Under the deal, more than 1000 ING US employees in Minot, North Dakota and Des Moines, Iowa will move to Cognizant. The vendor is buying the Minot facility and sub-leasing the Des Moines offices.

The staff will form part of a new centre of excellence for insurance and finance business process services serving FS clients.

Gordon Coburn, president, Cognizant, says: "Our new centre of excellence will serve as a key long-term component of our global delivery network and is yet another step in our ever-expanding in-country delivery capability."

Rob Leary, president and COO, ING US, adds: "Leveraging Cognizant's expertise will help us operate more efficiently while delivering the high levels of support our customers and distribution partners have come to expect."