SKN | UBS Expands Its Global Capability Centre in Hyderabad: What This Means for Swiss Wealth Clients

Key Takeaways

• UBS will hire approximately 3,000 professionals in Hyderabad over two years, expanding its technology and AI infrastructure.
• The move reflects strategic operating model optimisation following integration and cost discipline initiatives.
• For private banking clients, enhanced backend capability supports resilience, digital performance, and long-term capital efficiency.

Why UBS Is Scaling Its Technology Footprint Outside Switzerland

UBS has formally launched a new Global Capability Centre (GCC) in Hyderabad, reinforcing India’s role in the bank’s global operating architecture. The group intends to recruit nearly 3,000 professionals across technology, AI, finance, and support functions over the next two years.

UBS has maintained teams in India for more than a decade. This expansion formalises Hyderabad as a core technology and operational hub.

The announcement follows a period of structural recalibration. Reports last year referenced potential workforce reductions of up to 10,000 roles by 2027. While UBS did not confirm figures, management emphasised efforts to minimise job losses in Switzerland and globally.

The sequence is not contradictory. It reflects cost discipline paired with targeted capability investment.

AI, Infrastructure, and Operational Depth

The Hyderabad centre is positioned to enhance collaboration and scale work in areas such as artificial intelligence, systems engineering, risk architecture, and financial operations.

Modern private banking is technology-dependent. Relationship managers remain central, but the quality of service increasingly relies on backend infrastructure.

UBS reported fourth-quarter 2025 net profit of $1.2 billion, up 56% year-on-year. Invested assets across the group exceeded $7 trillion for the first time, rising 15% annually. Sustaining this scale requires operational platforms capable of handling complexity across jurisdictions.

The GCC directly supports that requirement.

Cost Efficiency Without Diluting Swiss Governance

Sophisticated clients often question whether offshore expansion compromises Swiss standards.

It does not—provided governance remains anchored in Zurich and Basel.

The GCC model allows UBS to lower cost-income ratios while preserving Swiss-based advisory control, risk oversight, and regulatory compliance. This rebalancing strengthens capital allocation flexibility.

Strategic Context: Integration and Scale

UBS’s expansion in Hyderabad must be read alongside its broader integration strategy and efficiency programme. Scaling high-skill operations in growth markets allows the group to absorb structural changes while maintaining competitive positioning against global peers.

Hyderabad’s technology ecosystem has attracted numerous global financial institutions due to talent depth and infrastructure reliability. UBS’s decision to deepen its presence signals confidence in long-term operational scalability.

For Swiss wealth management clients, the relevant lens is continuity of service quality under scale expansion.

The Strategic Implication

UBS crossing $7 trillion in invested assets underscores client confidence. Expanding technology capabilities ensures the platform can support that scale without compromising discretion or precision.

Confidential Advisory: This publication is intended solely for sophisticated investors and is provided for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice. Cross-border banking structures should be reviewed with qualified professional advisers before action is taken.