Rethinking Global Capability Centres

The idea of offshoring used to be about cost. Today, the conversation is changing. At Global Innovators Alliance, we are meeting more companies turning their international teams into engines of innovation.

Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are no longer hidden back offices. In leading firms, they are running R&D, piloting AI tools, testing new platforms, and shaping product strategy. Done well, this model provides flexibility, resilience, and access to diverse talent.

Global Capability Centres (GCCs), also known as Global In-house Centres (GICs), are offshore units established by multinational corporations to manage various business functions and processes. These centres have evolved from back-office support to innovation hubs, driving transformation and delivering business value.

GCCs play a crucial role in accessing global talent, accelerating transformation, unlocking innovation, and improving decision-making for their parent organisations.

GCC only work if you shift the mindset; it cannot be a hand-me-down team, built to execute someone else’s idea. It needs autonomy, a clear brief, and the ability to influence outcomes.

We are seeing growing success among organisations that co-design with their offshore teams. They invest in platforms and tools to support real-time collaboration. They trust those teams to own a problem and run with it.

For fast-growing businesses looking to scale, especially in emerging markets, this approach unlocks speed and reach. A capability centre can become your lab, your test market, your go-to-market edge.

We expect to see this model evolve even further. For GIA members, it presents an opportunity to turn operations into strategy and geography into advantage.