What does it take for a Global Capability Centre (GCC) to move beyond cost efficiency and become an indispensable part of a global organisation?
In this episode of Pulse of Tech by SEAP, host Parijat Sardesai is joined by Nitin Deshpande for an insightful conversation on the evolution of India’s GCC ecosystem, building high-impact technology teams, and creating business value that goes far beyond cost advantages.
Drawing on his extensive leadership experience, including scaling teams at BMC Software from 200 to 900, growing Allscripts from 100 to 1,900, and establishing Evolent’s international operations from scratch, Nitin shares practical lessons from building and leading global teams.
The conversation explores how GCCs are evolving from delivery-focused centres into strategic contributors to global businesses. Nitin discusses why strong local leadership is critical to setting up successful GCCs, how talent and domain expertise can make Indian centres indispensable, and why the distinction between a global headquarters and its GCC may gradually disappear.
The discussion also looks at the growing role of Artificial Intelligence in business operations, distinguishing meaningful AI implementation from initiatives that remain limited to proof-of-concepts. Nitin shares perspectives on AI applications in healthcare, Pune’s engineering and technology strengths, the potential of Tier 2 cities as emerging GCC destinations, and the realities of remote and hybrid work.
Beyond the GCC landscape, the conversation touches upon India’s talent pipeline, the gap between academia and industry, and the importance of developing capabilities that benefit the wider technology ecosystem.
In this episode, we discuss: