Vijay Prasaad Kumarasamy Thiyagarajan

About Vijay Prasaad Kumarasamy Thiyagarajan

Hi, I’m Vijay Prasaad, and for the past 19+ years, I’ve been immersed in solving complex mainframe system challenges across banking, healthcare, retail, and media sectors.I specialize in modernizing legacy applications, automating workflows, and helping enterprises unlock real business value—whether it’s reducing job execution times by 30%, eliminating manual interventions that saved $100K+ annually, or delivering defect-free builds that significantly cut release delays.My career began in the financial domain, enhancing COBOL DB2 systems and working with CICS for global banks. Over the years, I’ve led cross-functional teams, managed large-scale integrations, and driven delivery excellence. At Pearson, for example, I spearheaded initiatives that achieved 100% on-time releases, accelerated delivery cycles by 20%, and created technical documentation that cut onboarding time by 40%.What makes my work fulfilling goes beyond metrics—it\'s mentoring global teams, supporting tech transitions, and ensuring delivery teams have the resources and clarity to succeed. I prioritize a culture of knowledge sharing and ownership, enabling teams to take accountability while consistently raising release quality.Some career highlights I’m proud of- Automated key finance and ops processes, cutting 60% of manual tasks in a retail setup- Performance-tuned critical batch jobs, reducing execution time by 30%- Built DB2-to-Oracle sync workflows, resolving major data mismatches- Delivered stable, defect-free builds, ensuring high uptime for business systems- Created training content and system docs that improved support team productivity and continuityTechnically, I’m fluent in COBOL, DB2, JCL, CICS, and scheduling tools like CA7 and ESP. I’ve also explored cloud platforms (AWS, GCP) and dabbled in full-stack development using JavaScript, Node.js, and React—giving me a well-rounded view of legacy-to-digital transitions.Above all, I believe tech transformation is people-first. Whether I’m leading modernization projects, mentoring developers, or syncing across time zones with QA and interface teams, I focus on clarity, consistency, and accountability.Let’s connect if you’re looking to: Modernize mainframe systems Cut operational costs through automation Accelerate integration and testing cycles Strengthen cross-border delivery teamsFeel free to reach out—always open to a meaningful conversation.

Experience

1. Project Manager

   Cognizant

   Apr 2006 — Present · Coimbatore, IN

   Technical Architect / Mainframe Development ManagerPearson | Apr 2021 – Present | Coimbatore, IndiaLed modernization of legacy systems and end-of-life migrations with 100% uptime and business continuity.Designed automation solutions that reduced manual effort by 60%+, saving hours annually.Delivered $250K+ in annual cost savings through BlueBolt-driven process improvements and ticket reduction.Managed a 10+ member global team across modernization and cloud-readiness projects.Collaborated with infra, Java, and DB teams to integrate legacy apps with modern cloud-based systems. Mainframe Development LeadPearson | Feb 2018 – Mar 2021 | Bala Cynwyd, PA & OffshoreGathered business requirements and led estimation for 15+ enterprise-grade system enhancements.Configured exam-level business rules using Cognos Powerhouse scripting.Refactored COBOL-DB2 codebases, improving system performance by 30% with no functional regressions.Ensured zero-defect releases through robust unit testing, cross-app validations, and documentation. Mainframe Developer / Support LeadQVC (Retail)| Oct 2016 – Jan 2018 | Coimbatore, India & West Chester, PABuilt automation to eliminate manual financial processes, reducing error rate by 70%.Integrated DB2 and Oracle systems using MQ to correct inventory data and streamline workflows.Created complex data queries and real-time reports to support business-critical planning decisions. Mainframe DeveloperExpress Scripts Inc (Healthcare)| Feb 2014 – Sep 2016 | Chennai & NJ, USAEnhanced COBOL-to-XML processes to optimize Java backend integration, improving API response time by 40%.Troubleshot SLA-critical systems and optimized DB2 queries to ensure uptime and performance.Set up test environments and collaborated on HIPAA-compliant testing and data validation.

Education

• Goverment Arts College, Bharathiar University

  Master of Science (M.Sc)

  2002 — 2004

• Google

  Google Certified Cloud Digital Leader

  2022 — 2025

• Goverment Arts College, Bharathiar University

  Bachelor's degree (B.Sc)

  1999 — 2002

• AWS

  AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

  2022 — 2025

• CareerFoundry

  Full Stack Web Development

  2019 — 2020

• McIntire School of Commerce

  Executive in Management Program

  2017 — 2018

• Scrimba

  UI Design Bootcamp

  2020 — 2020