India is the frontline of our zero-distance strategy across engineering, operations and client engagement: Kishore Seshagiri, Broadridge

With a two-decade presence in India, Broadridge’s GCC has evolved from a traditional cost-based delivery centre into a strategic engine for innovation and transformation. In an in-depth conversation with Express Computer, Kishore Seshagiri, Chief Digital Officer, Broadridge, highlights how the India GCC is not only central to Broadridge’s global AI, blockchain, and digital innovation efforts, but also setting new benchmarks in responsible AI development, leadership cultivation, and client co-creation models. From building solutions like BondGPT, OpsGPT, and Distributed Ledger Repo, to driving Broadridge’s “zero distance” approach, Seshagiri offers a comprehensive view into how India has become indispensable to the company’s global innovation agenda.

Broadridge has a long-standing presence in India. Could you provide an overview of Broadridge India’s evolution over the years and its strategic role in the company’s global operations?

Broadridge has been in India since the company IPO’d globally in 2007, but our roots here go back even further. Our India GCC operations were established in 1999 as part of ADP, meaning we’ve had a presence in India for 26 years, and 18 years as Broadridge itself. We have a substantial footprint with close to 5,500 associates across Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. This represents 30 to 33 percent of Broadridge’s total global associate strength, which clearly indicates the importance and strategic role Broadridge India plays.

Initially, like many GCCs, our India entity was set up to provide a relatively cost-effective location. However, over the years, we’ve truly evolved. Broadridge India GCC is unique as it’s the only location where all Broadridge business units have a presence. This co-location allows us to play a key and impactful role in the transformation and innovation shaping Broadridge and the broader financial services and capital markets industry.

Broadridge India provides essential engineering and infrastructure support, managed services, operations support, and shared services functions like HR, finance, and digital marketing. Our two decades of presence have enabled us to consistently solve problems and deliver business value, allowing us to move significantly up the value chain.

As part of Broadridge 4.0, our strategic program for the next six years, Broadridge India’s vision is to be a widely accessible capability centre across all of Broadridge’s product, engineering, and technology domains. We are well on our way to achieving this. We have a great mix of long-standing talent, coupled with industry experts hired recently and a significant pool of bright engineering minds from top Indian institutes. Approximately 60 to 65 percent of our 5,500 associates are in true engineering and software development roles, with the rest in operations and shared services.

We’ve also established a specialised innovation centre of excellence, which I lead, focusing on what we call the “ABCDs of Innovation”: Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Cloud, and Digital. Each of these is at different stages of growth and maturity. For example, my team, working with our fixed income business, developed a blockchain-based solution called Distributed Ledger Repo from the ground up. This solution now processes close to $2 trillion worth of repo transactions monthly. We also launched ClearFi, a disclosure solution for crypto and digital assets, and significant work for our AI solutions like BondGPT and OpsGPT happens out of India.

This shows our evolution from a typical cost-centre GCC to a true transformation and capability hub.

Given Broadridge’s focus on AI-driven technologies like BondGPT and OpsGPT, how is your India GCC contributing to their development and evolution? How are you addressing responsible AI deployment within your operations?

Broadridge is globally known for building highly secure, resilient, scalable, and reliable solutions, which is deeply embedded in our DNA, regardless of whether it’s an AI solution or a legacy system. Given our critical role in global capital markets, reliability and security are paramount. When we embarked on our AI journey, we already had many foundational elements required for successful AI solutions in place. Unlike many who scramble to protect client data when building AI, this is something we’ve done day in and day out for decades.

In the fixed income world, our systems process 60 to 70 percent of transactions in North America, making the protection of sensitive client data critically important. We’ve built our AI initiatives on this robust foundation of existing security and data protection.

India’s contribution stems from our deep understanding of business and technology, and our ability to attract and retain talent in niche, emerging areas like AI. We’ve formed cross-functional squads operating entirely out of India, encompassing product owners, engineers, and testers, who work closely with our operations teams, many of whom are also based here. This co-location allows us to run lean experiments, bringing together diverse talent to deliver value and solve problems effectively. Broadridge’s systems act as a massive information highway for North American capital markets, positioning us well to tackle complex challenges.

OpsGPT is a prime example. We used our internally built AI platform, coupled with next-gen solutions for post-trade back-office teams, to embed AI directly into workflows. This has effectively solved problems faced by our operations teams. As you mentioned, this is part of our “zero distance” approach, where many OpsGPT solution conversations happen directly between our clients’ post-trade teams in India and our engineering and product teams in India. While commercial agreements are signed in North America, 80 to 90 percent of the journey from idea to implementation occurs right here in India.

You mentioned the “zero distance” approach. What operating model or governance changes have enabled this shift towards tighter integration with global teams and clients?

Two key factors have enabled this shift. Firstly, many of our global banking clients are significantly investing in their own GCCs in India. Secondly, the increasing maturity and expertise developed by these GCCs, both our clients’ and Broadridge’s,  mean that a lot of decision-making roles are now operating out of India. This facilitates establishing almost a local network and steering committee for Broadridge with our clients.

We proactively set up an account management function in India in the last 18 months, which previously didn’t exist here. The leaders of this function actively engage with our customers’ GCC units. Their responsibility is to understand challenges with our solutions, identify opportunities, and grasp their strategic focus areas. This feedback loop directly informs our global product and engineering organisations, including those in India. So, the continuous investment by banks in their India GCCs and the localisation of decision-making and influential buying roles are key enablers.

India’s GCC landscape is rapidly evolving, transforming from cost centres to strategic innovation hubs, with over 1,700 GCCs employing 1.9 million people. What sets Broadridge India’s GCC apart in this competitive ecosystem, and how are you investing in talent, leadership, and nurturing talent to maintain this edge?

We don’t have a “magic potion,” our distinction comes from a continuous focus on execution. Globally, Broadridge’s culture is deeply rooted in the “Service Profit Chain” principle: happy, engaged associates deliver value to customers, and happy, engaged customers deliver value to shareholders. This is our DNA.

Our values, encapsulated by the acronym “CREATE” (Customer-centric, Respectful, Engaged, Accountable, Worthy, and Entrepreneurial), strongly align with this principle. We aim to be customer-first, engaged, and provide an environment that fosters continuous learning and curiosity for every associate. To me, the difference truly lies in our engaged associates.

In terms of talent, our HR and talent acquisition partners have established a robust talent supply chain. We have a great mix of experienced professionals, including many who have been with Broadridge for over 15-20 years, indicating high engagement. We’re also bringing in new talent who understand the pulse of today’s customer and the nuances of emerging technologies. When this new talent, eager to challenge boundaries, is mixed with experienced professionals who can provide historical context and guidance, powerful innovations emerge from Broadridge India.

We invest significantly in upskilling our talent. Our Learning and Development (L&D) department has transformed how we approach training in the last three to four years, adopting a persona-based approach. Whether an entry-level engineer, a new leader, or a senior executive, every associate has an Individual Development Plan (IDP). HR maps these IDPs to personalised learning opportunities.

We have established strong programs like the Broadridge Business Leadership Program (BRBLM), a 52-week program designed to build leadership capabilities, even taking associates away from their day-to-day responsibilities. We also have a Subject Matter Expertise Program focused on deep business knowledge. These investments in our talent are crucial to Broadridge India’s evolution into a capability and transformation centre.

Do you believe the influx of GCCs in the Indian market is also bringing a cultural shift in how companies and employees operate?

I believe we’re seeing a positive marriage between what sets Indian talent apart and global cultural phenomena. Many GCCs, especially in financial services, support global operations across Americas, Europe, and APAC. India’s GCCs sit at the centre, exposing employees to diverse cultural aspects and nuances beyond just North American ways of working.

It seems to be in our cultural DNA to operate effectively in a multi-polar world, embracing different styles while bringing our unique value. We are building on our strengths while embracing best practices from Western culture. For instance, the importance of visible marketing and branding is increasing, which is good for us. The new generation of talent is more confident, unafraid to ask uncomfortable questions, and willing to collaborate to find solutions. This is why many top global companies are led by Indian-origin professionals, and why global talent is increasingly sought from India. We bring a blend of necessary aggression for a disruptive world and a balanced Indian approach to mitigate risks. This cultural shift is evident across both GCCs and the government sector.

With increased AI adoption across financial workflows, governance and ethical considerations have become critical. What frameworks or audit practices has Broadridge implemented within its India GCC to ensure compliance, transparency, and responsible AI technology?

There are two main aspects to this. First, beyond AI, Broadridge India has robust risk and compliance governance. This foundational framework ensures we are a physically safe and sound place to work, with guardrails like Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Planning (DRBCP) to ensure continuous service provision even in high-risk situations. This framework has been in place since our inception and is continuously evolving and strengthening. It’s administered by our Risk and Compliance (RNC) teams but is also the responsibility of every individual.

Second, when it comes to AI, its universal nature means it transcends geographical boundaries. At Broadridge, we have a global AI Governance Committee comprising representatives from legal, information security, risk and compliance, business units, technology, and product. This committee is responsible for setting standards on how AI is developed, how data is protected and handled, and addressing contractual obligations regarding data access. Our Broadridge India legal head and I are closely involved in this committee to ensure that solutions developed on our AI platform adhere to these governance, legal, and compliance standards.

Broadridge is viewed as a leader in applying AI to solve industry problems, and we ensure our solutions are built responsibly. We challenge ourselves to build solutions compliant with EU regulations, which we consider among the most robust globally. Adopting this stance ensures we develop extremely robust and responsible solutions.

We also have a high focus on internal audits, with our corporate audit team conducting deep dives on all solutions, particularly emerging technologies like AI and blockchain, every year. Additionally, our solutions are constantly audited and reviewed by our clients themselves. This ensures a robust process for both responsible development and ongoing maintenance and servicing of solutions.

Our principles for AI development include the responsible use of data, emphasising client consent, and explainability where we aim to provide transparency into our solutions, avoiding black-box approaches so that users understand how decisions are made.

I am proud that despite the strict regulations in financial services, we have enabled innovation to thrive in a secure, resilient, and scalable manner. We’ve built an internal platform that centralises all compliance, security, legal, and regulatory treatments. This effectively streamlines the development process for our associates and products, allowing them to focus on building AI solutions without having to worry about fragmented compliance concerns.