T-Systems and Cognizant Manage Software Applications for Tire Divisions of Continental AG

FRANKFURT, Germany and TEANECK, N.J.: Deutsche Telekom's enterprise customer division, T-Systems, and global consulting, technology and business process outsourcing provider, Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH), today announced an agreement with Continental, one of the top automotive suppliers worldwide, to jointly provide application management services to the research and development operations of Continental's tire divisions in Hanover beginning 2009.

As part of the three-year contract, the partners will replace Continental's current service provider of over ten years. Cognizant will provide the bulk of the services from India. With all services being covered under a fixed price, Continental will achieve a high level of cost transparency, and save significant administration and maintenance costs of its Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems. The comprehensive external support will enable the tire manufacturer to boost efficiencies by freeing up its IT staff to focus on further IT development for the company's core business.

"Profitable growth and consistent cost management in all business areas are the basis of our success as a company. T-Systems' business model is another building block of this success," said Elisabeth Hoeflich, CIO of the Continental tire divisions.

"Our expertise and a strong alliance with Cognizant are the keys to reliable global outsourcing at competitive prices," said Joachim Langmack, responsible for business customers at T-Systems. "The contract with Continental shows that the alliance between T-Systems and Cognizant continues to bear fruit, as we won the deal against stiff competition. At the same time, it also allows us to consolidate our position in the automotive market."

"Our complementary capabilities of deep industry expertise, scale of operations, and market-leading global delivery platform will help Continental rationalize their operating costs and reinvest the savings into their core business," said Santosh Thomas, Vice-President and Head of Continental European Operations, Cognizant. "The highlight of our alliance is our ability to synergistically go-to-market and provide customers like Continental a unique value proposition of local knowledge coupled global reach and expertise."