Steering in a Digital World

Gaurav Chand, Denver (USA) - based Chief Marketing Officer, Cognizant, sees global digital transformation which was accelerated with the onset of Covid-19 as the next step forward, and India, with its abundance of talent, playing a key role in that transformation. As for Cognizant, he believes his primary mission, besides enhancing brand recognition and extending its stamp in all market segments, is to push for digital transformation through digital leadership

Corporate Citizen: You are one of the three Indians, as per the Cognizant website, in the leadership team. How does it feel?

Gaurav Chand: While Cognizant is an American company, India is the heart of our organisation. We employ well over two lakh people across the country and our entire delivery force is based here. A huge part of our success is due to our India associates. I feel proud to be a part of Cognizant’s success story.

CC: What’s the average age group of your Indian talent?

In India, a large part of our hiring is straight out of college. It’s a young workforce and we are investing in them more than at any other time through digital training, upskilling, and robust career growth programmes.

CC: So, you have college campus interviews?

Absolutely, and this year we will bring in the largest graduate class in our company’s history: 30,000 new associates this year and another 45,000 offers for 2022. We have deep partnerships with about 150 partner campuses across India, and this year added another 200 campuses. Overall, we give preferences to colleges that drive high academic rigour but also uphold our values. At Cognizant, we firmly believe that diversity and a culture of equality matter not only because it’s the right thing to do but also because it’s a powerful multiplier of innovation. I also want to put special emphasis on one of our core values: Create conditions for everyone to thrive. It’s also about fostering a sense of belonging, where everyone feels safe, valued, respected, and motivated to do their best work.

CC: The Indian education system is known as a rote system and it is generally criticised by Indians. Why is it then that the talent pool you find excels?

I grew up in India and in all honesty, I owe a great deal of my success to the Indian education system. After living in the US for 20 years, I still look back fondly at my school days. I think the country’s educational system values rigorous academic knowledge and curriculums, and it helps shape a strong foundation. Our new graduates coming through our door with this sure footing, and we nurture their growth through internal digital training and upskilling programmes. This year, for example, we are training 100,000 in new digital skills. We also believe in supporting higher education and recently introduced a programme where associates can get an M.Tech from a premier institution such as IIT Jodhpur, BITS Pilani while on the job.

CC: Was there any effect from former President Donald Trump making a nationalistic pitch and appealing to US companies to not hire people from abroad?

Not really. Several leaders in the IT space stood up and said that there is a huge advantage in diversity. The wider the diversity of experiences, the wider the pool of knowledge the team will bring to a project. At the end of the day, companies are thinking globally and not locally, and that’s the only way to get access to the best and the brightest talent across the world. It’s a known fact that companies that are more diverse tend to be more successful.

"In India, a large part of our hiring is straight out of college. It’s a young workforce and we are investing in them more than at any other time through digital training, upskilling, and robust career growth programmes"

CC: Do your employees primarily work from home or from the office, in the wake of the pandemic?

We switched to remote work at the onset of the pandemic and a majority of our employees in India are working from home. We feel so proud that despite the challenges, our associates adapted quickly to new ways of working, supported each other and their communities tremendously, and ensured uninterrupted delivery for our clients around the globe. Now with restrictions easing up, we have started thinking about a return to the office. Close to 90% are now vaccinated with at least one dose, and we are counting. Given the success of our vaccination programme, we are inviting those who are fully vaccinated to work from select facilities as a voluntary option. We will monitor closely and scale up as needed.

CC: In how many locations is Cognizant present in India?

Cognizant has a significant presence in all major metros of India-Chennai, Pune, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Delhi (NCR), and Mumbai, along with a moderate presence in Mangaluru, Mysore, and Kochi.

CC: You have worked in major American multinational companies. Based on your observations, tell us the characteristics of these companies, in relation to Indian multinationals.

Honestly, I can’t say much about Indian conglomerates because I have never worked in one. I did a brief two-year stint in a global pharmaceuticals company in India before moving to the United States for higher education. I can share based on my experience that the scale of operations of American multinationals is a huge advantage. One gets meaningful exposure to different people, countries, cultures, and that is one of the most wonderful things about an American multinational. I had opportunities to travel around the world, understand how other people live, how the business operates in other countries. I learned from the myriad experiences each time depending upon whether I was in Australia, Japan, China, the US, India or Europe. Of course, there are cultural nuances, varied rules and regulations, different languages and cuisines, all of which add up to a more holistic understanding of how global commerce works-it’s fascinating.

The Personal Journey

A great cook too!

It started off as a necessity. When I first arrived in the US, I had to think twice before going to a McDonald’s because I was on a tight budget as an MBA student. To start, I turned to cook for myself. Then, I began experimenting with different kinds of cuisines and found it very therapeutic. I especially enjoy chopping, even onions. Now, I cook for my family and friends as much as I can.

Fasting to stay fit!

A few years ago, I turned to intermittent fasting. I did it because I could. When you are working in different time zones, physical activity may not be possible every day and fasting is one way to maintain oneself. It has so far worked out well for me. I relish one meal a day, whatever and how much ever I want, and don’t eat for the rest of the day. I feel fitter and generally healthier.

CC: With companies around the world being technology-oriented, would the only differentiation then be people’s characteristics?

Millennials, today, whether they are in New York or New Delhi are natives of one world - digital, and speak the same language - social. I absolutely believe that culturally, everyone might have their distinct identities in different parts of the world but with omnipresent technology, they are more or less on the same homepage. On another note, the future is going to be all about modernising businesses and companies are taking digital transformation journeys in turbo drive. There is no other way to excel but to reinvent, reimagine and relearn, and get ready for tomorrow’s skills today.

CC: Can you talk about your current role and responsibilities?

Our CEO Brian Humphries and the leadership team have set the ‘Cognizant Agenda’ and our purpose is clear: we engineer modern businesses to improve everyday life. We are repositioning the Cognizant brand, globalising Cognizant, accelerating digital, and increasing our client relevance, including through ESG. Cognizant brings capabilities that can truly digitally transform our clients and we have a proud tradition of commitment to social responsibility, through the unstinting efforts of our Foundations and employee-led volunteering efforts across the world. My role is to enable our priorities, help transform how the brand engages with our associates, clients, and communities; and drive value as we advance towards our vision of becoming the preeminent technology services partner to the Global 2000 C-suite.

CC: You have a social media outfit?

We have a full-fledged social media team and Cognizant is present on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Our goal is to deeply connect with our clients, our associates, our partners, and our stakeholders. We tell our story in different ways ranging from how our leaders are shaping digital transformations to our ‘hero’ associates who during the pandemic, went above and beyond to help those in dire need to celebrate our partnerships with like-minded brands such as Aston Martin and Ladies Professional Golf Association.

"My personal advice to the youth of today, to quote Albert Einstein: try not to become a person of success but rather try to become a person of value"

CC: You are also on the Board of Directors for the Cognizant US foundation. That’s the social enterprise part of it. Tell us about your activities.

Cognizant’s Foundations in India and the US carry forward our belief that technology is a force for good that improves everyday lives. Cognizant Foundation in India has been dedicated to communities across India for over 14 years. During the pandemic, for example, we operationalised relief efforts across the country through $8.5 million (approx. Rs.60 crores) in emergency funding through UNICEF, Cognizant’s Foundation and Outreach programs in India. Along with its longstanding implementation partners, the Foundation successfully mobilised critical medical equipment and services, from oxygenated Covid care beds and ventilators to PPE kits and vaccinations, for underprivileged and differently-abled communities-to help meet the demands of this crisis and save lives. As the Foundation moves forward to the next phase of its journey, we plan to help bridge the divides and exclusions in access to health care, online learning, and tech skills. Similarly, in the US, our effort has been to encourage diversity and inclusion and democratise pathways into tech careers. We have invested in providing tech skills such as coding and application development to enable all communities to pursue a career in these fields. We also have scholarships where the foundation dollars go towards organisations that provide these services to underprivileged populations across the world.

CC: How have these initiatives worked? Have they translated into jobs for you?

Our goal is to enable underprivileged and underserved communities. It is their choice and their right to choose a career in any company or any field of work.

CC: From a Pune boy to a corporate hotshot, what did it take to make that journey?

My North Star on my ongoing journey has been a clarity of purpose. My motto has been don’t take ‘No’ from someone who can’t say yes to you. My mantra is to combine purpose with goals, personal drive with hard work. I also think emotional intelligence, building relationships, and leading with influence when put together in the right proportions can be a recipe for success for absolutely anybody.

CC: What would you tell student managers, whether they have done an MBA or have come from IITs or IIMs when they get to the corporate field? One of the things they ask is what my salary is. What advice would you give to them and what is your observation about today’s youngsters?

We all have different motivators, our own strengths and weaknesses in a workplace. Some people are driven by the quality of work and ability to make a difference, some by professional relationships, and yet others pursue rewards and compensation or a combination of all. I have seen that any or all these drivers can lead to success. At Cognizant, given our scale and footprint, we try to ensure our associates have a holistic, well-rounded experience, and we pay attention to their physical, mental and financial well-being.

My personal advice to the youth of today, to quote Albert Einstein: try not to become a person of success but rather try to become a person of value.

CC: Has the Covid-19 pandemic changed your marketing strategy?

Absolutely. Companies had to accelerate how to digitally engage with their clients and consumers and the average marketer had to evolve alongside. In the pre-pandemic world, the biggest spend for a marketer were physical events, which are no longer possible in the aftermath. Marketers had to quickly reinvent and reimagine not only ways to identify their customers but also understand the whole persona of the customer and how to deeply connect with them. As a result, Predictive Analytics which combines several components of artificial intelligence (AI) is now surging in popularity among marketing leaders. These technologies can help companies foresee which prospects are most likely to become customers. It’s not as if these technologies didn’t exist before. But there was a passiveness to adopting them and the pandemic triggered these tectonic shifts in the world of marketing.

CC: Once the pandemic subsides, will marketers go back to the old ways to target customers?

Absolutely not. Human interaction and building those relationships need to come back. But it needs to be coupled with the digital world. I believe that the hybrid world is the right answer.

CC: Has Covid-19 changed the corporate culture? Has the nature of the employer-employee relationship changed? Have companies become more employee-oriented?

Absolutely yes-there is a heightened focus on employee health, mindset, and engagement. When you are in a physical world, it is easy to assess the level of employee engagement. In a virtual world, there are barriers. It necessitates the different ways of connecting with associates and building relationships virtually. This has been a top priority for us because our associates are at the heart of everything we do. We truly care about our employees and did not hesitate to deploy all available resources to support them and their families during the crisis. Making sure everyone had access to a dedicated 24/7 emergency helpline, medical support in hospitals or home quarantines, and fully paid Covid leave to take care of themselves or loved ones made a meaningful difference. We are now focused on completing our vaccination programmes.

CC: Before Covid-19 struck, we used to talk about the VUCA world. Would you still call the current situation a VUCA world?

It is a hot talent market and physical locations are no longer a deciding factor. Talent could be in Tier 3 or 4 cities and still work with a global multinational firm with offices around the globe. There has been a fundamental shift. In India, which already has a hot talent market, Covid has accelerated it to some degree.

"When people have more choices, they are happier, and it results in better work. It pushes companies to think about their associates and think about their mental and physical well-being"

CC: For the better?

You’ve got to believe that when people have more choices, they are happier, and it results in better work. It pushes companies to think about their associates and think about their mental and physical well-being and I think it raises all boats.

CC: Has the transition to a virtual world enabled you to spend more time with your family?

That’s an interesting question. Before the pandemic, most of our lives were structured around work schedules, it was difficult to slow down and spend quality time with those who matter the most. The pandemic brought about a paradigm shift in work-life balance. With my family at home, we did things that might not have been possible to pull together easily in the past with our different schedules like cooking, family bike rides and TV show nights. These are moments that on a personal level I found incredibly gratifying.

CC: You are a great cook. How did you develop this passion?

It started off as a necessity. When I first arrived in the US, I had to think twice before going to a McDonald’s because I was on a tight budget as an MBA student. To start, I turned to cook for myself. Then, I began experimenting with different kinds of cuisines and found it very therapeutic. I especially enjoy chopping, even onions. Now, I cook for my family and friends as much as I can.

CC: Tell us about your diet. How do you keep yourself fit?

A few years ago, I turned to intermittent fasting. I did it because I could. When you are working in different time zones, physical activity may not be possible every day and fasting is one way to maintain oneself. It has so far worked out well for me. I relish one meal a day, whatever and how much ever I want and don’t eat for the rest of the day. I feel fitter and generally healthier.

CC: This seems to be a trend in Silicon Valley. Even the Twitter CEO does intermittent fasting.

I did not know that. I just read up about it and started it for myself. I am vaguely aware that a lot of celebrities follow this diet.

CC: Tell our readers the philosophy of life that you live by.

I believe that one should live and let live, and work hard.

CC: How do you spend time with your family?

We have not travelled lately given the pandemic. We truly enjoy outdoor activities together-walking our dog, bike rides, my daughter, and I also play golf. Then, we cook meals and have fun, and catch up on our favourite TV shows.

CC: Your daughter’s name is Kaya. How old is she?

She is 11 years old.

CC: Where do you see her 10 years from now?

In all honesty, she is the generation growing up as a true digital native, much more so than I did. From early on, I have tried to guide her with values especially, building long-lasting relationships. I think that is going to make her a better human being overall.