Over the past several years, South Africa has emerged as a key hub for global service delivery, attracting organizations in search of competitive and future-ready locations. The country offers a large pool of fluent, neutral-accent English speakers who are widely recognized for their soft skills and ability to deliver exceptional customer experiences. Strong government support, a mature and stable outsourcing ecosystem, and a favorable business environment support this talent advantage. Additionally, South Africa’s time-zone alignment with Europe and deep cultural affinity with the US and UK markets enhance collaboration and drive higher customer satisfaction. Developed by Everest Group in collaboration with BPESA, this refreshed analysis goes beyond high-level positioning to unpack the unique attributes and structural strengths that make South Africa an attractive option for global service delivery. In this report, we highlight the key pillars of South Africa’s value proposition: infrastructure and enabling environment, mature industry, people advantage, assured service excellence, cost arbitrage, and tactical advantage. Scope Geography: South Africa Services: IT and BP Contents In this report, we examine South Africa’s: Global services value proposition/li> Infrastructure and enabling environment Mature industry and value-driven growth People advantage Assured service excellence Cost savings potential and business advantage Tactical advantage Locations Insider™ Sourcing and Vendor Management

On April 22, 2025, tensions between India and Pakistan escalated sharply after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that killed 26 civilians. India accused Pakistan of supporting terrorism over the years, while Pakistan denied involvement and called for an international investigation. Despite the unrest, India’s IT-BPO services sector remains resilient, with no immediate disruption. In response to the attack, both countries suspended key agreements, expelled diplomats, and closed major trade routes, dismantling decades of diplomatic and economic ties. While India’s business environment remains stable, Pakistan’s economy is showing signs of stress. This Risk Radar analyzes the evolving geopolitical situation, its macroeconomic impacts, implications for the global services industry, and key considerations for global companies operating in India.

Location selection has long been a vital business decision, but changing global forces are reshaping its strategic importance. Rising uncertainty, geopolitical shifts, and evolving workforce dynamics demand a more structured, forward-looking approach. Enterprises and service providers are migrating from a traditional, demand-driven location selection model to a proactive, programmatic model that ensures resilience and long-term operational continuity. While cost, talent, and government incentives remain key considerations, their relative influence is changing in defining the location strategy. Decision-makers must reassess priorities, integrate emerging trends, and adapt to regional developments to future-proof their location portfolios. A holistic, forward-looking approach is key to maximizing each location’s value within a broader portfolio. Digital infrastructure, ease of doing business, sustainability regulations, and the evolving role of AI and automation in service delivery are becoming increasingly relevant. Rapid changes in geopolitics, technology, regulations, and workforce dynamics demand decision-makers to think beyond traditional metrics. They must proactively adapt their location strategies to stay ahead. This Viewpoint examines how new operating models, technology, and evolving business priorities are redefining location strategy, helping organizations stay agile and competitive in an uncertain world. Scope All industries and geographies Contents In this report, we examine: Traditional location selection levers and their shortcomings Key themes shaping the location strategy’s future

As we move into 2024, business leaders stand at the intersection of uncertainty and opportunity. Macroeconomic and geopolitical landscapes, coupled with cost and margin pressures, pose potential speed bumps to the growth of global services in 2024. Watch this webinar where our expert analysts presented the successes, challenges, and transformative trends that defined the global services industry in 2023 and discussed the opportunities that lie ahead for business leaders in 2024. Attendees gathered valuable insights to shape a forward-looking strategy for their global services delivery and learnt successful approaches adopted by enterprises and service providers, including service delivery locations, sourcing strategy (in-house/GBS vs. outsourced), deal trends, talent strategy, and cost optimization strategy. What questions did the webinar answer for the participants? How did the global services industry perform in 2023? What are the key trends and outlook for the global services market in 2024? What are the observed trends across service delivery location strategies for enterprises and service providers? How are sourcing strategies (in-house/GBS vs. outsourced), enterprises’ leverage of service providers, and the nature of deals expected to evolve

The ongoing macroeconomic slowdown has pushed enterprises – that are already bogged down by top and bottom-line challenges – to assess how they can leverage service providers to grow, evolve, and optimize their global in-house center (GIC) networks. Watch our experts explore key developments in the global sourcing market in 2023, including how enterprises can grow and evolve their GIC networks by collaborating more effectively with service providers and the various enterprise requirements that providers can fulfill in the GIC space. In addition, the speakers discussed the evolving approach of providers to the GIC market and presented methods for enterprises and service providers to proactively engage with each other in the GIC space for a win-win result. What questions has the webinar answered for the participants? How did the global sourcing market evolve in H1 2023? How are third-party providers supporting enterprises on GIC-related needs, including set-up, transformation, and carve-out? What capabilities are service providers building to focus on the GIC segment?

Over the past decade, the IT-BP services industry has grown significantly and has successfully adapted its value propositions and associated strategies to meet evolving business requirements, leading to increased global adoption. Today, organizations worldwide view offshore and nearshore locations as strategic tools to gain access to talent, enhance service delivery resilience, drive business innovation, and enter new consumer markets. Consequently, enterprises are establishing Global Business Service (GBS) centers in offshore and nearshore locations to mitigate location concentration risks, manage cost pressures, and gain access to skilled talent. While these GBS centers were traditionally setup, operated, and funded solely by enterprises (De Novo setup model), innovative setup delivery models are now being explored that strike a balance between in-house capabilities and external expertise. One such innovative service delivery model that has gained prominence in recent years is the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model. Given the current uncertain times, the BOT model stands out as a particularly relevant option, offering enterprises the advantages of lower short-term investments and a better scope for reevaluating long-term business priorities. At the same time, providers are open to embracing this construct to retain existing clients and attract new ones. In this viewpoint, we examine the growing significance of the BOT setup construct and its associated complexities. Special emphasis is placed on the best-in-class strategies that organizations are employing to ensure the successful implementation of a BOT model. Scope All industries and geographies Content In this viewpoint, we examine the growing significance of the BOT setup construct and cover the following topics: GBS center setups – moving beyond the traditional model The resurgence of the BOT delivery model – now is the time Understanding the complexities of BOT and defining success Strategies to mitigate challenges associated with BOT Membership(s) Catalyst™ GBS/SS

As global in-house centers (GICs) gain traction worldwide, enterprises are seeking insights into how to effectively leverage providers to grow their GICs. This pursuit has gained greater significance in today’s turbulent economic climate, where enterprises grapple with substantial talent and cost pressures. In their endeavor to cultivate or expand their in-house delivery capabilities, enterprises are increasingly open to receiving assistance from providers. Within this context, enterprises can seek provider support in three primary areas: establishing GICs (largely through assisted, joint venture, and build-operate-transfer models), carving out GICs, and transforming GICs. However, as enterprises assess the market to identify a suitable partner to support them in this endeavor, they are confronted with multiple options, ranging from major global providers to more specialized local counterparts. The abundance of options can cause confusion among enterprises, for whom this is a very strategic and critical decision. In this report, we leverage Everest Group’s proprietary PEAK Matrix® framework to evaluate 12 providers’ global in-house center-focused capabilities across two key dimensions – market impact and vision and capability. The research will help enterprises select the right-fit provider for their needs, while providers will be able to benchmark themselves against the competition. Scope All industries and geographies Contents In this report, we: Categorize 12 providers as Leaders, Major Contenders, and Aspirants Study providers’ key strengths and limitations Membership(s) Catalyst™ GBS/SS

Our global services market Key Issues research is based on annual surveys that capture the pulse of the market on key aspects of the global sourcing industry. Uncertainty, inflation, and macroeconomic instability are the buzz words defining the global business environment in 2023. Forecasts of a fast-approaching recession are gripping businesses across the globe and pushing them to adopt a cautious outlook towards business growth in the coming year. What sets this recession apart from those in the past is the significant talent demand and supply gap. For the past few years, the talent gap has been a growing concern in the IT-BP industry and is expected to continue even under recessionary sentiments. Further, most organizations are focused on minimizing cost/price pressures in the face of growing inflationary headwinds, especially as service providers are looking to increase bill rates. Post the high pent-up demand seen in 2022, as the demand for services stabilizes, the recessionary pressures are expected to have an even greater impact on the industry. Today, the challenge is to ride out these uncertain times while managing the talent gap. This report presents the results of a study that was conducted in October and November of 2022 with senior stakeholders from global enterprises across multiple departments, such as procurement, IT, and Global Business Services (GBS), to understand their thoughts as they undertook planning for 2023. The report provides perspectives on how leading global enterprises have been impacted in 2022 and are planning to develop resiliency in these uncertain times. Scope Geography: global Industry: cross-industry Services: IT and business process services Contents Top business challenges and critical business model changes in 2022 Outlook and priorities for 2023 Key themes defining the IT-BP industry during these uncertain times Anticipated changes to service provider portfolios and key service provider-related challenges and priorities Membership (s) Market Vista™ Sourcing and Vendor Management

The global services industry found its stride coming out of the pandemic, quickly adapting to clients’ evolving needs and clocking double-digit growth rates in 2021 and 2022. However, as we look toward 2023, multiple factors – such as cost and price pressures, large-scale lay-offs, energy crises, geo-political instability, rising inflation, and GDP contraction – have left business leaders unsure of what to expect and how to prepare for 2023. Watch as our experts reflected on the previous year and discussed global services trends, including the potential impact of the expected slowdown in the market on the overall workforce, sourcing, and the shoring/location strategies of enterprises. What questions did the speakers address? How did the global services industry perform in 2022? What are the key trends and outlook for the global services market in 2023? With rising macroeconomic uncertainties, how is the demand for IT-BP services evolving? What are the observed trends in location strategies, and will talent concerns begin to fade? Does sustainability take a back seat as the focus shifts to resilience?

In this webinar, we explored the 2022 global sourcing market, looking at key developments and overall growth trends for the service provider and GBS markets. Additionally, we looked at the changes in location strategies adopted by service providers globally and the emerging trends in these locations. We also discussed the impact of the expected economic slowdown on the market’s overall workforce strategy and offered recommendations to service providers, focusing on which trends to monitor, the importance of sustainable workforce strategy, and the relevance of cost in location decision-making. What questions did the webinar answer for the participants? How has the global service market evolved in 2022, and what are key developments across leading global service providers? How has the location strategy for service providers changed in the past couple of years? How will the expected macroeconomic slowdown impact the war on talent? What are some of the key steps service providers should take as they face the economic slowdown?