OTTAWA, ON, June 20, 2002—Cognos Incorporated (Nasdaq:COGN; TSE:CSN) today announced that it has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission and a Canadian prospectus with the Canadian securities regulators for a secondary offering of 4,500,000 of its common shares. The common shares to be sold in the offering will be offered by entities affiliated with Michael U. Potter. Cognos will not derive any proceeds from the offering. In addition, the underwriters have an option to purchase up to an additional 675,000 common shares in the offering from the selling shareholders.

A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective and a preliminary prospectus relating to the securities has been filed with the securities regulatory authorities in each province of Canada. These securities may not be sold, nor may offers to buy be accepted, in the United States or to or from U.S. persons prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective or in Canada prior to the time a receipt for the final prospectus is issued by the Canadian securities regulators. This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state in the United States or in a province in Canada in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or province.