AMCHAM organized a GCC Conference in Pune on September 26th that marked an important milestone for AMCHAM of officially launching the Pune Chapter. The conference titled ‘Glocalizing GCCs – Shaping a Global Future with Local Expertise’ focused on key themes such as sustainable green manufacturing, fintech transformations, best practice exchanges, and industry-academia partnerships. The conference commenced with a welcome address by Ms. Ranjana Khanna, Director General CEO, AMCHAM. This was followed by opening remarks from Mr. Chandrakant Nayak, Chairman – Western Region, AMCHAM and Country President & CEO, Dow Chemical International, and a scene-setting address by Mr. Santosh Kulkarni, Chairman – GCC Committee, AMCHAM and Managing Partner & Global Leader – Global Capability Centers BU, IBM, who emphasized the strategic importance of GCCs in driving global growth with local expertise. Ms. Kaku Nakhate, National Executive Board Member, AMCHAM and President and India Country Head, Bank of America, during her address, highlighted value propositions that AMCHAM can offer across various dimensions when GCCs are being set up in India. She highlighted that be it policy advocacy, government relations, market insights, skilling, talent development or sector-specific engagement, by leveraging these areas AMCHAM can position itself as a strategic partner for GCCs entering or expanding in India, providing them with a holistic ecosystem for business growth and sustainability.

Mr. Deependra Singh Kushwah, IAS, Development Commissioner, Directorate of Industries, Government of Maharashtra, delivered a special address that highlighted Maharashtra’s pivotal role in shaping India’s global IT and GCC landscape. Key points from his presentation included Maharashtra’s leadership in India’s economic growth, with a vision to become a $1 trillion economy by 2030, contributing ~13% of India’s GDP. Mr. Kushwah underscored Maharashtra’s potential to become the AI capital of India, especially with the expansion of IT hubs in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities like Nashik, Nagpur, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. His address highlighted the state’s commitment to enhancing IT infrastructure, with dedicated IT parks such as Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in Pune, a strong talent pipeline, and cost-effective operations that provide a conducive environment for GCCs to thrive. Emphasizing the importance of emerging technologies — AI, blockchain, IoT, and AR/VR — Mr. Kushwah presented Maharashtra’s AVGC (animation, visual effects, gaming, comics) sector as a growing powerhouse, hosting over 30% of India’s AVGC studios. His speech reinforced the state’s IT/ITeS Policy 2023, which aims to transform Maharashtra into an innovation hub with a focus on green IT, start-ups, and data centers, positioning it as the ideal destination for global investment.

Session 1: Sustainable Green Manufacturing explored the growing focus on sustainable manufacturing practices within the GCC sector. The discussion revolved around sustainable manufacturing goals, particularly in reducing operational CO2 emissions, circular economy practices, efforts toward water conservation and zero discharge, the role of technology integration in monitoring CO2 footprints and enhancing sustainability, and collaborations between suppliers and customers to achieve mutual sustainability goals. Panelists Mr. Chandrakant Nayak, Chairman – Western Region, AMCHAM and Country President and CEO, Dow Chemical International and Mr. Anil Bhatia, National Executive Board Member, AMCHAM and Vice President & Managing Director – India, Emerson along with moderator Mr. Shailendra Jagtap, Vice Chairman – Western Region, AMCHAM and Managing Director & Country Manager, John Deere India shared best practices and discussed how GCCs can further contribute to global green manufacturing initiatives.

Session 2: FinTech and the Transformation of the GCC Financial Landscape delved into the impact of financial technology on GCC operations. The discussion addressed several important points ranging from the digital transformation of the BFSI sector and the role of GCCs in adapting to newer technologies like AI, blockchain, and quantum computing. Panelists explored how these innovations are reshaping banking, payments, and investment operations within GCCs. Speakers Ms. Kaku Nakhate, National Executive Board Member, AMCHAM and President and India Country Head, Bank of America and Mr. Arindam Banerrji, Executive Vice President and Country Head, India, State Street, with moderator Mr. Kunal Pande, Partner, KPMG in India, discussed opportunities for innovation in financial processes driven by fintech advancements and the role of AI and machine learning in enhancing decision-making capabilities. The session also explored the regulatory, cyber security, and resiliency challenges that come with the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and how GCCs must navigate these risks to maximize their value contributions. Panelists discussed how GCCs can engage with start-ups and research institutions to foster collaboration and innovation, further positioning themselves as essential enablers for the global financial landscape.

Session 3: Streamlining Best Practices Exchange and Standardization Across GCCs focused on cross-GCC collaboration to share best practices and enhance operational efficiency. Key discussion points included the value of mentorship programs across GCCs to facilitate knowledge transfer, best practice teams documenting and sharing effective processes for continuous improvement and also accelerating innovation through shared expertise, leading to faster adoption of new technologies and business solutions. Speakers Mr. Richard Kemmling, Partner and Country Head, ACA Group, Mr. Kartik Nagarajan, Managing Director – Business Consulting & Global Business Services (Sales), Nexdigm Inc. and Mr. Abhijit Shah, Country Managing Director and Senior Principal, Walter P Moore India, emphasized the role of collaborative innovation in fostering a culture of continuous improvement within GCCs while Ms. Shalini Pillay, India Leader – Global Capability Centers, KPMG in India moderated the session.

Session 4: Industry-Academia Partnership: Skill Enhancement & Growth explored the critical role of industry-academia partnerships in enhancing workforce skills and fostering innovation. Mr. Sumit Gupta, Co-Chairman – GCC Committee, AMCHAM and VP, Digital Technology, Cargill, Dr. Swati Mujumder, Pro Chancellor, Symbiosis Skills and Professional University, Pune & Symbiosis University of Applied Sciences, Indore and Mr. Joe Yang, Principal Commercial Officer, U.S. Consulate General Mumbai joined the discussion as panelists while Mr. Santhosh Rao, Partner & Executive Director, IBM Consulting moderated the session. Speakers highlighted the development of a digital workforce through up-skilling and re-skilling initiatives, how industry-academia collaborations are adapting to emerging technologies, such as GenerativeAI (GenAI), and how this is re-shaping education and skill development. Addressing challenges related to in-sourcing within GCCs, focusing on the management of patent and IP rights to encourage co-innovation between academia and industry were a few other areas the discussion touched on. The panelists also stressed the importance of aligning educational frameworks with the evolving needs of industry.

The event concluded successfully highlighting the strategic importance of GCCs in driving innovation, sustainability, and collaboration, reinforcing the role of Pune as a critical hub for global capability centers. The conference was supported by the Industry Department, Government of Maharashtra and corporate partners: (Knowledge Partner) KPMG, (Gold Partner) John Deere, (Silver Partners) ACA Global and Nexdigm Inc., (Bronze Partner) Dow Chemical International and (Corporate Contributor) Walter P Moore.