Costa Rica, San José, April 2, 2025. Costa Rica has reaffirmed its leadership in the corporate services industry by hosting the first Global Service Centers Forum (GBS Forum), organized by the Costa Rican Coalition for Development Initiatives (
CINDE) with support from
McKinsey & Company. The event brought together 50 multinational companies with Costa Rican operations, to discuss sector transformation and future challenges.
“The services sector is one of the most dynamic in the world, and here in Costa Rica, it has become a strategic pillar of economic development. Today, we have over 252 multinational companies providing direct employment to more than 117,000 Costa Ricans. It’s crucial to analyze how the industry is evolving and seize emerging opportunities to continue enhancing the impact, sophistication, and added value of operations in our country,” stated Marianela Urgellés, Managing Director of CINDE.
The forum agenda covered topics such as the evolution of
global service centers, the incorporation of innovative technologies like generative
artificial intelligence, and strategies for human talent development. The event featured international experts from McKinsey & Company, a consulting firm – among them, Josh Peters, Amit Vashisht, Erin Ghelber, and Luis Aguilar, alongside local leaders including Vanessa Gibson and Marianela Urgellés, both directors at CINDE.
“Costa Rica has firmly established itself as a leader in the GBS space for the Americas, thanks to its strategic location, an educated and multilingual workforce, industry maturity, and strong commitment to excellence. This provides an incredible platform for growth. The opportunity now lies in evolving our ecosystem toward true Global Capability Centers (GCC), where the focus shifts from merely supporting business to actively driving it. By investing in innovation, digital transformation, and a differentiated value proposition, we can elevate Costa Rica as a location to generate strategic impact and unlock new levels of value for global companies,” added Luis Aguilar, Director at McKinsey & Co., Costa Rica.
Sustained Growth in Service ExportsCosta Rica’s corporate services sector has shown remarkable growth. According to preliminary data from the BCCR, by the fourth quarter of 2024, service exports had reached $16.113 billion, representing a 9% increase compared to the same period last year. Among these exports, business services lead with a 42% share.
Costa Rica Faces Growing Global Competition for Global Service Centers (GBS)Costa Rica is facing an increasingly competitive landscape for GBS investments from markets such as Mexico, Colombia, and Poland, which are known for their competitive costs, scalability, and talent availability. However, Costa Rica remains highly attractive due to its strategic location, specialized human capital, and favorable
business environment.
Looking ahead to 2030, the key factors that will continue driving investment in the region, according to companies, include competitive labor costs and access to
talent, strategic location and proximity to the U.S., ease of doing business, incentives, and special zones.
Additionally, a growing demand for specialized roles is expected by 2025, particularly in the sectors of business, technology, data, and human resources.
Trends Shaping the Sector’s FutureAccording to data gathered during the forum, Costa Rica’s GBS sector is undergoing a transformation driven by technological innovation and specialized talent. Among the top strategic priorities for companies over the next 12-18 months are
process innovation to optimize operations through emerging technologies like generative AI and advanced analytics, and
cost savings and operational efficiency.
During the forum, challenges and opportunities were identified where Costa Rica has room to further enhance its position in the industry. The first challenge:
specialized talent to meet the growing demand for professionals in areas such as cybersecurity, data analysis, and complex process management. Additionally, maintaining
competitiveness in terms of costs is essential to attracting and retaining investments in the sector.
“The global talent shortage is one of the biggest challenges facing the technology and services sectors. In Costa Rica, we have successfully established sophisticated operations, but we must keep pace in training relevant talent to this industry. It is essential to implement immediate retraining actions and develop a long-term comprehensive education policy,” emphasized Vanessa Gibson, Director of Investment Climate at CINDE.
The first Global Service Centers Forum marks a milestone in consolidating Costa Rica as a strategic hub for corporate services, reaffirming its commitment to innovation, talent development, and excellence in global service delivery.
About CINDECINDE is the expert and strategic guide for investment, business development, and talent initiatives in Costa Rica. With more than 43 years of experience working with multinational companies and as a key player in the investment ecosystem, CINDE has fostered numerous talent development initiatives as a key component of Costa Rica’s business climate, and has supported the establishment of over 450 multinational companies.
About McKinsey & CompanyMcKinsey & Company is a global management consulting firm committed to helping organizations accelerate sustainable and inclusive growth. They work with clients in the public, private, and social sectors to solve complex problems and create positive change for all stakeholders. The firm combines bold strategies and transformative technologies to help organizations innovate more sustainably, achieve lasting performance gains, and create workforces that will thrive for this generation and the next.
