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How can a GCC get closer to its customers when its teams may be thousands of miles from the markets they serve? In this episode of HFS GCC Advantage, Achyuta Ghosh, Executive Research Leader at HFS Research, speaks with Vishal Kulshrestha, Head of eCommerce & Omni Channel at Alshaya Group, about how retail GCCs are evolving from technology delivery and platform ownership toward greater accountability for customers and business outcomes. Vishal shares how Alshaya operates across a complex retail environment with more than 60 brands across multiple categories and markets, where customer expectations and journeys can vary significantly by brand and channel. He explains how e-commerce has evolved from a single-website experience into a multi-channel journey spanning the web, mobile, stores, social platforms, and messaging channels. The conversation explores why GCC teams need to look beyond technical SLAs and understand whether the platforms they build are improving conversion, customer experience, and business performance. Vishal also discusses how Alshaya is building deeper retail domain knowledge by bringing engineers closer to stores, business teams, customer journeys, and real-world problems. Looking ahead, Vishal sees the next phase of GCC evolution being defined less by headcount and more by people who combine technology expertise with business context, using AI and automation while taking greater ownership of platforms, capabilities, decisions, and business outcomes. Watch the videocast to learn: Why GCCs are moving from platform ownership to business outcome ownership How retail GCCs can connect technology teams more closely with customer experience Why deep domain knowledge is becoming critical for engineering teams How AI and automation could reshape the skills and roles required within GCCs Why the future of GCCs will be measured by their ability to influence business decisions and outcomes, rather than simply the amount of work they deliver To know more about HFS on Global Capability Centers (GCCs), visit us here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/global-capability-centers-gccs/ We recently launched our GCC Pulse Report, “Ownership is the next imperative for India’s GCCs to become generative enterprises.” Read more here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/indias-gcc-pulse-index/

Most GCCs start with support work. Consilio did the opposite - and built India into the engine room for core legal delivery, AI innovation, and client-facing work. Vaishnavi Prasad reveals how a deliberate, trust-first model turned a highly specialized legal tech operation into a global capability center with real ownership. Hosted by Achyuta, this conversation delves into one of the most unusual stories in the GCC market: how Consilio scaled from building core e-discovery capabilities in India to embedding teams across global functions, earning the right to handle complex, high-stakes work where accuracy, confidentiality, security, and defensibility are non-negotiable. Vaishnavi shares how she moved from a long career in technology and consulting into the GCC world, and why her early lesson was simple but powerful - if you start with low-value work, you can get stuck there. Instead, Consilio invested early in domain training, talent pruning, and selective capability building so that India could contribute directly to the business, rather than orbit around it. What you’ll hear: Why e-discovery is far more specialized than traditional LPOHow embedding India teams into global project structures accelerates trust and learningWhy Consilio deliberately avoided the typical offshore handoff modelHow the company built core capabilities first, then expanded into custom workflows and leadership rolesWhat it takes to bring AI into legal tech without compromising privacy, compliance, or security Vaishnavi also breaks down Consilio’s AI approach, including the Aurora legal AI suite and how security and InfoSec teams are brought into product design from day one. She explains how the India team works across document review, data operations, model fine-tuning, and bias reduction, and why context matters as much as technology when you’re serving legal clients under intense scrutiny. We also look ahead to what the next phase of GCC value creation will look like in a legal tech world shaped by AI. From India-based client-facing project managers to sales operations, commercial support, and technology leadership, the episode shows how scale is no longer about headcount - it’s about deeper capability, stronger ownership, and moving up the value chain. To know more about HFS on Global Capability Centers (GCCs), visit us here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/global-capability-centers-gccs/ We recently launched our GCC Pulse Report, "Ownership is the next imperative for India’s GCCs to become generative enterprises." Read more here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/indias-gcc-pulse-index/

What happens when a GCC moves beyond providing engineering capacity and starts owning the products, platforms, and capabilities that shape the company's future? In this episode of the HFS GCC Advantage Videocast, Achyuta Ghosh of HFS Research speaks with Vivek Kadal of Esko about the evolution of Esko's India GCC and its growing role in the company's global R&D, product engineering, and innovation agenda. With more than half of Esko's global R&D strength now based in India, the ambition is shifting from how much work India can deliver to what India can own. Vivek explains how Esko is building deeper capabilities across cloud engineering, AI, platform architecture, and product engineering while combining them with the specialized domain expertise required in the packaging industry. What you'll hear: Why Esko is evolving its India GCC from a capacity and execution center to a capability and ownership center How Esko is building a connected, multi-tenant, AI-enabled packaging cloud spanning the source-to-shelf journey The role of AI, knowledge graphs, APIs, digital threads, and agentic workflows in the future of packaging technology How Esko is strengthening India's capabilities in cloud-native engineering, AI, machine learning, DevOps, cybersecurity, platform architecture, and product engineering Why bringing engineering, customer support, and cloud operations together creates a stronger customer learning loop and helps turn customer feedback into product intelligence Why the next measure of GCC success will be business outcomes and global ownership, rather than headcount or the amount of work transferred to IndiaLooking ahead, Vivek describes an India GCC taking end-to-end ownership across product architecture, engineering, operations, and customer outcomes, with the ability to accelerate strategic product launches, build platform capabilities for global customers, and create IP and expertise that strengthens Esko's competitive advantage. To know more about HFS on Global Capability Centers (GCCs), visit us here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/global-capability-centers-gccs/ We recently launched our GCC Pulse Report, "Ownership is the next imperative for India's GCCs to become generative enterprises." Read more here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/indias-gcc-pulse-index/

In this episode of HFS Unfiltered, David Cushman speaks with EY's Dan Diasio and Thiru Vengadam about what it takes to move from AI experimentation to enterprise-scale agentic operations. Drawing on EY’s recognition as a Horizon 3 Market Leader in the HFS Horizons Agentic Services 2026 report, they discussed why the biggest barriers to AI adoption are no longer technology, but business transformation, governance, operating models, and workforce readiness. The conversation explores how organizations can move beyond proof-of-concept projects by embedding AI into core business operations, building trusted agentic systems with strong governance, and adopting outcome-based partnerships. They also discuss the evolution of Services-as-Software™, where AI-enabled services are creating new business value by combining software, human expertise, and continuous innovation. Key takeaways AI success is a business transformation challenge, not just a technology one.Scaling AI requires rethinking operating models, processes, data, governance, and talent.Agentic AI must be built on trust. Governance, security, auditability, and human oversight are essential for deploying enterprise-scale AI systems.Partnerships are evolving. Organizations need deeper co-development and outcome-based collaborations rather than traditional vendor relationships.Services-as-Software™ is reshaping enterprise services. AI enables organizations to combine software with human expertise to deliver new, higher-value outcomes.The future belongs to enterprises that embed AI into operations, not just experiments.Sustainable value comes from integrating AI into the way work is designed and delivered. Learn more about the 2026 HFS Horizons: Agentic Services report, which assesses how effectively 36 service providers help enterprise clients adopt agentic AI and realize value across three distinct Horizons, here. #AgenticAI #AgenticServices #EnterpriseAI #ServicesAsSoftware #AIOperatingModel #EY #HFSResearch #AIGovernance #DigitalTransformation #FutureOfWork

In this episode of HFS Unfiltered, Saurabh Gupta, President of HFS Research, joins Vinod Kumar, President and CEO of Akkodis North America, to explore why AI must move beyond cost savings to deliver real business transformation. They discuss the convergence of IT, OT, and business transformation, why enterprise AI struggles to move from pilots to production, and how engineering-led AI can accelerate time to market, improve product outcomes, and create competitive advantage. What you’ll hear: Why enterprise AI struggles to move from POCs to production How contextual and undocumented data can hold AI back Why forward-deployed engineers are becoming increasingly important How AI can transform engineering, product validation, and speed to market Why trust, safety, traceability, and human oversight remain critical How leaders can shift the AI conversation from cost savings to competitive advantage Learn how Akkodis is helping enterprises integrate engineering, AI, and operations to drive superior outcomes, here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/redefine-engineering-lifecycle/ #enterpriseai #agenticai #itot #digitalengineering #productengineering #automotive #businesstransformation #aistrategy

In this episode of HFS GCC Advantage, Rajeev Gangal, Senior Vice President, R&D Engineering at Mastercard, shares how the company is using its India center in Pune as a strategic innovation hub for AI, product development, and emerging technologies. The conversation explores how Mastercard measures AI impact through tangible business outcomes, accelerates product development across the full lifecycle, and builds trust in next-generation payment experiences. Rajeev also discusses the role of external collaboration, startup partnerships, and GCC culture in driving innovation at scale. What you’ll hear How Mastercard’s Pune hub supports global R&D and innovationWhy AI is being applied across the full product development lifecycle, not just software deliveryHow Mastercard measures AI value through business outcomes, customer satisfaction, and speed to productionWhy fraud detection, dispute resolution, and digital identity are important AI use casesHow Mastercard balances innovation with trust, reliability, and securityWhy dedicated R&D enables “zero to one” innovationHow the company works with startups, universities, and external partnersWhat GCC leaders can learn about building a culture of innovation beyond deliveryHow agentic commerce and secure digital experiences may shape the next phase of payments Key takeaways AI creates the most value when tied to measurable business outcomesGCCs can drive strategic innovation, not just operational executionTrust, security, and speed must advance together in financial servicesDedicated R&D teams help move ideas from concept to production fasterExternal partnerships can strengthen internal innovation enginesThe future of payments will be shaped by agentic commerce and digital identity To know more about HFS on Global Capability Centers (GCCs), visit us here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/global-capability-centers-gccs/ We recently launched our GCC Pulse Report, "Ownership is the next imperative for India's GCCs to become generative enterprises." Read more here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/indias-gcc-pulse-index/

Ramachandran S, Practice Leader, HFS Research, speaks with Raghavendra Vaidya, Group CIO, Daimler Truck AG, about how AI is transforming both enterprise operations and commercial vehicles. Vaidya explains why AI has become the industry's top priority, moving beyond earlier technology waves like cloud and blockchain. While Daimler Truck has used machine learning for years, large language models are driving a broader strategy to create lasting competitive advantage. The conversation explores physical AI, including Torc's work on Level 4 autonomous trucks, the use of humanoid robots in manufacturing and logistics, and Daimler Truck's rollout of LibreChat alongside Microsoft Copilot. Vaidya shares why adoption has been so successful, emphasizing that the biggest shift is treating AI as a trusted colleague rather than just another IT tool. They also discuss agentic AI in manufacturing and supply chain, the future of fleet management, and why simplifying systems and data is essential before AI can scale across the enterprise. #enterpriseai #PhysicalAI #AutonomousTrucks #AgenticAI #DaimlerTruck #HFSResearch #AIStrategy #Manufacturing #FleetManagement #DigitalTransformation

In this episode of HFS Unfiltered, HFS’ Ashish Chaturvedi and Hridika Biswas are joined by Nagaraj Sastry, SVP and Global Head of Data and AI for Digital Business Services at HCLTech, to explore a critical enterprise AI paradox: organizations are gaining faster insights and efficiencies from data and AI, but only a small percentage are translating those investments into new revenue and meaningful transformation. The conversation explores why infrastructure-led modernization alone isn’t enough and how strong data governance, domain ontologies, contextualized intelligence, agentic AI, and operating model redesign can help enterprises move from AI experimentation to measurable business value. Nagaraj also shares how HCLTech is approaching this shift through its data and AI capabilities and industry-specific solutions. What you’ll hear: Why faster insights aren’t necessarily translating into new revenue How domain ontologies and trusted data foundations can unlock AI value Why process and operating model redesign are essential for scaling agentic AI What separates enterprises monetizing AI from those still treating it primarily as infrastructure Learn more about the 2026 HFS Horizons: Data Modernization and AI report, which evaluates 40 service providers across the data modernization and AI value chain, here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/hfs-horizons-data-modernization-and-ai-2026 #DataModernization #EnterpriseAI #AgenticAI #DataGovernance #DomainOntology #AIMonetization #HCLTech #HFSResearch #DataAndAI #DigitalTransformation

In this episode of HFS GCC Advantage, Ramkumar Narayanan, EVP, Enterprise AI and Data Platforms, and Head of FIS India and the Philippines, shares how FIS is turning its GCC into a strategic engine for AI, platform innovation, and business growth. The conversation explores how a mature GCC can move beyond execution to ownership, create enterprise value, and help shape the future of work in a regulated financial services environment. Ramkumar also explains why AI transformation and workforce resilience must advance together, and how India and the Philippines centers are becoming central to FIS’s long-term growth strategy. What you’ll hear: How FIS serves the banking, payments, and capital markets ecosystemWhy India and the Philippines are strategic GCC centers for FISHow the organization is shifting from application-centric work to platform-centric AIWhy reusable AI foundations help reduce rework and duplicationHow governance is being embedded into code for scale and complianceWhy AI investments must begin with real business problemsHow GCCs can move from execution to enterprise outcome ownershipWhy workforce resilience must advance alongside AI transformationHow GCCs can unlock workflow intelligence to support AI redesignWhat leaders should do to stay aligned with the shifting company strategyKey takeaways: GCCs create more value when they own outcomes, not just tasksPlatform-first AI is more scalable than one-off experimentsGovernance built into code helps regulated enterprises move faster with confidenceAI transformation and workforce transformation must happen togetherGCCs hold unique workflow knowledge that can shape enterprise AIMature GCCs should align closely with the CEO and company priorities To know more about HFS on Global Capability Centers (GCCs), visit us here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/global-capability-centers-gccs/ We recently launched our GCC Pulse Report, “Ownership is the next imperative for India’s GCCs to become generative enterprises.” Read more here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/indias-gcc-pulse-index/

Join Achyuta Ghosh and Dr. Rajesh Puneyani, Vice President and Site Leader at Kenvue Solutions, for a sharp conversation on how GCCs are evolving from delivery hubs into connected enterprise engines. Rajesh shares how Kenvue built its India center with business impact at the core, why data became the first major capability, and how the team is using technology to improve on-shelf availability, recover lost sales, and support growth across the enterprise. What you'll hear: Why Kenvue GCC was designed from day one as a digital-first, data-driven, business-tech partner rather than a cost center.How the India center helps connect consumers, brands, supply chain, data, and technology to drive real enterprise outcomes. Key takeaways: Why is data the foundation for creating connected enterprise outcomes, especially in a consumer healthcare business with a deep product legacy.How Kenvue used data and technology to build an on-shelf availability solution that helps recover lost sales and improve market performance.Why the next phase of GCC value will come from leadership upskilling in data and AI, not just from adopting tools.How business problems and technology solutions need to be married closely to avoid building in the wrong direction.Why forward-deployed engineers and business proximity will matter more as GCCs become more outcome-led.What separates operational hubs from true growth engines: proactiveness, solution thinking, and the ability to identify problems before headquarters does.Why the most successful GCCs will combine operational excellence with the confidence to shape the enterprise roadmap. To know more about HFS on Global Capability Centers (GCCs), visit us here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/global-capability-centers-gccs/ We recently launched our GCC Pulse Report, "Ownership is the next imperative for India's GCCs to become generative enterprises." Read more here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/indias-gcc-pulse-index/

In this episode of HFS Unfiltered, Rohan Kulkarni, Executive Research Leader for Healthcare and Life Sciences at HFS Research, joins Titus Leo, SVP of Sagility Provider Solutions, to discuss the HFS Horizons HCP Provider Services 2026 study and explore how healthcare providers can respond to growing financial pressure, rising costs, and changing reimbursement models. What you’ll hear: Why traditional healthcare operating and reimbursement models are becoming unsustainable Three bold ideas: direct-to-employer capitation, smarter self-pay strategies, and AI-enabled proactive care Why healthcare services are shifting from FTE-based to outcome-based models How clinical RCM, agentic AI, and patient engagement can improve financial and operational performance How Sagility is advancing these capabilities through Synchrony, AI/GenAI, and Birch AI Key takeaways: Providers need new revenue and care models to build resilience amid continued margin pressure. AI can move healthcare from reactive treatment toward proactive disease prevention and management. Outcome-based partnerships will increasingly require service providers to deliver measurable business and clinical impact. The convergence of services-as-software, RCM, and agentic AI is creating new opportunities to transform healthcare operations. Learn more about the associated reports here: HFS Horizons: HCP Service Providers, 2026 - https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/hfs-horizons-hcp-service-providers-2026/Point of View: Financial duress will be the forcing function for purposeful AI in US healthcare - https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/financial-duress-us-healthcare/Point of View: The patient is the new payer, and self-pay must anchor the provider’s survival - https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/patient-payer-self-pay-survival/ #Healthcare #RevenueCycle #RCM #ValueBasedCare #HealthcareAI #AgenticAI #PatientEngagement #Sagility #HFSResearch #HealthcareProviders

In this episode of HFS GCC Advantage, we speak with Saraswathi Ramachandra, MD & Country Head at Lightcast India, about how GCCs are evolving from delivery centers into hubs for product, engineering, and business outcomes. She shares how Lightcast turns labor market data into actionable intelligence and how India is playing a central role in building global capabilities. What you’ll hear: How Lightcast uses labor market intelligence to understand skills and workforce trendsWhy the India GCC is moving from delivery to deeper engineering and product ownershipHow data, AI, and taxonomy power Lightcast’s platform and insightsWhat it takes for GCCs to move closer to revenue, customers, and market outcomes Key takeaways: Skills intelligence is becoming essential for enterprises, academia, and governmentsGCCs create more value when they own outcomes, not just tasksIndia can be a strategic hub for AI, data, and product innovationThe future of GCCs is defined by business impact, customer success, and measurable results To know more about HFS on Global Capability Centers (GCCs), visit us here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/global-capability-centers-gccs/ We recently launched our GCC Pulse Report, "Ownership is the next imperative for India's GCCs to become generative enterprises." Read more here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/rIndia’s/indias-gcc-pulse-index/

In this episode of HFS Unfiltered Stories, Saurabh Gupta, President of HFS Research, speaks with Manohar Atreya, Chief Operating Officer of iOPEX, about turning Services-as-Software™ from concept into reality and why outcome-led, AI-driven delivery requires moving beyond traditional FTE and effort-based models. Manohar shares how iOPEX embeds intelligence into business workflows across revenue and service operations, with real-world examples spanning advertising, cybersecurity, telecom, and field services. They also explore why enterprises remain stuck in AI pilot purgatory, how to address data, process, technology, and talent debt, and why successful AI transformation starts with the right business case rather than large-scale modernization. The conversation closes on the growing opportunity for outcome-based models, AI orchestration, and services delivered as intellectual property, and why Services-as-Software represents a new model for enterprises and providers to learn to buy and sell. Read the associated HFS Challengers’ Code report, “Scaling enterprise AI requires an always-on intelligence layer: The iOPEX model,” here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/scaling-enterprise-ai-requires-an-always-on-intelligence-layer-the-iopex-model/#ServicesAsSoftware #AgenticAI #EnterpriseAI #OutcomeBasedPricing #AIOrchestration #iOPEX #HFSResearch #DigitalTransformation

Most GCCs still focus on scale and cost. Evernorth Health Services is doing something different.  In this episode, Prashanthi Bodugam, Head of Evernorth Health Services India, shares how her team has transformed a fast-growing GCC from a traditional shared services model into an AI-first strategic hub in under two years. It’s a practical look at how healthcare GCCs can move past cost arbitrage and start driving real enterprise value. Prashanthi dives into what it takes to reimagine workforce skills, build responsible governance, and embed AI into core outcomes such as claim processing and patient care. Her point is direct: AI works best when it amplifies human expertise rather than replaces it, and the next frontier for GCCs is deep integration of AI into enterprise workflows. With over 20 years of leading GCCs and shaping Cigna’s India operations, Prashanthi offers a blueprint for quickly scaling innovation without sacrificing trust or compliance. If you’re a healthcare leader, CTO, or CFO trying to unlock real AI value in a regulated industry, this one is worth your time. What you’ll hear: Why healthcare GCCs are moving beyond cost savingsHow Evernorth is transforming in under two yearsWhy AI literacy and responsible governance matterReal AI use cases in claims processing and patient careHow to build an AI-first culture without losing human oversight Key takeaways: GCCs can create strategic value beyond execution and scaleAI works best when paired with human oversight and governancePractical use cases like claims automation deliver real impactWorkforce upskilling is essential for AI adoptionHealthcare leaders must balance innovation, Trust, and compliance To know more about HFS on Global Capability Centers (GCCs), visit us here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/global-capability-centers-gccs/ We recently launched our GCC Pulse Report, “Ownership is the next imperative for India’s GCCs to become generative enterprises.” Read more here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/indias-gcc-pulse-index/

In this episode of HFS Unfiltered, Hansa Iyengar, Practice Leader at HFS Research, speaks with David McQueen, EY's Global SAP Consulting Managing Partner & Global Consulting Executive Committee Member, about what separates a technically successful SAP S/4HANA migration from a transformation that delivers real business value. The discussion follows EY's recognition in Horizon 3 of the HFS SAP S/4HANA Transformation Services Horizons. David explains why successful ERP transformation depends on three fundamentals: clean, well-governed data, deep process expertise, and strong, business-led change management. While AI is accelerating ERP programs, it amplifies the importance of these foundations rather than replacing them. The conversation also explores outcome-based transformation, including EY’s "phase zero" approach and the Transformation Realized platform, which helps define value up front and align commercial models with measurable business outcomes. David argues that future success depends on shared accountability between clients and systems integrators. They conclude by discussing the need for stronger business ownership, cross-functional collaboration, and better governance throughout transformation programs. David’s key takeaway is clear: SAP transformations succeed when they’re treated as business initiatives supported by technology, not technology projects alone. Learn more about the 2026 HFS Horizons: SAP S/4HANA Transformation Services covering 25 global service providers: https://www.hfsresearch.com/research/hfs-horizons-sap-s-4hana-transformation-services-2026/ #SAP #S4HANA #ERP #DigitalTransformation #EnterpriseAI #OutcomeBasedPricing #ChangeManagement #EY #HFSResearch #BusinessTransformation