TEANECK, N.J., Sept. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH), a leading provider of information technology, consulting, and business process outsourcing services, today announced that Leo S. Mackay, Jr. has been elected to its Board of Directors and will serve on the Company's Audit Committee.

Mr. Mackay, 51, is currently Vice President, and an elected corporate officer, of Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT) where he oversees the company's ethics and corporate sustainability programs. During a career spanning almost three decades, Mr. Mackay has held key roles in the U.S. government, and general management positions at Lockheed Martin, ACS State Healthcare, and Bell Helicopter, a Textron Company.

A 1983 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Mr. Mackay is a former Navy F-14 pilot, a Naval Fighter Weapons School graduate, and a veteran of Operation Earnest Will. He later served as the Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), where he received the Exceptional Service Medal, the VA's highest honor. He is also the 2012 recipient of the Black Engineer of the Year Award for Career Achievement from US Black Engineer magazine.

"We are delighted to welcome Leo to Cognizant's Board of Directors," said Francisco D'Souza, Chief Executive Officer of Cognizant. "Strong ethics and corporate responsibility have been fundamental building blocks of Cognizant's culture. Leo's rich experience in these areas, coupled with his deep understanding of the government sector and the business services industry, will serve Cognizant well as we continue to grow."

Mr. Mackay holds a master's degree and Ph.D. in public policy from Harvard University. He is a member of the Aspen Strategy Group, and the Council on Foreign Relations. He currently serves on the board of the Center for a New American Security, and chairs the Board of Visitors of the Graduate School of Public Affairs at the University of Maryland.

With his election, Cognizant's Board of Directors now consists of ten directors, eight of whom are independent under NASDAQ's rules.

About Cognizant
Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) is a leading provider of information technology, consulting, and business process outsourcing services, dedicated to helping the world's leading companies build stronger businesses. Headquartered in Teaneck, New Jersey (U.S.), Cognizant combines a passion for client satisfaction, technology innovation, deep industry and business process expertise, and a global, collaborative workforce that embodies the future of work. With over 50 delivery centers worldwide and approximately 145,200 employees as of June 30, 2012, Cognizant is a member of the NASDAQ-100, the S&P 500, the Forbes Global 2000, and the Fortune 500 and is ranked among the top performing and fastest growing companies in the world. Visit us online at www.cognizant.com or follow us on Twitter: Cognizant.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes statements which may constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the accuracy of which are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied include general economic conditions and the factors discussed in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Cognizant undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities law.

SOURCE Cognizant