Pankaj Mehta

About Pankaj Mehta

Strategic and results-driven IT lead of global experience across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC, driving transformative technology initiatives in complex, fast-paced business environments. Adept at leading high-ambiguity programs and resolving multifaceted challenges, I deliver operational excellence, cost efficiency, and enterprise-wide innovation through visionary leadership and cross-functional collaboration.Consistently identify key business and operational challenges, proactively proposed strategic solutions, and led end-to-end implementation upon stakeholder alignment—ensuring measurable impact through improved efficiency, cross-functional synergy, and accelerated outcomes. Thrive in diverse, geo-distributed teams, I foster a culture of mentorship, innovation, and adaptability—empowering teams to deliver strategic outcomes in evolving business landscapes and foster a culture of mentorship, innovation, and adaptability to deliver strategic outcomes in evolving business landscapes.Proven expertise in M&A integration (pre- and post-acquisition), encompassing transition strategy, IT service delivery, infrastructure architecture, implementation, and site management across diverse enterprise landscapes. I lead business-critical IT functions—including infrastructure, asset management, and cybersecurity—with a sharp focus on aligning technology with strategic business objectives to enhance user experience, scalability, and long-term value creation. Core Strengths- Global M&A Integration - Post-Acquisition Integration Framework Architect, Continuous Improvement & Operational Innovation, Budget Oversight, Digital Transformation- Strategic Leadership - Cost Optimization & Risk Mitigation, Lean, Six Sigma, ITIL, ISO, SOX, Change Management- Global IT Infrastructure & Operations - Operational Excellence, Audit Readiness & Compliance, Cross-functional Team Leadership, IT Asset & Service ManagementCertifications: ITIL Foundation | ITIL Intermediate (Service Design, Strategy, Operations)| Certified IT Asset Manager (CITAM)Professional Training: Lean | Six Sigma | ITAM | ITSM | Project Management | Agile | Gen AI for Managers & Leaders | Responsible AI | Microsoft Copilot | Gen AI in Project Management | Prompt Engineering Personal Interests: Exploring Pi | Gardening | Music | Reading

Experience

1. Sr Manager Merger & Acquisitions IT

   Cognizant

   Oct 2023 — Present · Gurugram, IN

   IT M&A Europe-Successful Site Deployments Under Pressure: Delivered full network setup for OSV and Zenith Dublin sites in December 2023, overcoming tight timelines and operational hurdles ensuring timely and compliant deployment-Complete Ireland Dublin ISO 27001 : 2013 [ISO 27001 : 2022 Transition]|| ISO 22301 Re-Cert Audit 2024 Certification-Successfully led site handovers for Ireland-Zenith (Dublin, Cork) and India-Pune, ensuring seamless infra transition-Led cross-functional project implement ServiceNow catalog for Cognizant Developer Image, streamlining hardware asset lifecycle management for Cognizant Developer users-Serving as M&A board representative in the Global Change-Advisory Board (GCAB), driving alignment of change governance-Led streamlining of M&A network implementation and operational processes in collaboration with Cognizant GNS; transitioned responsibilities to Shared services team, mentored team members. Setup N/w Link budget handover process for sustained operational continuity-Led streamlining of M&A Software Asset Management (SAM) and client-supported software processes in collaboration with Cognizant team to enhance compliance, efficiency, and integration across entities-Championed updates to the M&A ITAM/ITSM playbook, embedding lessons learned and best practices from EMEA integrations-Partnered with the Blueprint team to support Linux setup initiatives-ServiceNow Catalog Implementation – Cognizant Developer Image: Led cross-functional initiative to implement ServiceNow catalog for Cognizant Developer Image, streamlining hardware asset lifecycle management and improving provisioning efficiency for developer teams-Leading cross-functional M&A initiatives as PM for Collaborative Solutions, delivering a secure Cognizant Collab Image aligned with enterprise compliance mandates. Driving strategic coordination of Netskope DLP policies to maintain regulatory adherence during post-merger transition.

Education

• Karnatak University

  D.C.Sc.&E, Computer Science

  1991 — 1994

• Punjab Technical University

  B.Sc., Computer Science

  2002 — 2004

• Punjab Technical University

  PGDCA

  2004 — 2005

• Sikkim Manipal University - Distance Education

  MBA, Project Management

  2010 — 2011

• Punjab Technical University

  Master of Information Technology

  2005 — 2006

Skills

• Itil
• Leadership
• Service Delivery
• Business Analysis
• Project Management
• Managed Services
• Integration
• Analysis
• Management
• Competitive Analysis
• Team Management
• IT Strategy
• Data Center
• Program Management
• Vendor Management
• Business Process Improvement
• IT Service Management
• Outsourcing
• Process Improvement