Chennai: Coimbatore has the potential to scale its global capability center (GCC) ecosystem to nearly 200 GCCs by 2032 from about 75 (GCCs) at present, according to a report released by EY and CII. It estimates annual GCC growth could rise from 10%-12% in the initial years to 24%-27% by 2032, with a CAGR of about 21% during the period.The report said that enterprises seek diversification beyond major GCC hubs in metros (Metro+1) as a key growth driver for Coimbatore’s ecosystem. It also noted that existing GCC success stories can be leveraged to attract competitors, suppliers and industry peers, while attracting domestic enterprises, especially ones located in the southern parts of the country to establish internal capability centers. It noted the city can capitalise on its engineering talent, industrial strengths, workforce stability and innovation ecosystem.However, the report flags the challenges, including a lack of senior talent, connectivity, limited Grade A office space, and urban infrastructure challenges. Manoj Marwah, partner and GCC markets leader at EY India, said Coimbatore has in many ways moved beyond the conventional definition of a second-tier city. “The fact that some GCCs have scaled to over 1,000 employees demonstrates the potential to build and sustain larger mandates. The next phase is about replicating this success across the ecosystem. With coordinated execution, the city could emerge as one of India’s most distinctive GCC destinations by 2032,” he said.V Noushad, chairperson of CII Coimbatore Zone and MD of Walkaroo International, said, “As global enterprises increasingly seek talent, resilience and specialised capabilities beyond traditional metro locations, Coimbatore is well placed to play a larger role in India’s GCC story.”
