How Target’s Andrea Zimmerman sees the future of GCCs in India


India’s global capability centres (GCCs) are set for transformational growth, evolving from traditional back-office units to strategic hubs driving innovation, according to Andrea Zimmerman, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Risk and Chief Information Security Officer at Target Corporation. In her recent India visit, Zimmerman outlined her vision for Target’s Bengaluru GCC and shared insights on how the future of these centres will unfold over the coming decade.


🌐 GCCs in India: From support to strategy

Zimmerman emphasised that India’s GCCs are no longer mere cost arbitrage units. Instead, they are integral to core business functions, innovation pipelines, and enterprise-wide security and risk management strategies. She said:

“The role of GCCs is rapidly evolving from transactional execution to strategic enablement. The scale of talent, digital skills, and innovation mindset here make India a pivotal growth engine for Target.”


📊 Key trends shaping India’s GCC landscape

TrendDescriptionImpact on GCCs
AI & GenAI integrationWidespread adoption of AI across retail and security functionsGCCs will build AI CoEs to lead global deployments
Cybersecurity & risk elevationHeightened enterprise focus on resilienceIndia GCCs will play core roles in cyber defence operations
Innovation ownershipShift towards end-to-end product developmentGCCs transition from support to full product engineering
Leadership localisationIndian leaders gaining global mandatesEnhances strategic ownership and global influence
Sustainability focusESG and climate action initiatives embedded in operationsGCCs drive enterprise sustainability analytics and compliance

🏢 Target’s Bengaluru GCC: A strategic powerhouse

Target’s India GCC, established in 2005 in Bengaluru, employs over 4,500 people. It is involved in:

✅ Product engineering across retail technology
✅ Cybersecurity operations and digital risk management
✅ Data analytics for merchandising, supply chain, and guest insights
✅ AI-powered personalisation and search algorithms
✅ Finance, HR, and procurement shared services

Zimmerman noted:

“Target India is critical to our digital transformation and security posture. The GCC is where we incubate next-gen tech solutions at scale.”


💬 Andrea Zimmerman’s vision for GCCs

Zimmerman outlined three pillars defining the future of GCCs in India:

  1. Strategic CoEs driving enterprise innovation
    GCCs will house global Centres of Excellence for AI, cloud security, data engineering, and sustainability analytics, leading enterprise-wide initiatives.
  2. Talent development with global leadership exposure
    Investment in leadership capability building to enable Indian leaders to drive global portfolios, transcending operational roles.
  3. Integrated security-first approach
    Cybersecurity will be embedded across every function with India GCCs anchoring operational resilience, threat intelligence, and compliance monitoring.

🚀 Why India remains GCC capital of the world

Zimmerman stated that India’s GCC ecosystem benefits from:

  • Strong STEM talent pool with digital expertise
  • Established global tech ecosystem in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, NCR
  • Evolving leadership talent with global exposure
  • Favourable regulatory environment for data and tech operations

📈 India GCC sector outlook

Parameter20232025F2030F
Number of GCCs~1,5801,7502,500+
Employment~1.66 million2.0 million2.9 million
Sector contribution to GDP$46 billion$57 billion$100+ billion
Focus areasIT, BFSI, retail, pharmaAI, GenAI, cybersecurity, ESG analyticsDeeptech, global product ownership

(Source: NASSCOM, Zinnov, EY research)


💡 Target’s upcoming India focus areas

Zimmerman highlighted Target India’s plans to:

✅ Expand AI and ML capabilities for retail personalisation
✅ Strengthen cyber threat intelligence operations
✅ Increase women’s participation in tech leadership roles
✅ Drive enterprise sustainability analytics initiatives

She said:

“We are committed to expanding our impact in India, investing in talent and technology to support Target’s growth journey globally.”


🌏 Future of GCCs beyond cost savings

Industry analysts agree with Zimmerman’s perspective, noting that India’s GCCs are moving towards strategic value addition rather than cost savings. R Chandrashekhar, former President of NASSCOM, commented:

“Global firms view India as a hub for digital innovation, AI, cybersecurity, and ESG analytics. The GCC model is being redefined into Global Capability + Innovation Centres (GCICs).”


⚠️ Challenges to address

Despite strong prospects, Zimmerman acknowledged challenges:

  • Intense demand-supply gaps in AI and cybersecurity talent
  • Managing hybrid work models while fostering innovation culture
  • Data security compliance across geographies

She said Target is committed to addressing these challenges through structured talent pipelines, leadership development, and integrated security frameworks.


🗨️ The road ahead

For Target and other multinational companies, India’s GCCs will:

✅ Drive AI and GenAI deployments at scale
✅ Anchor enterprise cybersecurity and operational resilience
✅ Become innovation hubs for products, supply chain, and ESG analytics
✅ Develop global leaders with strategic influence

Zimmerman concluded:

“The future of GCCs is about strategic co-creation, not just execution. India is at the centre of that vision for Target.”


Disclaimer

This news article is based on insights shared by Andrea Zimmerman of Target Corporation during her recent India visit and includes analyst projections from NASSCOM and Zinnov reports. Readers are advised to check official Target statements for business or investment decisions.

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