iSprout brings together industry trailblazers at GCC Leaders' Conclave 2025

Time of India

a day ago

iSprout brings together industry trailblazers at GCC Leaders' Conclave 2025
The GCC Ecosystem Leaders Conclave 2025 brought together an influential mix of thought leaders, policymakers, and industry pioneers to explore the evolving and dynamic future of Global Capability Centers (GCCs).
Held at ITC Kohenur, Hyderabad, the invite-only event, hosted by iSprout in collaboration with The Economic Times as media partner, served as a vibrant platform for dialogue and collaboration. The conclave saw active participation from leaders across government bodies, top GCCs, technology associations, real estate, finance, legal, and talent management sectors, reflecting the breadth and depth of the ecosystem driving the new, robust GCC narrative.
The event marked the launch of iSprout Signature, custom designed ready-to-move-in premium workspaces and GCCXprss, a one-stop platform to enable GCCs to set up and scale their India operations. Speaking on the occasion, Sreenivas Tirdhala, Co-founder iSprout stated, 'Since our inception in 2017,
iSprout
has expanded to over 2.5 million square feet of premium managed workspace, hosting more than 400 companies across six Indian cities.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy
IC Markets
Tìm hiểu thêm
Undo
With strong demand and continued momentum, we're now aiming to double our capacity over the next 24 months'.
In a briefing which followed, Sundari Patibandla, CEO and co-founder, iSprout gave an overview of the new ventures, shedding light on its key aspects. 'With iSprout Signature, we are redefining the workspace experience for Global Capability Centers. These high-end, plug-and-play workspaces combine luxury, functionality, and flexibility—designed specifically for global teams who expect more from their work environment,' she said.
Vijay Pasupulati, CEO GCCXprss, elaborating on the vision behind the brand said, 'GCCXprss is designed as a one-stop platform to help mid-market global companies seamlessly set up and scale their Global Capability Centers (GCCs) in India. From premium workspace solutions to talent acquisition and operational support, we offer both Build-Operate-Transfer and GCC-as-a-Service models—making it easier than ever to launch and grow in one of the world's most dynamic talent markets'.
In his address, Kartik Ramakrishnan, KPMG partner - GCC initiative, set the tone of the evening by presenting the evolution and potential of GCCs and India's strategic advantage with its large talent pool, language proficiency and cost effectiveness.
GCC powering India's growth
A panel discussion on 'GCC powering India's growth' was moderated by Sreenivas Tirdhala. The panel saw the presence of Padma Bhushan Kris Gopalakrishnan, co-founder, Infosys and Shakthi Sagar, strategic adviser and eminent tech leader sharing their experiences and visions about India's growth.
Kris Gopalakrishnan reflected on the importance of industries' ability to continuously evolve and adapt to the ecosystem and client's changing needs. He noted that the IT industry itself is inherently dynamic and constantly undergoing reinvention. 'With the advent and rapid advancement of AI, significant transformations are taking place, and GCC will need to continuously adapt,' he stated. Elaborating on India's potential, he added, 'India is the fastest growing country in terms of IT services.
It is mainly because of the talent pool, our focus on STEM education and adaptability. India will continue to be the default location if we continue to innovate and create the right model to attract the companies'.
Shakthi Sagar described GCCs as more than just operational hubs — he referred to them as GILT, meaning Global Innovation Leveraging Trendsetters. He emphasised the strength of India's talent pool, noting that it is predominantly young, which makes it highly trainable and adaptable.
'Indian professionals have a strong ability to learn while working and deliver results effectively,' he added.
Strength of an ecosystem
At the policy level, both leaders emphasised that India must actively promote the growth of GCCs and the broader IT sector. They stressed that skilling is a shared responsibility, one that must be taken up collectively by companies, individuals, and the government. They also addressed the persistent gap between academia and industry.
To bridge this gap, they emphasised the need for strong partnerships and collaboration between academia and industry.
GCC Playbook
The second panel discussion titled 'GCC Playbook', focused on India's evolving IT landscape, talent potential, the changing technology ecosystem and delivery models. It was moderated by Swaroopa Gorantla, co-founder of Peoples360D and had Chandra Vijjhala, American Airlines India GCC president; Rajesh Balaraju, London Stock Exchange India GCC COO; Sandip Patnaik, JLL India MD; Dr Vipul Singh, HR head, Lloyds Banking Group.
Dr. Vipul Singh began by emphasising the need to focus on fresh graduates and early-career professionals. 'There's a significant arbitrage created by money power and a changing ecosystem,' he said, highlighting the importance of adapting the workforce to the current needs of the industries. He stressed that success today depends on being able to deliver solutions end-to-end, adding, 'A GCC is truly successful only if it can take a product from concept to delivery'.
Rajesh Balaraju outlined three core pillars for India's leadership in the IT space. 'First and foremost, it's about talent. Second is scalability, and third is our ability to lead global delivery,' he explained. Sandeep Patnaik responded to the common question as to why India is still such an attractive destination for global IT investments. 'India offers much more than just cost advantages; it brings innovation, agility and an evolving talent pool,' he stated.
He added 'In India, 75 million square feet of office space was leased out last year and out of it 30% is contributed by GCCs'.
Highlighting the advantages India holds globally, Chandra stated, 'Our talent is not only about learning new skills but also in bringing change. We are adaptable and have a great learning agility as a workforce'. Returning to the discussion on location-based advantages, Chandra highlighted the strategic appeal of Hyderabad.
'The attractiveness of Hyderabad helps us draw attention—both from talent and investors.
A great ecosystem combined with great talent becomes a powerful catalyst,' he stated.
The evening ended on a note of camaraderie amongst the august audience and speakers.
Disclaimer - The above content is non-editorial, and TIL hereby disclaims any and all warranties, expressed or implied, relating to it, and does not guarantee, vouch for or necessarily endorse any of the content.
Stay informed with the latest
business
news, updates on
bank holidays
and
public holidays
.
AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now