Tech titans hail Hyd’s rise as innovation hub

Hyderabad: Hyderabad continued to strengthen its position as one of India’s fastest-growing technology destinations, as several senior industry leaders specialising in Global Capability Centres (GCCs) participated in a high-energy GCC summit at the HMTV Business Excellence Awards here on Saturday.

The panel unanimously agreed that India—particularly Hyderabad—is rapidly evolving into a preferred global hub for innovation, talent, and GCC expansion.

Sheenam, Managing Director of Broadridge, highlighted the city’s growing concentration of GCCs, noting that out of 154 global clients, 35 are already based in India. She said meetings conducted in Hyderabad are often more productive due to common challenges and shared ecosystems. “The concentration of GCCs here creates purposeful engagements and collaborative problem-solving,” she added.

Richa Jain, Managing Director at Northern Tool Equipment, emphasised an evolving operations model within GCCs. She explained that the industry is moving towards a “40:60 formula”—with 40 percent of roles being transactional and 60 percent focused on strategic innovation. She stressed the importance of reskilling to strengthen capabilities and said innovation-led hubs like Hyderabad are particularly conducive for mid-market GCCs.

Shiv Kumar Bhasin, chief AI officer at IndusInd Bank, noted that India is now a global hotspot for product-led innovation. Citing the success of UPI and Aadhaar, he said, “After years of effort, India has become the centre of advanced digital innovation. Many countries are now trying to replicate our model.”

Echoing this sentiment, Anil Philip, General Manager at CSB India, said technology has enabled borderless financial services over the past two decades. He pointed out that GCCs—whether in India or abroad—now play a decisive role in global operations. Calling Hyderabad a cost-effective and innovation-friendly location, he noted the city’s strong pharmaceutical presence, with 22 major companies contributing significantly to R&D and technological progress.

Rakesh Sinha, Founder of SSF, praised Hyderabad’s business and innovation ecosystem, describing it as “awesome” and supported by a strong talent pool in financial and domain-centric services. He said the city’s single-window clearance system and professional work culture make it one of the most attractive destinations for GCC investments.

Adding to the discussion, Dura Prakash Devarakonda, technology head at McDonald’s, highlighted how their Hyderabad centre has boosted integrated and horizontal ways of working. According to him, this integration has significantly strengthened their technology development and operational efficiency.

Overall, the summit reinforced Hyderabad’s growing stature as a global GCC powerhouse—driven by innovation, talent density, and an enabling environment for tech-led growth.