Retail giant Albertsons plans to hire 1,000 people for its Bengaluru tech hub, ETHRWorld
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Bengaluru: The $80 billion Albertsons Companies—one of the largest food and drug retailers in the US—set up a digital hub in Bengaluru, leveraging the city's tech talent pool. The company plans to hire nearly 1,000 employees in the next 18 months, up from the current 300.Embracing its move as a late mover, Albertsons is turning timing into a strategic advantage. The retail giant is reimagining the future of digital retail from its Bengaluru global capability centre (GCC) to build smarter and more agile solutions. "Our goal is not to catch up; it's about figuring out how to build for the future," said Anuj Dhanda, EVP - chief information and transformation officer at Albertsons Companies."There's a certain late-mover advantage—we're now able to design solutions with AI and data science at the core, rather than as an afterthought. Many capabilities that once required heavy coding can now be built with little to no code, dramatically increasing speed and agility. That's why we're so excited about our presence in Bengaluru and the incredible talent here driving this transformation." Albertsons has over 2,200 stores, and some of its banners include Safeway, Vons, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Haggen, Carrs, Kings Food Markets, and Balducci's Food Lover's Market.Dhanda said the US retail giant is aiming for a technology refresh. "We need a technology 2.0, with significant shifts underway—that's where Bengaluru and the GCC come in. For success, we realised we need much greater velocity and agility, and to build far more of our own IP than we do today. Our goal is to change the way we work in technology. We've integrated product, data, and full-stack engineers into fully functional, global teams to enable seamless collaboration. We're applying AI and automation across the entire tech stack—not just in software development, but from requirements gathering to infrastructure and observability."Many GCCs are increasingly relocating tech roles to India, signalling growing confidence in shifting solution ownership. "My intent is to have several of my direct reports to be based here. If we consider the leadership group—around 17 to 18 vice-presidents and above—the goal is for at least a third of them to be in Bengaluru within the next 18 months," Dhanda said.He also said that the insourcing mix will shift dramatically, reducing reliance on external IT providers. "We developed numerous digital systems, including pharmacy and health capabilities, and upgraded our financial systems. Going forward, our investment will move from foundational upgrades to development-driven initiatives. While we currently depend heavily on third parties like TCS, Cognizant, and Sapient for resources, we plan to bring much of that work inhouse, empowering our own associates. Our focus is to reduce third-party dependence and build stronger internal teams."Lalit Ahuja, founder of full-stack GCC firm ANSR, said Albertsons is leveraging the late-mover advantage—not late to the party, but arriving at the perfect time to capitalise on a mature market. For retailers, the landscape is defined by thin margins, highly perishable inventory, and intense tech-driven competition—with e-commerce playing an increasingly vital role. "Some companies struggle because tech centres are set up suboptimally. But there are firms which are set up with sharper tech differentiation. We're witnessing significant maturity in the types of roles being introduced, driving modernisation of its tech stack. This includes mainstream adoption of new technologies and a stronger emphasis on product and functional ownership. And AI has become the greatest accelerator of efficiency," Ahuja said. Last year, Accenture picked up a significant minority stake in the Bengaluru and US-based ANSR, which set up over 170 GCCs in India.
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Connectivity is another issue — double- or triple-hop flights or long layovers are common. Smaller cities need much stronger promotion,' he said. As GCCs have become the backbone in India's services sector, the government is turning its focus to them to create thousands of jobs in areas like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, data analytics, natural language processing, and generative AI. This comes as hiring slows across traditional information technology (IT) firms due to a tepid growth environment. Unlike traditional business process outsourcing outfits, which handle select functions like payroll or general ledger, GCCs typically run end-to-end processes, manage platforms, and drive product development and engineering. Many are now leading their parent companies' AI-first transitions. 'The existing hubs are getting oversaturated with strained infrastructure, limited talent, and high attrition. And costs are climbing, not just in compensation but in real estate and operations too. It's only a matter of time before the newer locations start taking off,' said Lalit Ahuja, co-founder and chief executive officer of ANSR, in a conversation with Business Standard. India has around 1,760 GCCs, according to Nasscom data, with a growing emphasis on high-value services and engineering research and development (R&D). That number is projected to hit 3,000. More than 500 of these centres are already armed with AI capabilities and a global AI charter, up from 210 in 2023. While many existing GCCs are arms of Fortune 500 companies, the next wave is expected to come from Forbes 2000 firms — smaller, cost-sensitive players for whom Tier-II and Tier-III cities could be ideal. 'The challenge is infrastructure — real estate, tech parks, connectivity, hotels. There are public-private partnership initiatives and financial incentives underway, such as capital expenditure subsidies or hiring sons of the soil. Universities are also being supported to produce more GCC-ready talent. There's growing visibility, awareness, and interest,' Ahuja added. Of the 1,760 GCCs as of last year, only 13 per cent had a Tier-II presence, according to consulting firm Zinnov. A few examples include Bosch, which has a unit in Coimbatore alongside its Bengaluru base; Oracle in Lucknow; and British International Telecom in Pune as well as in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Gurugram. Ashish Grover, former chief information officer of Chilean e-commerce firm Grupo Falabella, believes that smaller GCCs with limited staff needs are better suited to thrive in Tier-II cities. 'With remote work and AI, it's more about getting the right set of people rather than quantity.' Still, hiring at scale remains a hurdle, which keeps cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Gurugram firmly in the lead. The talent demographic in smaller cities often skews towards professionals in their late 30s and 40s who settled there after the pandemic and aren't as open to frequent job changes. 'Will companies move to smaller cities just for the incentives if the talent isn't there? The answer is no,' said Nitika Goel, chief marketing and strategy officer at Zinnov. 'The Karnataka government is investing in Grade A infrastructure in Mysuru to make GCCs more accessible. They're also investing in airports and building roads that cut travel time to Bengaluru to two hours. The quality of life is better, and the costs of living are lower. They've set up centres of excellence too. Even if talent isn't readily accessible now, the right incentives can develop that.' The Centre is taking a three-pronged approach to address the talent gap. 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Spotting The Trend! India's wealthy are quietly fueling a commercial real estate boom through AIFs
No, we're not talking about a flashy penthouse in Dubai. The real real estate action among India's wealthy is far more strategic—and closer to home. India's High-Net-Worth Individuals (HNIs) and Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals (UHNIs) are increasingly diversifying beyond traditional real estate avenues like residential apartments or luxury properties abroad. The big opportunity? by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cardiologist: The Best Method for a Flat Stomach After 50 (It's Genius!) Lulutox Undo Commercial real estate, and they're accessing it not by direct ownership, but through the Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) route. This shift is being driven by a mix of strong rental yields, growing institutional demand, and the desire for hassle-free, professionally managed investment exposure. 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Regulatory Evolution Fueling Growth Although the adoption of real estate-focused AIFs has been gradual, regulatory tailwinds are beginning to accelerate the trend, making it easier for fund managers to structure and offer real estate strategies through the AIF framework. 'While the growth has been slow, it's gradually picking up as the regulator is now approving RE-focused AIFs with well-defined structures,' explains Vinayak Magotra, founding team member at Centricity WealthTech. According to Magotra, Category II AIFs now have better visibility and clarity, leading to increased confidence among both fund houses and investors. 'Currently, real estate represents around 5–6% of total AIF allocations. Additionally, REITs and InvITs are finding their way into HNI portfolios, offering similar benefits with better liquidity,' he adds. Indeed, even the listed REIT space has seen over Rs 22,000 crore from HNI and retail investors, demonstrating that real estate is becoming an essential component in long-term portfolios—whether via AIFs or REITs, a report from Sundaram Alternates Assets highlighted. Also Read: How India's wealthy are reimagining real estate investments, says Karthik Athreya The Bottom Line Whether it's income stability, professional management, or exposure to India's booming commercial infrastructure, HNIs and UHNIs are increasingly using the AIF route to access real estate in a smarter, more structured manner. AIFs provide access to commercial real estate opportunities that HNIs and UHNIs typically wouldn't be able to evaluate or manage independently—particularly in complex segments like structured credit and special situations. Also read: Mutual fund SIP inflows surge past Rs 27,000 crore for the first time in June 'The old model of buying an office or a shop and waiting it out is dying. Today's HNIs want scale, diversification, and cleaner execution,' Ramashrya Yadav, Founder & CEO, Integrow AMC, said. 'It's not about owning a floor in a tower anymore, but actually about being part of something bigger, with institutional controls,' he said. While residential stories and overseas investments may still dominate cocktail party chatter, the real wealth-building is happening behind the scenes, where strategic capital is quietly flowing into Indian commercial real estate—one AIF at a time.
