Cognizant has appointed Thirumala (“Thiru”) Arohi as its new chief learning officer, reporting to Kathy Diaz, chief people officer. The move comes as part of the company’s push to elevate its learning and development capabilities in an era of rapid technological change.
Thiru arrives with over 30 years of experience in learning, training and assessment in large technology firms. He spent more than 28 of those years at Infosys, rising to the role of executive vice president and head of education, training & assessment & learning platforms. In that capacity, he was responsible for building scalable learning ecosystems, launching digital learning initiatives, and integrating training platforms across geographies. Prior to his time at Infosys, Thiru worked as an engineer, including roles at Sanghi Polyesters and another firm, gaining early hands-on experience in technical problem solving and process structuring.
Thiru holds a BTech in electrical and electronics from Acharya Nagarjuna University. Over his career, he has developed programmes for leadership development, succession planning, competency mapping, and change management. His earlier roles in delivery leadership endowed him with a strong business orientation—he knows how learning connects with performance metrics, revenue growth and strategic objectives, not just HR functions.
In his new role at Cognizant, Thiru will lead the global learning & development function. His responsibilities include designing and deploying corporate-wide learning programmes, reimagining learning platforms to be more agile and AI-enabled, exploring innovative upskilling and reskilling models, and establishing partnerships with academic institutions and technology providers. He is also tasked with enhancing employee experience through learning, improving retention and productivity, and ensuring that learning interventions directly support business units in adapting to disrupted markets and fast-shifting skills requirements.
The appointment comes at a critical juncture. As AI, cloud computing, automation and hybrid working reshape the tech and services sectors, companies like Cognizant are under pressure to ensure their workforces remain current, competitive and capable. With rising demand for digital fluency and advanced technical skills, the role of learning & development is now central to strategy, rather than a supporting function.