Adidas to set up first GCC in Chennai

German sports footwear and apparel brand, Adidas plans to set up its first Global Capability Centre (GCC) across 45,000 sqft in Chennai. This is the company’s first center in Asia outside of China. Located in the Smartworks-managed Olympia Pinnacle on Old Mamallapuram Road, the facility accommodates 700 seats.

The GCC will handle functions such as planning and analysis, invoice-to-cash, record-to-report, and source-to-pay in India. Led by AkhilKapoor, Vice President of GBS Global Procurement and Head of GBS in India, the ‘state-of-the-art office’ represents a significant upgrade in infrastructure, facilities, and accessibility, reinforcing Adidas's position as a global GBS powerhouse.

Smartworks, which leased 200,000 sqft in Olympia Pinnacle last year, hosts the new Adidas office. The establishment of the GCC highlights India's appeal, offering cost efficiencies and a skilled talent pool. Global multinationals are increasingly leveraging GCCs in India for high-tech capabilities and innovations that drive their operations globally. As of FY23, India had around 2,740 GCCs, according to CBRE India.

While Bengaluru hosts majority of GCCs, Chennai accounts for approximately 9 per cent of the total GCCs in India. In FY24, Chennai leased 3.5 million square feet of GCCs compared to over 9 million square feet in Bengaluru and over 5 million square feet in Hyderabad. Notably, in December last year, Bank of America leased 1.1 million square feet in Chennai’s OMR zone, one of its largest captive centers outside the US.