Beyond Tech: GCCs as Strategic Brands
The recent “Great Places” webinar on GCCs reinforced a clear message—GCCs are no longer just cost-savers or technology hubs. They are strategic engines shaping transformation, innovation, and business outcomes.
Consider this: India now hosts 1,700+ GCCs employing 1.9M professionals, projected to grow to 2,100–2,200 GCCs and 2.5–2.8M jobs by 2030 (Reuters).
Yet, the challenge remains: how do we make GCCs visible, attractive, and valued as brands?
The Invisibility Challenge
Most GCCs operate under different names or sub-brands, often invisible in the corporate brand architecture. This creates a paradox: they do mission-critical work that contributes to $100B+ projected revenues by 2030 (TOI), but lack brand equity in talent and business circles.
CEOs need to ask: What do we stand for as a GCC brand? How do we balance corporate alignment with a unique identity?
Lessons from Global FMCG Brand Houses
Look at the world’s leading FMCG giants. They manage portfolios of brands—each with its own personality, audience, and promise—while still reflecting the parent company’s values. A chocolate brand may stand for indulgence, while a cereal brand promotes health, yet both reinforce the corporation’s reputation for quality.
The lesson for GCCs? Clarity of role, coherence of values, and freedom for brand expression. You can operate under the corporate umbrella while cultivating your own identity that resonates with talent and stakeholders.
At Pomelo Employer Branding , we’ve navigated these very guardrails—helping global corporations attract consumers while giving individual brands the freedom to tell their own story. The same principles apply to building GCC brands.
Employer Branding: The Real Differentiator
The bigger CEO challenge is talent. GCCs compete with tech firms, startups, and consulting giants.
To win, employer branding must go beyond job listings and embrace storytelling:
- Purpose: “We power global innovation from here.”
- Impact: Local teams shaping global strategy.
- Culture: Growth, learning, and inclusion.