US-based Cognizant, a leading global provider of information technology, consulting and business process services, has expanded its operations in the Middle East region with the opening of a new office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The move will help its clients to leverage the technical and business capabilities available in the region for building digital businesses, operations and systems, said a statement from the company.

Cognizant currently employs more than 200 professionals in Saudi Arabia, delivering a broad range of services- across digital business, operations, and systems and technology - to more than 25 leading organisations in industry sectors such as financial services, insurance, energy, utilities, telecommunications, and retail.

“We congratulate Cognizant on the inauguration of its new office in Riyadh,” said Meletis Meletiou, chief financial officer at Kudu Company, a leading restaurant chain in the kingdom.

“In working with us on a key ERP programme, Cognizant has proven itself to be a reliable and highly professional strategic partner who combines deep business and technology capabilities and experience,” stated Meletiou.

“We thank Cognizant for its hard work and collaborative approach to helping us further strengthen our market leadership through greater efficiency, reduced operational costs and superior performance,” he added.

Narayan Iyer, vice president, Middle East and India, Cognizant, said: “We started operations in Saudi Arabia in 2011 and have steadily grown our presence and investment in the country.”

“Our expansion in the kingdom underscores our confidence in the country's talent pool and its ability to help our clients drive not just operational efficiencies, but also digital transformation for the needs of tomorrow,” he said.

“We will continue to work closely with the academia in Saudi Arabia and build talent across our full range of services by helping science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) graduates become software professionals of global standards and work on helping clients navigate the shift to the digital era,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service