India’s Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are entering a crucial phase where their future growth will depend less on technology or cost efficiency, and more on how they manage, retain, and empower their mid-senior professionals.
India’s Global Capability Centres, once viewed as back-office engines of efficiency, have transformed into strategic powerhouses driving digital transformation, AI innovation, and product development for global corporations. But amid this rapid evolution lies a growing concern few are openly addressing: a shortage of experienced mid-senior professionals.
These professionals, typically with 8–15 years of experience, form the backbone of the GCC ecosystem. They bridge the gap between leadership and execution, strategy and delivery. Yet, as the demand for their expertise rises, their availability is shrinking, creating what industry experts are calling a “leadership bottleneck.”
“The next big war in India’s GCC ecosystem isn’t about cost, technology, or even AI, it’s about people,” says Ankur Goel, CEO and Founder of GatewAI. “And the most critical people are right in the middle, the professionals who hold the fabric of transformation together.”
From cost centres to command centres
A decade ago, India’s GCCs were designed for process efficiency and cost saving. Today, they are core to enterprise innovation, leading AI strategy, R&D, and digital mandates for Fortune 500 companies. Global firms no longer seek just skilled coders or analysts; they need professionals who can make decisions, lead global teams, and deliver transformation outcomes.
However, this evolution has exposed a sharp talent imbalance. Data show mid-senior hiring across sectors such as BFSI, automotive, and life sciences has surged by over 30% year-on-year. Yet, every qualified professional now has multiple offers at hand, and replacement cycles are longer than ever.
Goel calls this “a silent but growing crisis that threatens to slow down the momentum of India’s GCC expansion.”
“You can build a new centre in six months,” he says, “but you can’t rebuild mid-senior wisdom that fast.”
The three Rs of survival: Retention, readiness, reinvention
GCCs today are walking a tightrope — balancing retention, readiness, and reinvention.
Retention: Keeping the mid-senior core intact while fending off aggressive poaching from competitors.
Readiness: Developing future leaders who can think in terms of AI, automation, and global decision-making.
Reinvention: Redesigning roles to ensure leaders find purpose and challenge, not monotony.
Goel believes the key lies in reimagining leadership roles to make them purposeful. “Mid-senior professionals don’t just seek higher pay — they seek growth, visibility, and meaningful impact,” he says. “If GCCs can deliver that, they’ll win the talent war.”
The rise of the hybrid leader
The future of India’s GCC leadership won’t be defined by titles or hierarchy, but by hybrid skills, leaders who speak both code and context.
Among the most in-demand capabilities are:
AI and Data Strategy: Aligning analytics with enterprise goals.
Product Ownership: Leading digital platforms end-to-end.
Cybersecurity and Risk Management: Protecting trust in a data-driven world.
People Leadership: Managing hybrid, global, multi-generational teams.
“These are not just technical skills,” Goel explains. “They’re survival skills for the new digital enterprise — and the leaders who master them will shape the next decade of GCC success.”
Why mid-senior talent matters now more than ever
This is not just an HR challenge; it’s a national competitiveness issue. India’s GCC market is expected to surpass $100 billion by 2030, but sustaining that momentum depends on how effectively organisations invest in their mid-senior workforce, the crucial middle layer that anchors strategy, innovation, and continuity.
“The future won’t belong to the biggest GCCs,” Goel says. “It will belong to the most balanced ones, those that manage to align cost, capability, and culture.”
The human edge in an AI world
As automation and AI continue to reshape industries, Goel stresses that the human element will remain irreplaceable.
“The future of work isn’t about replacing people with machines, it’s about amplifying people with intelligence,” he says. “Technology builds the systems, but people build the future.”
India’s Global Capability Centres, once viewed as back-office engines of efficiency, have transformed into strategic powerhouses driving digital transformation, AI innovation, and product development for global corporations. But amid this rapid evolution lies a growing concern few are openly addressing: a shortage of experienced mid-senior professionals.
These professionals, typically with 8–15 years of experience, form the backbone of the GCC ecosystem. They bridge the gap between leadership and execution, strategy and delivery. Yet, as the demand for their expertise rises, their availability is shrinking, creating what industry experts are calling a “leadership bottleneck.”
“The next big war in India’s GCC ecosystem isn’t about cost, technology, or even AI, it’s about people,” says Ankur Goel, CEO and Founder of GatewAI. “And the most critical people are right in the middle, the professionals who hold the fabric of transformation together.”
From cost centres to command centres
A decade ago, India’s GCCs were designed for process efficiency and cost saving. Today, they are core to enterprise innovation, leading AI strategy, R&D, and digital mandates for Fortune 500 companies. Global firms no longer seek just skilled coders or analysts; they need professionals who can make decisions, lead global teams, and deliver transformation outcomes.
However, this evolution has exposed a sharp talent imbalance. Data show mid-senior hiring across sectors such as BFSI, automotive, and life sciences has surged by over 30% year-on-year. Yet, every qualified professional now has multiple offers at hand, and replacement cycles are longer than ever.
Goel calls this “a silent but growing crisis that threatens to slow down the momentum of India’s GCC expansion.”
“You can build a new centre in six months,” he says, “but you can’t rebuild mid-senior wisdom that fast.”
The three Rs of survival: Retention, readiness, reinvention
GCCs today are walking a tightrope — balancing retention, readiness, and reinvention.
Retention: Keeping the mid-senior core intact while fending off aggressive poaching from competitors.
Readiness: Developing future leaders who can think in terms of AI, automation, and global decision-making.
Reinvention: Redesigning roles to ensure leaders find purpose and challenge, not monotony.
Goel believes the key lies in reimagining leadership roles to make them purposeful. “Mid-senior professionals don’t just seek higher pay — they seek growth, visibility, and meaningful impact,” he says. “If GCCs can deliver that, they’ll win the talent war.”
The rise of the hybrid leader
The future of India’s GCC leadership won’t be defined by titles or hierarchy, but by hybrid skills, leaders who speak both code and context.
Among the most in-demand capabilities are:
AI and Data Strategy: Aligning analytics with enterprise goals.
Product Ownership: Leading digital platforms end-to-end.
Cybersecurity and Risk Management: Protecting trust in a data-driven world.
People Leadership: Managing hybrid, global, multi-generational teams.
“These are not just technical skills,” Goel explains. “They’re survival skills for the new digital enterprise — and the leaders who master them will shape the next decade of GCC success.”
Why mid-senior talent matters now more than ever
This is not just an HR challenge; it’s a national competitiveness issue. India’s GCC market is expected to surpass $100 billion by 2030, but sustaining that momentum depends on how effectively organisations invest in their mid-senior workforce, the crucial middle layer that anchors strategy, innovation, and continuity.
“The future won’t belong to the biggest GCCs,” Goel says. “It will belong to the most balanced ones, those that manage to align cost, capability, and culture.”
The human edge in an AI world
As automation and AI continue to reshape industries, Goel stresses that the human element will remain irreplaceable.
“The future of work isn’t about replacing people with machines, it’s about amplifying people with intelligence,” he says. “Technology builds the systems, but people build the future.”
