Pratibha Kurnool leads Social Impact across Asia Pacific and Japan at Cognizant, where she drives large-scale AI skilling, community innovation, and public-private partnerships anchored in Cognizant’s Synapse strategy. She also oversees philanthropic giving for AI and digital skilling, ensuring that investments accelerate equitable access to learning, employability, and workforce resilience. Her work focuses on helping governments, educators, mid-career workers, and underserved communities build practical GenAI capabilities that translate into real-world productivity and long-term economic mobility.
Under her leadership, Cognizant has upskilled thousands across multiple APJ countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Hong Kong, China and Australia, through volunteer-led GenAI programs, skilling grants and sector-specific learning journeys run in collaboration with governments, academia, private and social sectors.
Pratibha champions a “human-led AI adoption” model where mentorships, hands-on learning, and human skills accelerate responsible and inclusive AI uptake. She also shapes policy-aligned initiatives across the region enabling stronger collaboration between industry, government, and educational ecosystems.
Recognised as one of Singapore’s 100 Women in Tech (2025) and Smart Nation Ambassador, Pratibha is committed to redefining “impact” to include white-collar workers and mid-career professionals who face rising displacement risks in an AI-driven world. Her mission is to build ecosystems where social and business outcomes reinforce each other, ensuring that AI benefits reach every community.