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Cognizant vs Kyndryl Australia: Which MSP is Better? | The MSP Playbook

Article 2026-07-27

Cognizant vs Kyndryl Australia

A detailed comparison of two major Australian Managed Service Providers.

Feature Cognizant Kyndryl Australia
Overall Score3.62.8
TypeGlobal IT Services / DigitalInfrastructure Spin-off
Employees3500001000-2000
Founded19942021
HeadquartersTeaneck, New Jersey, USASydney, NSW (Global HQ: New York, NY)
Revenue$19.4BPrivate
Salary Range$50,000 - $150,000$75,000 - $140,000
SpecialtiesManaged Services, Cloud, AI & Data, Digital Transformation, Consulting, BPOManaged Infrastructure, Cloud, Mainframe, Enterprise Migration
CertificationsMicrosoft Partner, AWS Partner, Google Cloud Partner, Salesforce Partner, ISO 27001Microsoft Partner, AWS Partner, SAP Partner
Green FlagsStrong US and European presence with deep financial services expertise
Digital-first pivot (Cognizant Digital Business, Cognizant Consulting)
Excellent training and development programs (Cognizant Academy)
Broad service portfolio spanning IT, consulting, and BPO
Fresh start Ò€” not burdened by IBM's bureaucracy
Focus on infrastructure services
Some teams have genuine technical depth
Red FlagsMargin pressure from commoditised application management and testing services
High attrition rates (20-24%) β€” significantly above industry average
Restructuring cycles under CEO transitions create organisational uncertainty
Below-market compensation for US-based technical talent
Offshoring model means onshore roles in the US/EU are decreasing
Spun off from IBM Ò€” still finding its identity
Inherited IBM's legacy contracts and problems
Below-market salaries
High offshore ratio
Uncertain strategic direction
Worker ProsStrong US brand with good global project diversity
Digital transformation focus provides modern tech exposure
Formal training infrastructure is well-regarded
Financial services expertise is genuinely deep
Fresh start Ò€” can build culture from scratch
Infrastructure focus is clear
Some technical teams are excellent
Worker ConsBelow-market salaries for US-based technical roles
High attrition creates constant team instability
Restructuring cycles create anxiety and uncertainty
Onshore technical roles are being phased down
Bureaucratic culture with matrix management overhead
Inherited IBM's problems
Below-market salaries
Uncertain strategic direction
High offshore ratio

Which MSP Should You Choose?

Both Global IT Services / Digital and Infrastructure Spin-off have strengths and weaknesses. Your choice depends on your priorities β€” whether that's career growth, salary, work-life balance, or technical exposure.

Use the side-by-side comparison tool for a deeper look, or check out individual profiles for detailed employee reviews.