India's Talent Pool Attracts Global Firms, Brookfield CEO Says

Brookfield's CEO, Alok Aggarwal, believes that global firms have no option but to come to India due to the country's pool of talent and growing demand for outsourcing. Brookfield, one of the largest owner-operators of office space in India, hosts nearly 1,700 global capability centers, accounting for 53% of total GCCs worldwide. The company aims to double its Reit portfolio in India in the next four-to-five years.

Title: The Rise of Global Capability Centers in India: A Focus on Private Equity Firms and Brookfield

Private equity (PE) firms are increasingly pushing their portfolio companies to establish global capability centers (GCCs) in India, with investments quadrupling in the last five years. These GCCs, often focused on sectors such as software-as-a-service (SaaS) and banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI), are designed to drive rapid value creation and enhance profitability [1].

One in three mid-market GCCs set up in India in the past few years has been by a PE-backed firm, according to Zinnov, a technology and GCC consulting firm. The mid-market segment, comprising companies with annual revenue of $100 million to $5 billion, has emerged as a sweet spot for PE firms due to its agility and ambition [1].

Brookfield, one of the largest owner-operators of office space in India, hosts nearly 1,700 global capability centers, accounting for 53% of total GCCs worldwide. The company aims to double its REIT portfolio in India in the next four-to-five years, driven by the country's pool of talent and growing demand for outsourcing [2].

The GCCs are not just cost centers but value creation engines, delivering on transformation mandates, product velocity, and measurable business outcomes. Companies like Blackstone-backed Lumina CloudInfra, Brookfield Business Partners-supported CDK Global, and Vista Equity Partners’ portfolio firms such as TRG Screen and Sonatype have set up GCCs in India, leveraging the country's digital talent hubs like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune [1].

The mid-market segment, backed by PE firms, is projected to see accelerated growth, with revenue expanding at 15–20% between 2024 and 2026. This growth is driven by the operating agility of PE-backed GCCs, which cut through hierarchy and drive faster decisions with more accountability [1].

India's GCCs are expected to contribute $100 billion to parent companies by 2030, up from $64.6 billion in FY24. The country's talent ecosystem and growing demand for outsourcing make it an attractive destination for global firms [1].

References:
[1] https://m.economictimes.com/tech/technology/pe-firms-pushing-their-portfolio-companies-to-open-gccs-in-india/articleshow/123173951.cms
[2] https://www.brookfield.com/