GCCs Will be the New Nerve Centres of Energy Enterprises: KPMG GCCs are no longer just support functions but emerging as the engines of innovation, AI-driven transformation, and customer-centric energy operations
You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are quickly becoming the nerve centres of energy enterprises, supercharged by innovations in AI/agentic AI, according to a latest report titled 'From Cost Centre to Nerve Centre of the Energy Enterprise: Global Capability Centres (GCCs)' by KPMG in India.
The report highlights how GCCs are evolving from traditional cost-saving support functions into strategic hubs that drive innovation, operational excellence, and customer-centricity. The energy sector stands at a pivotal juncture, as electrification, decentralization, and digitalization reshape operations, customer expectations, and business models.
Powered by AI, advanced analytics, high-performance computing, and frontier technologies such as quantum computing, GCCs are enabling intelligent operations, predictive maintenance, scenario-driven decision-making, and seamless integration across upstream and downstream energy operations. These centres help organisations enhance cost efficiency while scaling capabilities—delivering both operational optimization and innovation.
By 2030, GCCs will serve as command centres for intelligence and execution, linking upstream exploration to downstream distribution, the report stated. They will drive predictive maintenance, real-time optimisation, and rapid experimentation in frontier technologies like green hydrogen and carbon capture. Companies that embrace this shift will unlock scalable capabilities, seamless customer experiences, and accelerated innovation. Those that don't risk falling behind in a rapidly evolving industry.
India hosts about 1,700 GCCs as of 2024, projected to grow to 2,400 by 2030, employing over 2.8 million people. Over 50 per cent of India's GCCs have evolved into portfolio and transformation hubs in FY24, up from 18 per cent in FY13.
With more than 400 new GCCs established between FY19 and FY241 and 16 added in Q1 2025, the momentum underscores a robust and consistent growth curve. In the past two years, India has seen around 45 new mid-market GCCs, making up nearly 35 per cent of the total GCC setup nationwide. Digital technology adoption in GCCs has surged: AI/ML and data science adoption rose from 65 per cent in FY19 to 86 per cent in FY24; cybersecurity adoption from 55 per cent to 88 per cent.
"The energy sector is undergoing a profound transformation. Traditional operating models are no longer sufficient, and customer expectations are evolving rapidly. GCCs are emerging as the nerve centres of energy enterprises – combining AI, analytics, and talent to drive operational excellence and innovation. Organisations that embrace this shift can convert cost into capability and deliver truly customer-centric energy solutions," said Anish De, Global Sector Head, Energy Natural Resources & Chemicals (ENRC), KPMG International.
The report stated that by 2030, GCCs will be deeply interwoven into the operational and decision-making core of energy enterprises, functioning as integral hubs of innovation, intelligence and execution. The centres will span the entire energy value chain, linking upstream exploration and generation with downstream refining, transmission and distribution through unified data networks.
Shalini Pillay, India Leader- Global Capability Centres, KPMG in India said, "GCCs are transcending their transactional origins to become strategic engines of transformation. With advanced AI, integrated digital platforms, and specialized talent, GCCs empower energy companies to innovate at scale and respond swiftly to market shifts. By 2030, GCCs will orchestrate intelligence, efficiency, and resilience across the entire energy value chain."
