Evolving GCCs into Global Growth Engines—requires a strategic approach that leverages technological advancements and fostering innovation. By prioritizing talent development and enhancing operational efficiency, organizations can position themselves to compete on a global scale and drive sustainable growth. Evolving GCCs into Global Growth Engines—Change in CEO Mindsets and Art of Possibility is a great noticeable thinking in the GCC Community. Last week I had a chance to be part of several crucial discussions held with Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, India, ISB Centre for Business Innovation BioAsia 2025 and several esteemed GCC leaders. I am reflecting on a couple of my views on the art of possibility for future of GCCs.

The Global Capability Centers (GCC) model stands at a pivotal crossroads. To evolve from efficiency drivers to trusted growth engines, GCCs must unlock the potential of great talent, harness the vast data in their industry and external data sources, and capitalize on transformative Technologies such as Quantum computing and Artificial intelligence. The stakes are so high; leadership is so obsessed with following the crowds or fear of missing the GCC’s bus, but what is more needed now is a shift in thought process and embracing the shift as a change for catalysts of global growth. Future can be co-created by embracing the mindset of cost centers vs. profit centers which generate global growth, is crucial for GCC Leadership. Whoever quickly moves from Cost centers of Sponsorship to profit centers, which generate global growth, will remain as most Impactful GCCs in the current list of 1900 GCCs in India. GCCs were initially started as a cost arbitrage characterized by central technology engineering centers in the early 1990s. GBS was started initially as a shared services characterized by central delivery models to manage business functions that have transformed into internal tech and innovation fulfillment centers within global enterprises. When businesses combine the skills of technology and business services, they get a full set of skills that will help them become growth engines and switch from thinking like cost centers to becoming profit-making global growth engines.

GCC leaders are increasingly concentrating technology, positioning them as “mini-CTOs,”. Technology is seen as a key enabler of experience, valued performance. Now GCC Organizations fundamentally shifting away from traditional service delivery and becoming innovation power houses, leveraging the Generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) for Strategic advantage and value creation. Key is moving the needle from quantity (Head Count) to valuing value with a mindset of perpetual enterprise value creation  and profit by making these centers a global growth engines of Enterprise. Global capability centers led by technology and driven by a mindset of business innovation for global growth will be one of the greatest transformation stories for our time in the coming days. There is a clear call for a shift in mindset from optimization to monetization (to a focus on profit&Impact) thus the ability to propel enterprise growth.

A few Senior Executives who traveled from abroad and recently here in the town, with whom I had the opportunity to meet one-on-one, initiated my work on a new operating model. This model requires a tight alignment with enterprise goals and the right GCCs, transforming them into a larger Global Growth Enabler. This is achieved by driving frictionless change management and implementing proper Leadership driven organizational models for sustained success. We have a few matured GCC/GBS organizations in the country that are now emerged as a true global growth engine driving the real value for the enterprises. We need to understand and replicate while scaling a similar organization. Take these investments as long-standing value for enterprises.

Main pillars of the organization model will consist of leveraging a comprehensive technology stack for enabling the enterprises to have a total experience and real-time collaboration. We will adopt an AI-first (AI-F) approach to accelerate automation and Innovation not only enhances services but also elevates them to newer heights, surpassing the mere focus on productivity movements and automation savings. Fostering the culture of transformation and Innovation employees to embrace new behaviors aligns with this shift, thereby making them catalysts of productivity, innovation, and new growth within enterprises. The opportunity is immense.

India is very close to 60% of the world’s population living in Asia, including India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Japan. India is a default nearshore to this population. India has immense potential to guide and lead these new global growth engines. There is a potential for significant value creation due to the GCC Ecosystem evolving here in India. Most importantly, 250 million English-speaking first-time new employees are to be available by 2035 here in India, which is the greatest demographic dividend available for global enterprises to unlock for Global Growth Engine. As per the recent research done in the USA by leading executive search firms, India has surpassed Singapore in terms of attracting global executives, expats, and Indian-origin global executives with a track record in leading global businesses, technology, and also in areas of global impact and value. More global executives moving to India, Business Innovation and mind set of driving GCCs towards Global Growth Engines is a great opportunity for all of us to reinvent the future for GCCs. #CEOs #GCCs