Global Capability Centres (GCCs) have moved far beyond their cost-saving roots, evolving into strategic hubs for innovation, digital transformation, and enterprise growth. S&S Insider Report projects the capability centres market will reach $402.14 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 13.51%. India leads this shift with over 1,700 GCCs, accelerating AI-driven change across industries. This rapid growth highlights an opportunity for specialised GCC models to deliver outcomes that go beyond transactional value and reshape business performance.
types of specialised GCC models
Modern organisations are rethinking their GCC strategies to generate higher enterprise value. Traditional centres focused on operational efficiency now coexist with specialised GCC services that deliver innovation, digital advantage, and new market capabilities.
driving efficiency through transactional excellence
Transactional GCCs focus on standardised processes and cost optimisation. They reduce overheads through consolidation and shared services.
Key capabilities they offer include:
- Automation-first process management
- Standard operating procedures to ensure accuracy
- Lower-cost resource models
This structure reduces cost and increases scale, but does not unlock the wider strategic value of GCC.
enhancing performance through operational optimisation
Operational GCCs concentrate on service delivery maturity and continuous improvement. They enable scale without compromising service quality, with features like:
- Process monitoring and optimisation
- Governance frameworks and metrics
- Operational agility for high-volume functions
This model helps organisations stabilise operations while preparing for more advanced capabilities.
driving innovation through dedicated centres of excellence
Centres of Excellence (CoE) transform GCCs from cost-efficient hubs into engines of innovation. They accelerate research, product development, and capability differentiation that traditional GCCs cannot deliver.
CoEs deliver value by providing:
- Advanced research capabilities
- Knowledge hubs for niche expertise
- Rapid prototyping and experimentation
This structure enables faster market entry, competitive differentiation, and intellectual property creation, enhancing the strategic value of GCC investments.
accelerating change through digital transformation units
Digital-focused GCCs help organisations modernise legacy systems and build future-ready capabilities through AI, automation, analytics, and emerging technologies.
Their focus areas include:
- AI-led transformation and analytics
- Automation and platform engineering
- Customer and employee experience design
These units break away from traditional operational models by enabling scalable innovation, faster decision-making, and new revenue opportunities, positioning GCCs as strategic accelerators rather than service centres.
combining value with flexibility through hybrid structures
Hybrid GCCs integrate operational efficiency with strategic innovation, enabling organisations to capture the advantages of both models.
This specialised GCC model offers advantages like:
- Balanced talent mix and skills distribution
- Flexible resource allocation
- Faster alignment with enterprise priorities
Hybrid structures enable targeted innovation without full-scale disruption, increasing agility and the long-term strategic value of GCC transformation initiatives.
choosing the right GCC model for your business
Selecting the right specialised GCC model for your organisation depends on business priorities, maturity, and risk appetite. Key factors to consider include:
- Core objectives – efficiency, innovation, or both
- Expected scalability and investment horizon
- Talent availability and capability maturity
- Risk tolerance and governance expectations
- Technology roadmap and digital vision
A strong strategic fit ensures GCCs can evolve from simple cost centres to sustainable value creators.
GCC operating model comparison
After identifying the right specialised GCC model, organisations must select an operating structure that supports execution, scalability, and ownership expectations. Here is a simple GCC operating model comparison that outlines how different approaches work and where they deliver value:
Operating model |
How it works |
Best for |
Key advantages |
Considerations |
BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) |
Partner builds and runs GCC, then transfers ownership |
Fast scaling with eventual ownership |
Reduced risk, knowledge transfer, faster build-out |
Higher transition complexity, long-term commitment |
COPO (Company-Owned, Partner-Operated) |
The company owns assets while the partner manages operations |
Ownership without operational burden |
Lower overheads, quick ramp-up, and expertise access |
Reliance on partner capability, governance alignment |
FLEXI |
Configurable structure with adaptive resourcing |
Rapid adaptation to changing needs |
Agile, scalable, low upfront risk |
Requires mature governance to avoid fragmentation |
Captive model |
The organisation owns and manages GCC fully |
Full control and IP protection |
Deeper alignment, stronger culture |
Higher investment, slower value realisation |
Hybrid model |
Shared ownership or responsibility |
Balanced control and strategic flexibility |
Shared risk, diverse expertise |
Complex governance and accountability |
Joint venture |
Two organisations co-own GCC |
Shared innovation tasks or markets |
Dual expertise, shared cost, innovation |
Cultural alignment and incentive challenges |
Outsourced model |
Third-party owns and operates GCC |
Cost reduction or rapid scale-up |
Predictable cost, faster deployment |
Lower strategic alignment, limited innovation |
These choices shape ownership, governance, risk, and long-term performance, directly influencing the strategic value of GCC initiatives.
Infosys BPM offers end-to-end services for GCCs to help organisations design, build, and scale strategic capability centres. Our approach focuses on four pillars:
- Assess and design future-ready models
- Set up and build with speed and compliance
- Scale talent, governance, and operations
- Transform delivery through advanced AI capabilities
This enables organisations to maximise value from specialised GCC services.
conclusion
GCCs are shifting from transactional support units to strategic enablers of enterprise value. Organisations are adopting specialised GCC models that combine efficiency, innovation, and agility. When paired with the right operating structure, GCCs can accelerate transformation, strengthen resilience, and deliver long-term competitive advantage across digital, talent, and operational maturity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What are specialised GCC models?
Specialised GCC models are evolved global capability centres designed not just for cost efficiency, but for innovation, digital transformation, and new-market capabilities.
They typically focus on:
- Transactional excellence for standardised, high-volume processes.
- Operational optimisation with mature governance and continuous improvement.
- Centres of Excellence (CoEs) for research, product development, and differentiation.
- Digital transformation units for AI, automation, analytics, and experience design.
- Hybrid structures that blend efficiency with innovation across the same GCC network.
Q2. How do specialised GCC models create value beyond traditional GCCs?
Specialised GCCs move from “back-office cost centre” to “strategic value creator” by expanding their mandate and capability mix.
They create additional value by:
- Accelerating digital and AI-led transformation across business units.
- Enabling faster product innovation, experimentation, and IP creation.
- Providing scalable platforms for analytics, automation, and experience design.
- Supporting faster market entry and localisation for new regions or offerings.
- Combining process excellence with strategic capabilities in a single footprint.
Q3. What types of specialised GCC models should enterprises consider?
Enterprises can choose from several specialised GCC archetypes depending on their maturity and objectives.
Common models include:
- Transactional GCCs for shared services and automation-first process management.
- Operational GCCs for service delivery maturity, governance, and high-volume agility.
- Centres of Excellence (CoEs) for advanced research, niche skills, and rapid prototyping.
- Digital transformation GCCs for AI, analytics, platform engineering, and CX design.
- Hybrid GCCs that integrate operational efficiency with innovation hubs under one umbrella.
Q4. How should organisations choose the right specialised GCC model?
Selecting the right model depends on where the organisation is today and what value it expects from its GCC footprint.
Key decision factors include:
- Primary objectives: cost optimisation, innovation, speed to market, or a mix.
- Scale and investment horizon expected from the GCC strategy.
- Availability of talent and maturity of local ecosystems.
- Risk appetite, governance requirements, and regulatory context.
- Technology roadmap and the role of AI, automation, and platforms in future plans.
Q5. What GCC operating models can support specialised GCC structures?
Once the GCC type is clear, leaders must choose an operating model that aligns with ownership, control, and speed-to-value expectations.
Typical GCC operating models include:
- BOT (Build–Operate–Transfer): Partner builds and runs the GCC before transferring it back.
- COPO (Company-Owned, Partner-Operated): Enterprise owns assets; partner runs operations.
- Captive: Organisation fully owns and operates the GCC.
- Hybrid or joint structures: Shared responsibility or joint ventures for specific capabilities.
- Outsourced models: Third party owns and operates the centre for cost and speed benefits.
