26 COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS - Converting Opportunities

alt="https://img-cdn.thepublive.com/filters:format(webp)/dq/media/post_attachments/a12b71d4c2c1715239946d2c8cb89f074c786cca88a56abf3067a32881ad19ab.jpg (13193 bytes)" border="0" hspace="2" vspace="2">CEO: Lakshmi Narayanan ‡ PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: Software Development, Consultancy ‡ START-UP YEAR: 1994 ‡ EMPLOYEES: 1174 ‡ QUALITY CERTIFICATION: ISO 9001 ‡ ADDRESS: No. 38-39, Whites Road, Chennai 600086 ‡ TEL: 8270063 ‡ FAX: 8262507 ‡ WEB SITE: www.dbss.co PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS Grew by 241 percent on annual revenues. 40 percent revenues from Y2K projects. 13 percent software export revenues from Europe.

From Rs 47 crore in 1996-97 to Rs 113.16 crore in 1997-98, this has been a

phenomenal growth for Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTS). With Cognizant Corp.'s

take-over of Dun & Bradstreet, and buy-back of Satyam Computer Services' shares, Dun

& Bradstreet Satyam has become Cognizant Technology Solutions India (P) Ltd. The

company's 241 percent growth came in mainly because of its focused approach in niche

segments.

Its investments in building up core competencies in these areas, over the last few

years, paid rich dividends for the company last year. Onsite development contributed 51.6

percent of the total, with off-shore software development fetching in another 48.4

percent. Major software revenues came in from the US, which alone contributed to 85.6

percent, followed by Europe at 13 percent. The Asia-Pacific region added up the rest.

Last year, the company identified and strategized its businesses into six major

operations: Application Development, Application Maintenance Support, Y2K compliance, Euro

currency compliance,

Test and Quality Assurance, and Rehosting and Reengineering. Globalization was another

key strategy the company adopted last year, and made inroads in the European market-with

about 13 percent of its software exports revenues coming from Euro currency compliance

projects. Almost 40 percent of its revenues came in from Y2K projects alone. Last year,

the company set up development centers at Calcutta and Pune in addition to its existing

four software development centers at Chennai.

A major effort taken up by CTS was the investment of $ 3 million to provide seamless

operational models for clients, thereby establishing world-class infrastructure. This

included development of an extensive communication and technology infrastructure enabling

seamless integration of its onsite and off-shore workforces, permitting team members in

different locations to access common project information.

For the fiscal year 1998-99, CTS is concentrating on three key vertical areas: Health

Care, Insurance, and Media. The objective is to have pre-packaged solutions in these

areas. And with all these activities, the company is targeting a Rs 200 crore revenue for

1998-99. The company is also heading for the SEI Level 4 certification this year.