Papa John’s GCC success story highlights value of Hexaware–SMC Squared partnership

Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA), one of the world’s leading quick-service restaurant operators, is emerging as a key example of how global capability centers (GCCs) are evolving into strategic business enablers. The company’s partnership with SMC Squared—recently acquired by Hexaware Technologies (NSE: HEXT)—has delivered measurable business outcomes, transforming Papa John’s ERP systems, optimizing Workday integrations, and building a scalable analytics foundation to support its global operations.

The success of this GCC initiative highlights the growing role of governance-driven, high-accountability GCCs in modern enterprise technology strategy. With Hexaware expanding its GCC 2.0 service line following the SMC Squared acquisition, industry analysts suggest this case study serves as an early validation of the company’s long-term vision to redefine GCC operations for measurable enterprise impact.

How does Papa John’s GCC transformation with SMC Squared validate Hexaware Technologies’ GCC 2.0 strategy for delivering measurable enterprise outcomes?

Papa John’s needed a GCC team that could function as a strategic extension of its corporate technology and data functions rather than as a traditional cost-saving offshore unit. According to executives at Papa John’s, SMC Squared built a dedicated GCC team that was “fully integrated, aligned with our strategic vision, and focused on delivering real business value.”

This approach has already produced significant outcomes. By modernizing enterprise resource planning systems, enhancing Workday integrations, and establishing a robust data analytics foundation, SMC Squared enabled Papa John’s to streamline critical operations while improving data-driven decision-making across its international markets. The success of this partnership demonstrates the power of GCCs that combine governance, technology depth, and domain expertise.

Market observers believe this mirrors Hexaware Technologies’ own GCC 2.0 framework, which blends human expertise with AI-enabled digital delivery platforms to produce business outcomes that go far beyond basic cost arbitrage. By acquiring SMC Squared, Hexaware now has access to a proven governance-first operational model that directly aligns with its goal of creating outcome-based, high-value GCCs for global enterprises.

Why does this success story matter for the evolving global capability center market?

The GCC sector is shifting rapidly as enterprises demand outcome-driven delivery rather than headcount-based staffing models. According to a Nasscom-Zinnov report, the Indian GCC market alone is projected to surpass $105 billion by 2030, with much of this growth coming from organizations that view GCCs as strategic innovation hubs.

Papa John’s experience reinforces this trend, offering a real-world example of how governance-led GCCs can integrate deeply with core business strategy. Institutional sentiment suggests that similar case studies could help Hexaware differentiate its GCC 2.0 services in a highly competitive IT services market.

Hexaware’s expansion into regions such as Latin America, the United Kingdom, and Europe—supported by SMC Squared’s existing delivery presence—further strengthens its ability to attract enterprises in markets where innovation-led GCCs are gaining traction. Analysts believe case studies like Papa John’s will be central to convincing boards and CIOs to adopt Hexaware’s model for large-scale digital transformation projects.

What could this mean for Hexaware’s future GCC 2.0 expansion strategy?

The Papa John’s transformation story is likely to become a cornerstone in Hexaware’s enterprise outreach, serving as a proof point for the effectiveness of its combined platform-led IT delivery and SMC Squared’s governance expertise.

Experts suggest Hexaware will focus on replicating this success across other industries, particularly healthcare and financial services, where high governance, regulatory compliance, and secure data management are critical to GCC operations. With AI, analytics, and cloud transformation forming the core of Hexaware’s GCC 2.0 strategy, similar governance-first implementations could unlock significant revenue streams in the coming years.

Market watchers also anticipate that Hexaware will invest further in AI-enabled automation tools to scale these success stories globally. If executed consistently, the Papa John’s example could help Hexaware position itself as one of the key IT service providers driving the transition from cost-arbitrage GCCs to value-generating, enterprise-focused global capability centers.