Most of our clients from banks and other institutions are looking to expand in China, and we will grow together with them.”

Cognizant is also committed to nurturing local talent. It runs a graduate recruitment programme in Hong Kong to hire entry‑level technical and management talent from local top‑tier institutions. Comprehensive technical and soft skills training are provided to the selected candidates before their deployment to client engagements for project execution. He said, “The client feedback on our graduate trainees is amazing.”

Having lived across Asia in cities such as Singapore and Dubai, Sriraman finds Hong Kong a great place to live and work in. “Hong Kong is an energetic cosmopolitan city and has its own unique and dynamic flavour. It’s a richly multi-cultural city and incredibly lively, offering a colourful array of people, cuisines and worldviews,” he said.