Cognizant Partners with SITA to Drive AI-First Global Finance Transformation

Cognizant has been appointed as the transformation partner for SITA’s SKY program, a global initiative to overhaul finance, procurement, and supply chain operations across more than 200 countries. For fintech and enterprise leaders, this move signals a shift toward "agentic AI" in back-office functions, moving beyond simple automation to strategic, data-driven resource alignment.

What was announced

SITA, a specialist in air transport technology, has tapped Cognizant to implement a modern cloud-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and management platform. The project, known as the SKY program, is a groupwide, finance-led initiative designed to replace legacy systems with a unified data foundation. The transformation will utilize Oracle Fusion Cloud to standardize core processes across SITA’s global operations, which span more than 200 countries and territories.

The scope of the partnership includes the integration of finance, procurement, and supply chain processes. By connecting these functions, SITA aims to move its finance department from traditional reporting and operational processing toward a more strategic, growth-focused role. The platform will cover planning, performance management, and project management.

Cognizant is applying an "AI-first" approach to the implementation, utilizing generative AI agents and its proprietary agentic AI capabilities. These tools are designed to embed intelligence directly into day-to-day activities, such as forecasting and resource alignment. The project draws on Cognizant’s experience from over 800 cloud ERP projects, aiming to identify business opportunities earlier and align resources more closely with growth priorities through AI-led insights.

"SITA's SKY program is a transformation program aimed at delivering strong business outcomes. By standardizing core processes on Oracle Fusion Cloud and building AI into how we operate, we aim to create a more agile finance organization and a strong foundation for our next phase of growth."

Nicolas Husson, Chief Financial Officer at SITA.

The companies involved

Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) is a global professional services firm that has established a significant presence in the technology and outsourcing sectors. The company specializes in modernizing technology, reimagining processes, and transforming experiences to help clients stay ahead in a fast-changing world. With a focus on intelligent enterprise platforms, Cognizant frequently partners with major software providers like Oracle and Temenos to deliver large-scale digital transformations.

SITA is the world's leading specialist in air transport communications and information technology. Owned by the industry, SITA provides solutions for airlines, airports, aircraft, and governments. Its reach is vast, operating in over 200 countries and territories, making it a critical infrastructure provider for the global aviation ecosystem. The company focuses on driving operational efficiencies and improving the passenger experience through technology. This latest partnership highlights SITA's internal focus on modernizing its own corporate backbone to match the sophisticated technology it provides to the air transport industry.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has closely followed Cognizant’s expanding footprint in the financial services and insurance sectors. The firm recently collaborated with Cognizant and Temenos Expand Partnership to Power Core Banking Transformation in Australia, demonstrating its capacity for large-scale platform migrations. In the insurance space, the company has been active in AI-driven modernization, including a partnership with The Andover Companies Partners with Cognizant to Accelerate AI-Driven Insurance Modernization and a project for Bupa Hong Kong Has Selected Cognizant to Deliver an AI-Driven BPaaS Solution to Transform Health Insurance Claims. Additionally, Cognizant has worked with ACI Worldwide and Cognizant Prove Cloud Scalability for Card Processing on AWS. These previous reports highlight a consistent strategy of leveraging cloud and AI to modernize mission-critical financial infrastructure.

What this means

This announcement underscores a significant shift in the enterprise software market: the transition from "cloud-first" to "AI-first" ERP implementations. By integrating agentic AI into Oracle Fusion Cloud, SITA is moving beyond simple automation toward a model where AI agents actively participate in strategic forecasting and procurement. This puts pressure on traditional ERP consultants who rely on manual configuration rather than proprietary AI intellectual property. For the broader fintech sector, it raises the bar for what a "modern" finance function looks like. The question now is whether these AI-led insights can truly deliver measurable business value in a complex, multi-jurisdictional environment involving 200 countries.