BURLINGTON, MA, August 21, 2003—In a move to become the corporate performance management (CPM) partner of choice worldwide, Cognos (NASDAQ: COGN; TSX: CSN), the world leader in business intelligence (BI) and corporate performance management, today launched the Cognos Partner Program (CPP). With over 3,000 partners worldwide, Cognos has created an extensive network of companies dedicated to best practices in business intelligence and enterprise planning. These partnerships are central to helping Cognos' customers maximize their technology investments and unlock the power of corporate performance management.

The Cognos Partner Program, a global partner framework, brings together four types of Cognos partners and their specific values under one inclusive program. Current partnerships with Application Partners and Solution Providers, which are based on the reselling or licensing of Cognos software, will be included in this new global framework. Two new programs for Consulting Partners and Technology Partners have been added to provide additional services and complementary technology to Cognos customers.

Cognos has also enhanced its centralized partner support including access to software and support, a variety of new training options, access to a partner specific certification program, enhanced marketing programs and partner communications, and access to partner resources and tools through an expanded Cognos PartnerNetwork extranet. This will enable partners to increase revenue and market share, expand their business, and lower their costs.

"The competition for valued partners in the marketplace is fierce and we must continue to invest in both our new and established partners to make them more productive," said Patrick O'Leary, vice president of strategic alliances, Cognos. "Cognos is in a position of strength and we stand-alone with the only complete product set supporting CPM. With this launch - and continuation of our successful partner programs - productive, targeted relationships will continue to deepen the strategic CPM value we deliver to customers, and clearly differentiate us from the competition."

Among the many leading global organizations that are participating in the program are industry-leading consulting companies Deloitte Consulting and Accenture.

A charter member of the Cognos Partner Program, Deloitte Consulting is one of the world's leading management consulting firms. Cognos and Deloitte Consulting combine technology expertise, tools, and techniques with industry-specific services knowledge to help clients identify, evaluate, capture, and share intellectual capital for better corporate performance management and decision-making.

"Deloitte Consulting and Cognos jointly offer customers the fastest, most cost-effective route to efficient and successful decision making," said Ray Pineda, Partner, Deloitte Consulting. "With the launch of the Cognos Partner Program, we look forward to further strengthening our relationship with Cognos and are poised to help more global organizations not only achieve the benefits of greater efficiency, but also the expanded opportunities that come with a sound application of performance management."

Accenture, a global management consulting and technology services company, is committed to delivering innovation. The organization collaborates with its clients to help them realize their visions and create tangible value. With deep industry knowledge, broad global resources and deep finance expertise, Accenture can mobilize the right people, skills, and technologies.

"Accenture's Finance and Performance Management service line is focused on helping clients gain better insight, and align process and technology to drive business performance. Our vision and messages are well aligned with those of Cognos," said Mike Sutcliff, Global Managing Partner for Accenture's Finance and Performance service line. "I look forward to working with Cognos to help clients achieve the business insights corporate performance management can deliver."

For more information about the Cognos Partner Program, please visit www.cognos.com/partners/index.html. If you have any further questions, please direct them to cognospartners@us.ibm.com

About the Cognos Partner Program:
The Cognos Partner Program (CPP) is a global network of companies that delivers innovative corporate performance management solutions based on Cognos solutions. Through access to Cognos' industry-leading products, education, technical services, marketing and sales support, the CPP supplies partners with the resources they need to increase revenue and market share, expand their business, and lower their costs. Cognos partners are able to offer customers best-in-class solutions backed by Cognos' position as the world leader in business intelligence and corporate performance management. For more information on the CPP please visit our Web site at: www.cognos.com/partners/index.html.