India GCCs lure top tech talent with premium pay
NEW DELHI, INDIA — India’s global capability centers (GCCs) are aggressively competing to acquire highly skilled technology professionals by offering premium compensation packages exceeding those provided by leading IT services firms.
According to data from specialist staffing firm Xpheno, the salaries of Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) in GCCs are about 14% higher compared with IT services companies. Similarly, Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) could get around 12%, while the Human Resources (HR) Head could get 25% higher.
Specifically, professionals with 18 to 25 years of experience get up to ₹2 crore ($240,000) for the CTO role in GCCs, ₹2 crore ($240,000) for CFOs, and ₹1.8 crore ($216,000) for the chief HR officer. Actual compensation varies depending on factors like the candidate’s background, the GCC’s size and maturity, and how critical the role is.
GCCs are specifically targeting professionals with specialized expertise in high-demand domains like artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, and cybersecurity. IT services provider Wipro also acknowledged that GCCs are luring away skilled employees with 4-10 years of experience by offering 30-50% higher compensation.
Along with lucrative pay packages, GCCs also emphasize progressive workplace policies, abundant growth opportunities, and strong work-life balance to boost employee retention.
India currently hosts over 1,600 GCCs, which employ more than 1.7 million employees. The number is projected to expand rapidly, with over 65 new GCCs established just last year.
Driven by surging demand and talent scarcity, the competition for high-caliber technology experts in India will likely intensify further. GCCs are raising the stakes with extremely competitive rewards to position themselves as the most sought-after employers.
