Evolution of GCCs: From Cost Centers to Strategic Powerhouses

𝐎𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐭: GCCs first emerged in the 1990s as organizations began exploring offshore locations for cost-effective operations and access to skilled talent.

𝐀𝐝𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: The early 2000s witnessed the development of India’s IT capabilities, bolstered by government policies such as Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and SEZ-based tax holiday policies, as well as the country’s large, competitively priced talent pool.

𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡: Initially, GCCs focused on backend IT, customer support, and finance functions during the early 2000s.

𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Gradually, GCCs transitioned from back-office functions to front-office roles, encompassing product design capabilities, artificial intelligence, and digital marketing.

𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥: High digital adoption and rising customer expectations significantly catalyzed changes within the GCC ecosystem, including increased startup engagement, a rise in analytics-focused GCCs, and the introduction of the DESH bill.

𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: GCCs are poised to evolve into ‘Digital Twins’ of their headquarters, with Indian GCCs expected to host over 60 CIOs and global functional leaders. These GCCs will become hotbeds for new and disruptive
technologies, fostering increased collaboration with startups to drive corporate innovation.