Industry Industry

13

March

From Coders to CXOs: The Rise of Women in GCC Leadership Roles

India’s Global Capability Centers (GCCs) are no longer just back-office support units—they’ve emerged as global engines of innovation, transformation, and leadership. At the heart of this evolution is a quieter but equally profound revolution: the rise of women in leadership roles across these centres.

From driving AI strategy to leading digital transformation across continents, Indian women in GCCs are redefining what leadership looks like. But while progress is visible, the road ahead still demands focused effort, structural change, and community support.

 

The Current Landscape: Progress with a Gap

Recent research reveals an optimistic rise in women’s representation in GCCs but also underscores where progress is stalling:

🔹 Workforce Composition:

  • Women now make up 3% of the workforce in Indian GCCs (up from 31.4% in 2020), thanks to robust DEI strategies and global mandates for diverse hiring.

🔹 Mid-Level Leadership (5–8 years’ experience):

  • Representation drops to 3%, reflecting common attrition trends in the mid-career phase often called the “broken rung” in the career ladder.

🔹 Senior Leadership (9–12 years’ experience):

  • Just 7% of roles are held by women highlighting systemic barriers to upward mobility.

🔹 Executive Leadership:

  • A mere 7% of executive roles are occupied by women, a reminder that boardrooms still lack gender balance.

“There’s a silent exodus of mid-career women in tech that needs to be addressed structurally, not just symbolically.”
 — Sairee Chahal, Founder & CEO, SHEROES

What’s Driving the Shift?

Despite challenges, several transformative forces are helping bridge the gender gap in GCC leadership:

1. Progressive Organizational Initiatives

  • Accenture India runs “Vaahini,” a women’s network supporting mentoring, networking, and leadership training.
  • Infosys launched “Restart with Infosys” to re-integrate women into tech after career breaks.
  • Walmart Global Tech India has launched Women Returnship Programs with customized onboarding and mentoring.

2. Technology-Enabled Flexibility

  • Hybrid work models and flexible hours have created more inclusive environments for working mothers and caregivers.
  • Companies are also investing in wellness and mental health support, helping women stay in leadership tracks longer.

3. Changing Societal and Cultural Norms

  • Families are increasingly supportive of women’s careers, and urban centres now normalize dual-career households.
  • Women in leadership are also serving as visible role models, making these roles feel attainable to younger talent.

“When I started, I was the only woman in most rooms. Now, I see more women taking charge, leading with confidence, and mentoring others.”
 — Aruna Jayanthi, MD, Capgemini Asia Pacific & Latin America

Trailblazers Leading the Way

🔹 Roshni Nadar Malhotra – Chairperson, HCLTech

First woman to lead a listed IT firm in India, championing global digital initiatives and local talent development.

🔹 Shalini Kapoor – Chief Technologist, AWS India

India’s first female IBM Fellow, now driving AI and sustainability innovations globally.

🔹 Debjani Ghosh – President, NASSCOM

An advocate for tech inclusion, responsible for shaping policy and discourse around gender and tech.

“We don’t just need more women in tech, we need more women leading tech.”
 — Debjani Ghosh

🔹 Revathi Advaithi – CEO, Flex

Though based in the U.S., Revathi’s Indian roots and leadership of a global manufacturing tech firm have made her a beacon of global success for aspiring Indian leaders.

 

Ongoing Challenges

Despite these inspiring stories, structural barriers remain:

🔸 Unconscious Bias

Performance reviews, promotion discussions, and leadership opportunities often reflect implicit gender preferences.

🔸 Work-Life Integration Pressure

Indian women continue to carry a disproportionate share of caregiving and domestic responsibilities.

🔸 Lack of Access to Sponsorship

Unlike mentors, sponsors actively advocate for women’s promotions and high-visibility projects, something still missing in most GCCs.

“One mentor can help you navigate. One sponsor can change your career.”
 — Indra Nooyi, Former CEO, PepsiCo

 

What Needs to Happen Now?

To accelerate women into leadership roles, GCCs need to focus on systemic, scalable change:

✅ Leadership Pipeline Programs

  • Invest in mid-level women’s upskilling and career pathing
  • Create secondment and global rotation opportunities

✅ Sponsorship > Mentorship

  • Identify senior leaders to actively sponsor high-potential women
  • Include sponsorship KPIs in leadership performance reviews

✅ Returnships & Re-skilling

  • Offer structured programs for women returning from career breaks with mentorship and certification support

✅ Bias-Free Performance Management

  • Regular bias training for people managers
  • Anonymous performance calibrations

✅ Male Allyship Programs

  • Train and engage male colleagues in supporting equity efforts, not as observers but as co-champions

 

Why This Matters: Beyond Diversity

Gender-balanced leadership is not just fair, it’s smart business.

According to a 2023 McKinsey report, companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams are 25% more likely to have above-average profitability.

“A seat at the table is not enough anymore. Women are building the table, leading the conversation, and changing the game.”
 — Anu Acharya, CEO, Mapmygenome

📚 Further Reading & Resources

Conclusion: Building the Future

India’s GCCs stand at a pivotal moment not just in technological transformation, but in gender inclusion. The rise of women from coders to CXOs isn’t a trend. It’s the future of leadership.

And while the path is still being paved, with every woman who ascends, she lights the way for many more to follow.

 

⟵‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎Previous
Managing Global Clients, Locally:

Next‎ ‎ ‎ ⟶
India’s GCC Boom: