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Cognism Announces Leadership Change

Written by Cognism Public Relations | Feb 24, 2025 4:35:01 PM

Cognism, Europe’s leading provider of sales intelligence, today announces that Pete Daffern, who was previously the Company’s non-executive Chair, has been appointed as Interim CEO, taking on the role from co-founder, James Isilay.

James has played a pivotal role in the Company’s success and Cognism is a testament to his leadership skills and entrepreneurial vision. Pete has spent the last 30+ years in leadership positions at successful software companies across the US and UK, including serving as EMEA President at NetSuite. Pete has also played an active role in supporting Cognism’s growth in the last five years both as a Non-executive Director and, more recently, as Chair of the Board.

In this interim role, Pete will focus on driving customer success and executing Cognism’s strategic priorities whilst an executive search for a permanent CEO progresses.

Pete Daffern, Interim CEO, said:

“On Cognism’s behalf, I’d like to extend my thanks to James who has built the company into what it is today. We are in a strong position to drive future growth because of what James and the rest of the Cognism team has built in the last decade, and we have a category-leading product roadmap and an exceptional team to deliver on our future ambitions. I’m committed to supporting the team as we continue to accelerate our growth and deliver even greater value to all our stakeholders.”

About Cognism

Cognism is a leader in premium sales intelligence, setting a new standard for data quality and compliance, trusted by 3000+ revenue teams worldwide. 

Cognism helps businesses connect with their dream prospects by providing premium contact, company, and event information, including firmographics, technographics, sales trigger events, intent data, verified business emails and phone-verified mobile numbers.  

Next level GDPR & CCPA compliance, combined with innovative technology and integrations with leading CRM and sales engagement partners, make Cognism the number one choice for businesses looking to create a predictable pipeline, find their next best business opportunity and overcome global compliance barriers. 

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