Meet Our Expert Team

John woke up in India one night in 2004 and started this CogNet adventure using his 27 years of experience in TPA, HRO and PEO. John has implemented and set up four global service operations and began actively managing human resource businesses in the India market in 2004.

Priorto founding CogNet, John served in several senior executive positions at leading HR Outsourcing firms including CFO at US Personnel, VPof Finance and Product Management at Advantec, and Group Controller for a division of Dun & Bradstreet.

John is a graduate of the University of Missouri with a degree in Finance. He also has an MBA from University of South Florida.

Saleem is the co-founder and Managing Director of CogNet. Saleem’s responsibility is to drive strategic offerings delivering business value to clients including technology enablement. With over 23+ years in the business service industry, he brings with him functional expertise in HR, Finance and technology.

Prior to CogNet, Saleem served as Director of IT for a leading HR Service company and helped oversee the offshore operations. In his previous tenure with Brigade Corporation, Saleem was responsible for managing large scale technology infrastructure projects spanning multiple data centres.

Saleem is a graduate of University of Madras, India with a degree in Computer Science Engineering and holds a Certificate in General Management Programme for Business Excellence from Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode and a Post Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity from MIT.

Jeff could be referred to as the Father of CogNet having hatched the HR global services center over 17 years ago. He has returned home to help build on that vision in partnership with the outstanding team that has made it what is today.

Jeff has over 25 years of experience in the BPO, HRO, and Technology space. Previously he served as CEO of US Personnel, CEO of QCI an international hardware and services provider. He has also served as Managing Partner for TDG, Inc. a global advisory and services company that helped develop and scale one of the largest HR Service companies in China.

Jeff is a graduate of Baylor University with a degree in Political Science.

Sampath Kumar is a results-driven leader with over 25 years of extensive experience in US HR and Financial Services. As the Vice President of Operations at CogNet, Sampath is responsible for strategic planning, service delivery, and optimizing the company’s operational processes. His profound expertise in US HR practices has been instrumental in ensuring that CogNet's operations are seamlessly aligned with industry standards and consistently exceed client expectations.

Before ascending to his current role, Sampath held significant positions, most notably as General Manager of Operations. In this capacity, he managed complex financial operations and oversaw payroll processing for large-scale teams, demonstrating his ability to lead with precision and foresight.

Sampath holds a Master of Business Administration in Operations Management and a bachelor’s degree in commerce.

Anjali Sajeev, Vice President of HR, brings over 18 years of expertise in people management and strategic decision-making. Renowned for crafting and executing impactful HR strategies, Anjali excels in enhancing organizational culture, driving talent acquisition, and managing large-scale change initiatives. Her strategic vision and commitment to employee engagement have consistently aligned HR initiatives with business goals, fostering a high-performance work environment.

Sathya Palaniswamy is a seasoned HR operations executive with 15+ years of expertise in successfully implementing and managing payroll, benefits, tax, and workers' compensation solutions. As Director of Implementation & Client Services at CogNet, she is dedicated to driving client success through seamless onboarding and providing strategic HR support.

Sathya's extensive experience in HR operations, coupled with her proven ability to build strong client relationships, has been instrumental in delivering exceptional client experiences. Her leadership in managing complex implementation projects ensures smooth transitions and ongoing client satisfaction.

With a Master's in Business Administration and a Bachelor's in Mathematics, Sathya brings a strategic and analytical approach to HR solutions.