Start with the headcount plan, not the building
Most GCC space decisions go wrong because the plan changes after the lease is signed. Get the parent's headcount ramp in writing for years one to three, including the realistic range, and size the first lease around the early phases with a clear path to the later ones.
Agree the seat standard early. Global real estate teams often work to a fixed workplace standard, and it changes how much area each person needs.
Talent access decides the micro-market
A GCC hires from a commuting talent pool. Map where your target hires live and how they travel, then compare micro-markets on commute time and rail or road access rather than on rent alone. A cheaper address that adds an hour to each commute is a hiring cost.
Building specification checklist
Parent companies usually send a technical and security specification. Check each building against it before shortlisting:
- Floor plate size and efficiency, and whether a whole floor or block is available.
- Power: capacity, backup, and whether dedicated feeders are possible.
- Connectivity: more than one fibre provider and physical diversity of routes.
- Security and access control, including visitor management and after-hours access.
- Air conditioning capacity and the cost of extended hours.
- Parking and drop-off for the planned headcount, and cafeteria or amenity access.
Structure the lease for growth
The lease should let you grow without relocating. Ask for:
- Phased handover or phased rent commencement as headcount builds.
- Expansion rights: a right of first offer or first refusal on adjacent floors.
- A contraction or surrender option for part of the space, if the parent will allow it.
- Rent-free and fit-out periods that match the build programme.
Consider a bridge before the main lease
A managed or flex space can let a new GCC hire and operate while the permanent office is negotiated and fitted out. Compare the full cost and the exit terms, and set a hard date to move into the permanent space.
Plan the timeline backwards from go-live
Work back from the date the first team must be seated. Allow time for site selection, the parent's approvals, lease negotiation and registration, design, landlord's fit-out approvals, construction and IT commissioning. Approvals from a global parent are often the longest step, so start them in parallel.
Know the full cost
Compare buildings on total occupancy cost: rent, escalation, maintenance, parking, power and air conditioning charges, fit-out, and tax. Ask your advisors to confirm tax and incentive questions that affect a GCC, because they vary by structure and location. This guide is general information and not legal, tax or investment advice.
Frequently asked
What do GCCs look for in an office building?
Adequate and resilient power and connectivity, security, floor plates that fit the team, parking and amenities, and a lease that allows expansion. The parent company's technical specification usually sets the minimum.
Should a new GCC take a flex space first?
It can help a team start quickly while the permanent office is built. Compare total cost and exit terms, and set a firm date to move.
How early should a GCC start its space search?
As soon as the headcount plan is agreed. Approvals, negotiation and fit-out together usually take longer than teams expect.
Related: Leasing & Tenant Representation, Mumbai micro-markets, how we work.
