GBS Malaysia (Digital Global Business Services Council)

The Digital Global Business Services Council Malaysia (GBS Malaysia) is the national industry body representing providers of shared services, IT outsourcing, and knowledge work in Malaysia. Founded in 2006 as Outsourcing Malaysia, it now acts as the sector’s central convener, policy advocate, and talent-development partner working alongside MDEC and MITI.

GBS Malaysia is a non-profit industry council that brings together firms operating in Malaysia’s global business services sector — including business process outsourcing, IT outsourcing, shared services centres, and knowledge process outsourcing. It sits under the National Tech Association of Malaysia (PIKOM) and represents the collective voice of providers to government, regulators, and the wider business community.

The council was originally launched as Outsourcing Malaysia in 2006 and rebranded to reflect the sector’s evolution beyond traditional voice work. Today its remit covers digital transformation, intelligent automation, finance and accounting, customer experience, and engineering services delivered from Malaysia for global clients.

According to the association’s published materials, GBS Malaysia represents hundreds of member firms ranging from multinational shared services captives to homegrown service providers. Membership is open to operators, enablers, and academic partners with a stake in the sector’s growth.

How it works

The council operates as a chapter under PIKOM and is governed by an elected committee drawn from senior industry executives. It funds its activities through member dues, sponsorships, and event revenue, and coordinates closely with the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), the agency that administers Malaysia Digital status and related investment incentives for the sector.

Day-to-day, GBS Malaysia runs four programs in parallel: policy advocacy with ministries on talent, taxation, and data flows; sector research published as the annual GBS Outlook; flagship industry events including the Smart Sourcing Summit and the GBS Asia Awards; and capability building through partnerships with international peer bodies such as ASOCIO, WITSA, and ABSL.

The council also coordinates with universities and TVET institutions to shape curricula around the skills providers actually hire for — analytics, RPA, cybersecurity, multilingual customer support, and finance transformation. This pipeline work is one of the reasons Malaysia consistently ranks in the top tier of Kearney’s Global Services Location Index, which it has done every year since the index began in 2004.

Examples

Member and partner organizations span the full spectrum of Malaysia’s services sector. Captive shared services centres run by multinationals such as Shell Business Operations (in Cyberjaya since 2003), DHL IT Services, and Standard Chartered GBS regularly engage with the council on talent and policy issues.

On the third-party provider side, homegrown firms including Scicom, VADS, and Genting Digital sit alongside global names like Accenture, Teleperformance, and Concentrix that operate Malaysian delivery centres. The council’s GBS Asia Awards have recognized firms across categories including digital transformation, finance and accounting, and customer experience since the program’s launch.

Public-sector partners include MDEC, which administers the Malaysia Digital initiative that replaced the former MSC Malaysia status in 2022, and InvestKL, which markets Greater Kuala Lumpur to multinational investors. Together they form the convening triangle behind most of the country’s GBS-sector investment promotion.

Related terms

• Business process outsourcing (BPO): the parent category GBS Malaysia represents at the industry level.
• Shared services and outsourcing (SSO): the captive-and-third-party model most council members operate.
• Information technology outsourcing (ITO): a fast-growing pillar of Malaysian GBS exports.
• Knowledge process outsourcing (KPO): higher-value analytics and research work the council promotes as a growth lane.
• Offshoring: the broader cross-border delivery model that underpins Malaysia’s positioning.
• Foreign direct investment (FDI): the inbound capital flow GBS Malaysia helps attract via MDEC.
• Contact center: a core service line for many member firms.

FAQ

Who runs GBS Malaysia?

The council is governed by an elected executive committee of industry leaders drawn from member firms, and it operates as a chapter under PIKOM, the National Tech Association of Malaysia.

How is GBS Malaysia different from MDEC?

MDEC is a government agency under the Ministry of Digital that administers Malaysia Digital status and investment incentives. GBS Malaysia is a private-sector industry council that represents the operators themselves and advocates on their behalf.

When was GBS Malaysia founded?

It was established in 2006 as Outsourcing Malaysia and later rebranded to GBS Malaysia to reflect the sector’s shift toward shared services, digital transformation, and higher-value knowledge work.

What are GBS Malaysia’s flagship events?

The two best-known programs are the Smart Sourcing Summit, an annual buyer-provider conference, and the GBS Asia Awards, which recognize excellence across delivery, transformation, and customer experience categories.

Does GBS Malaysia publish industry research?

Yes — its annual GBS Outlook report tracks sector revenues, headcount, sub-segment growth, and policy priorities. The data feeds into government planning and investor pitches alike.

How does GBS Malaysia support talent development?

The council partners with universities, TVET institutes, and international peer bodies such as ASOCIO and ABSL to align curricula with member-firm hiring needs in analytics, automation, and digital services.