Telstra invites Cognizant into its software and IT division

Telstra is bringing Cognizant into a transformation program underway in its software engineering and IT function.

The outsourced services provider said it would “introduce new ways of working to accelerate Telstra’s software engineering and IT capabilities”.

It also foreshadowed a role for AI in helping “to drive innovation and improve operational efficiency.”

Telstra’s group executive of product and technology Kim Krogh Andersen flagged the “journey of consolidation and simplification” that is happening across Telstra - not just in IT and engineering but more broadly.

“Selecting Cognizant as a strategic partner for our software engineering and IT function is a key part of that,” Anderson said.

Head of software engineering and IT Kieran O’Meara added that Cognizant will help Telstra “build our modern software engineering capability – defined by modern product engineering practices, the latest tools and a stable workforce.”

Cognizant characterised part of its work as “implementing modern product engineering practices that will enable Telstra to further improve its customer experience and speed to market.”

It said it would “leverage its global capabilities” to “enable more efficient software engineering and IT operations” at Telstra and to help the telco to “decommission legacy systems.”