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Gain a clear, strategic perspective on Global Capability Centers (GCCs) from leaders who have built and scaled them. This podcast delivers candid, executive-level conversations on GCC strategy, innovation, and global operating models—designed for CIOs, technology leaders, and GCC operators.

Oct 22

Ep 5 - Before You Build: What Makes an Organization Ready for a GCC

The questions behind a successful GCC haven't changed in a decade — only the technology has. In this episode, Patricia Connolly sits down with Anil Arcalgud, who helped build the Ecolab Digital Center, to talk about readiness and strategy in the AI era: why a GCC is a business value discussion rather than a cost play, how CIOs should align with the CEO, CFO, and CHRO before they start, what a maturity-model view of readiness reveals, how to bring the board along, and the three things Anil wishes he had known earlier. Plus: where BOT and assisted-build models fit, and a GCC Readiness Checklist available on request.
Sep 5

Ep 4 - The GCC of the Future: Building Capabilities That Drive Enterprise Growth

Once an organization decides to build a GCC, the real question isn't "what is it?" — it's "what can it do for the business?" In this episode, Patricia Connolly and Aditya Jayaraman step past definitions and debate what a GCC should actually become. They trace the shift from GCC 1.0 (scaling work) to GCC 2.0 (scaling capability), share a practical three-lens framework CEOs and CIOs can use to decide which capabilities belong in a GCC, and explain why AI is a talent challenge as much as a technology one. Pat closes with four shifts that will define the most successful GCCs of 2030 — and the one-line takeaway that ties it together: a GCC is no longer defined by the work it performs, but by the value it creates for the enterprise.
Jul 14

EP 3 - The GCC Advantage: From Cost Arbitrage to Strategic Capability

Episode 3: The GCC Advantage: From Cost Arbitrage to Strategic Capability What separates a true Global Capability Center from a traditional offshore delivery model? In this episode of ChatGCC, Patricia Connolly, SVP, Global Head of GCC Services at SMC Squared, and Aditya Jayaraman, Country Head of Hexaware Technologies, return to the fundamentals and define what a GCC is, how the model has evolved and why the distinction between a GCC and an offshore delivery center matters. Early versions of these centers were often called captive centers and focused primarily on cost savings, transactional work and process execution. Today, high-performing GCCs operate very differently. They serve as strategic extensions of the parent company, helping accelerate modernization, product development, go-to-market initiatives and AI integration. Pat and Adi discuss how ownership changes the relationship between a company and its global team. Adi compares a GCC to owning a second home: it is an extension of the organization and carries both meaningful benefits and long-term responsibilities. An outsourced delivery relationship, by contrast, is more like staying at a hotel, where the primary expectation is a defined level of service. In this episode, Pat and Adi explore: * How captive centers evolved into Global Capability Centers * Why ownership is one of the defining characteristics of a GCC * The difference between building an internal capability and purchasing an outsourced service * How GCCs support strategic priorities, innovation and long-term business value * Why organizations must define success, accountability and ownership from the beginning * How the “one team” mindset connects headquarters and GCC employees * What leadership conversations and decision-making look like in a GCC compared with an ODC * Why GCC employees are more likely to focus on careers, contribution and business outcomes rather than individual projects * How culture, communication and a strong employee value proposition help attract and retain talent * Why smaller or lesser-known companies can compete for exceptional talent by emphasizing ownership, purpose and impact Pat also shares examples from Fossil Group and Ecolab to illustrate the model in practice. For Fossil, transitioning from a large outsourced delivery arrangement to a GCC helped the organization regain control, improve performance and create a more integrated team. Ecolab’s Digital Center demonstrates how a clear strategic vision, intentional culture and strong communication plan can support growth and a successful build-operate-transfer transition. The conversation reinforces that the difference between a GCC and an ODC is not simply the name on the center. It is reflected in how employees connect to the company, how leaders discuss priorities, where decisions are made and whether the global team is empowered to contribute to the organization’s long-term strategy. Continue the conversation Learn the GCC fundamentals New to Global Capability Centers? Explore what defines a GCC, how the model has evolved and what distinguishes it from traditional outsourcing. Read: What Is a Global Capability Center? Revisit Episode 2 Hear why GCCs can quietly drift from their original purpose and learn the warning signs that may indicate a center is becoming an ODC in disguise. Listen to: Why GCCs Quietly Fail Explore the Fossil Group story See how Fossil moved beyond a traditional outsourced delivery model to regain control, improve performance and build a more integrated global team. Read the Fossil GCC story Explore the Ecolab Digital Center story Discover how a clear strategic vision, intentional culture and strong communication helped Ecolab build and successfully transition a mature Global Capability Center. Read the Ecolab GCC story Keep listening Find more ChatGCC episodes, show notes and additional resources for leaders building and scaling Global Capability Centers. Explore the ChatGCC series In the next episode, Pat and Adi examine how GCCs are evolving and what the Global Capability Center of 2030 may look like.
Jul 14

EP 2 - Why GCCs Struggle and How to Avoid Failure

Episode 2: Why GCCs Struggle and How to Avoid Failure Global Capability Centers are booming, but not every GCC delivers the strategic value its organization originally envisioned. In this episode of ChatGCC, Patricia Connolly, SVP, Global Head of GCC Services at Hexaware Technologies and Founder of SMC Squared, and Aditya Jayaraman, Country Head of Hexaware Technologies, address an uncomfortable reality: GCCs rarely fail all at once. More often, they gradually drift away from their original mandate while continuing to hire, operate and deliver work. What was intended to become a strategic extension of the parent organization can instead evolve into a high-cost delivery engine—or what Pat describes as an offshore delivery center in disguise. Pat and Aditya begin by clarifying the difference between the two models. A GCC is designed to create long-term business value through an integrated, employee-centered workforce that operates as one team with headquarters. An ODC is typically contractor-based, focused primarily on executing defined tasks, projects and outputs. When organizations confuse these objectives, the gap between expectations and reality begins to grow. In this episode, Pat and Aditya discuss: * Why GCCs can appear successful on paper while struggling during execution * The difference between a strategic GCC and a traditional offshore delivery center * How unclear objectives cause GCCs to drift from their original purpose * Why leadership alignment and local decision-making authority matter * The risks of scaling before the right foundation and support systems are in place * How culture connects GCC employees to the mission, values and purpose of the parent organization * Why talent acquisition must consider long-term fit—not technical skills alone * How strong governance supports communication, accountability, performance and risk mitigation * Why some organizations remain dependent on external vendors even after establishing a GCC * The importance of planning for a successful build-operate-transfer or ownership transition from the beginning The conversation reinforces that the GCC model itself is not the problem. The difference between an average GCC and a high-performing one often comes down to strategic clarity, culture, talent, governance, disciplined execution, and transition planning. When these elements are missing, an organization may end up with something that looks like a GCC but never becomes the strategic capability it was intended to be. Assess your organization’s GCC readiness Download the GCC Readiness Checklist and explore additional perspectives on the trends and execution challenges shaping today’s GCC market. Explore more GCC perspectives Stay informed about the trends, operating models and execution challenges shaping today’s Global Capability Centers. Explore GCC insights and perspectives. Continue with ChatGCC In the next episode, Pat and Adi step back to answer a foundational question: What exactly is a GCC, and what distinguishes it from a traditional offshore delivery center?
Jul 14

EP 1 - Introducing ChatGCC: Real-world Insights Shaping the Future of Global Capability Centers

Episode 1: Introducing ChatGCC: Real-world Insights Shaping the Future of Global Capability Centers In the first episode of ChatGCC, Patricia Connolly, SVP, Global Head of GCC Services at Hexaware Technologies and Founder of SMC Squared, and Aditya Jayaraman, Country Head of Hexaware Technologies, introduce the new series and the perspectives they bring to the evolving Global Capability Center landscape. ChatGCC was created to address the realities of building and scaling GCCs. Throughout the series, Pat and Aditya will explore the strategies, decisions and real-world experiences that influence why GCCs succeed, stall or fail. In this opening conversation, they examine how the GCC model has changed over the past two decades. What began largely as a cost-arbitrage and workforce-capacity strategy has developed into a much more significant enterprise opportunity. Today’s leading GCCs are becoming AI-powered, outcome-driven centers that can co-own products, contribute intellectual property, support transformation and help shape the future of the broader organization. In this episode, listeners will hear about: * Pat and Aditya’s connection to the GCC industry and the purpose behind the ChatGCC series * The origins of GCCs as people, place and cost-focused operating models * The progression from traditional GCCs to centers of excellence and GCC 2.0 * How AI is changing GCC operating models, roles and workforce strategies * The growing importance of AI-native workflows and hybrid human-and-digital teams * Why leading GCCs are moving from order-taking to product ownership and innovation * The role of talent, reskilling, cloud infrastructure, and business alignment in building high-performing GCCs * How GCCs can become strategic contributors to enterprise growth and transformation Pat and Aditya also preview the topic of the next episode: why GCCs sometimes fail, where organizations encounter common failure points, and how leaders can mitigate risk by planning for success from the beginning. Whether your organization is considering its first GCC, scaling an existing center or preparing for the next era of AI-enabled global operations, ChatGCC will provide candid perspectives and practical guidance from leaders working within the GCC ecosystem. Learn more about GCC 2.0 and how Hexaware and SMC Squared help organizations build and scale high-impact Global Capability Centers: www.smc2.com/chatgcc

5 Episodes

Gain a clear, strategic perspective on Global Capability Centers (GCCs) from leaders who have built and scaled them. This podcast delivers candid, executive-level conversations on GCC strategy, innovation, and global operating models—designed for CIOs, technology leaders, and GCC operators.

Creator

SMC Squared
Years Active

2026
Episodes

5
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© 2026
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