What does a typical day look like for you as a GCC leader — honestly?

A typical workday starts around 8 AM at home, catching up on emails and Teams messages from US stakeholders to see if anything requires urgent attention.

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I usually reach the office around 9:30 AM, walk the floor, grab coffee at the pantry, and spend a few minutes catching up with colleagues. We have a leadership stand-up Monday through Thursday at 10:30 AM to review open items and hiring progress. This helps keep everyone aligned and ensures support where needed.

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The rest of the day includes project reviews, team reviews, direct and skip-level 1:1s, and site-level initiatives. Since many of my US colleagues operate in EST and CST, as the India day ends the US day begins. That means weekly or biweekly reviews, 1:1s, and staff meetings with US teams and stakeholders.

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With a short dinner break, the day usually ends around 10:30 PM. We try to avoid recurring meetings on Fridays. Earlier in my career working with West Coast HQ teams, the day often stretched until midnight India time.

How do you unwind after a tough week?

Working with US-based GCCs leaves little time during the week, so Saturdays are typically spent meeting friends, connecting with ecosystem colleagues, and mentoring startups.

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Sundays are reserved for downtime with family — catching a new OTT release or spending time on the golf course.

What’s the one skill every GCC leader must have today?

The ability to continuously learn, adapt, and pivot quickly in a rapidly changing environment.

Do you have any quirky or unconventional leadership habits?

Managing by walking around. It may not be unconventional, but I value informal interactions deeply. It was the thing I missed most during the COVID period.

How do you personally spot high-potential talent in a GCC?

I look for people who think beyond their immediate role — those who seek context, understand the broader business picture, and take ownership to improve systems rather than just execute tasks.

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These individuals naturally cross silos, take initiative to make things better, and act as force multipliers by helping others succeed. They demonstrate an ownership mindset, systems thinking, and informal leadership.

What’s the worst piece of leadership advice you’ve ever received?

I don’t recall specific bad advice that I personally followed, but I have seen poor leadership styles — such as being overly controlling instead of enabling people, or prioritizing short-term results at the cost of people’s well-being.

Do you have a secret productivity hack that actually works for you?

I regularly block time on my calendar to work on strategic initiatives. I break these into short-term milestones and align them with my manager and team so we stay focused on long-term objectives.

Share one fun or surprising fact about you that your team may not know.

With enough encouragement, I could probably be a good stand-up comic.

What’s one big lesson the GCC ecosystem has taught you?

Building capability and ownership creates long-term value. Building capacity purely for cost arbitrage is temporary.

What advice would you give to future GCC leaders just starting out?

Focus on ownership. Learn the domain deeply, understand the culture, and align the center’s goals with the broader organization’s objectives.

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