When an organisation is looking to build a capability centre in India, there are critical aspects to be taken care of. Embark's deep domain expertise coupled with a practitioner-led approach helps you start building the right way: from legal entity and compliance, to finance processes, HR and payroll, and IT infrastructure.
What we cover
Nine Critical Workstreams. One Integral Partner.
Embark is your single accountable partner through every critical aspect of setting up your India capability centre: talent, HR, branding, legal, finance, tax, compliance, real estate, and programme governance.
Talent Solutions
HR Operations and Payroll
Branding
Legal Entity Set Up
Finance & Accounting
Tax
Compliance
Real Estate and Infrastructure
Programme Governance
What we deliver
Nine Workstreams, Fully Delivered
01
Talent Solutions
TA Operating Model & Governance
Hiring ownership, SLAs, recruiter structure and stakeholder governance.
Role Architecture & Job Descriptions
Role taxonomy, competency frameworks and standardised JDs aligned to capability needs.
Hiring Plan & Ramp-up Engine
Phased workforce plan, demand forecasting, hiring waves and onboarding cadence.
Talent Sourcing Strategy
Channel mix across direct sourcing, referrals, agencies and campus programmes.
Recruitment Process & Technology
ATS, interview frameworks, assessment mechanisms and offer process.
Talent Intelligence & Market Analytics
Compensation benchmarks, competitor landscape and location-specific availability.
1
TA Operating Model & Governance
Hiring ownership, SLAs, recruiter structure and stakeholder governance.
2
Talent Sourcing Strategy
Channel mix across direct sourcing, referrals, agencies and campus programmes.
3
Role Architecture & Job Descriptions
Role taxonomy, competency frameworks and standardised JDs aligned to capability needs.
4
Recruitment Process & Technology
ATS, interview frameworks, assessment mechanisms and offer process.
5
Hiring Plan & Ramp-up Engine
Phased workforce plan, demand forecasting, hiring waves and onboarding cadence.
6
Talent Intelligence & Market Analytics
Compensation benchmarks, competitor landscape and location-specific availability.
02
HR Operations and Payroll
HRMS Implementation
Employee master, leave, attendance and org structure configuration.
HR Policies and Employee Handbook
Core HR policies compiled into a Day 1 handbook.
Onboarding Process Design
End-to-end SOP covering offer management, BGV, document collection and induction.
Hub
HR Operations & Payroll
Full-stack HR infrastructure from day one
Payroll Setup and Structuring
Payroll engine configuration, PF, ESI, PT registrations and payroll SOP.
Labour Law Compliance Framework
Central and state labour law review, statutory registers and compliance triggers.
Recruitment and Organisational Design
Grade and band structure definition and job description templates for key GCC roles.
Hub
HR Operations & Payroll
Full-stack HR infrastructure from day one
HRMS Implementation
Employee master, leave, attendance and org structure configuration.
HR Policies and Employee Handbook
Core HR policies compiled into a Day 1 handbook.
Onboarding Process Design
End-to-end SOP covering offer management, BGV, document collection and induction.
Payroll Setup and Structuring
Payroll engine configuration, PF, ESI, PT registrations and payroll SOP.
Labour Law Compliance Framework
Central and state labour law review, statutory registers and compliance triggers.
Recruitment and Organisational Design
Grade and band structure definition and job description templates for key GCC roles.
03
Branding
Talent Intelligence
Competitor audits, compensation benchmarks and India market insights.
Employee Value Proposition
Evidence-based EVP with defined pillars, messaging and proof points.
Employer Brand Identity
India-specific messaging, tone of voice and visual guidelines.
Culture Codification
Culture playbook, leadership narrative and internal culture framework.
Brand Governance
Governance framework and template library for consistent brand usage.
Talent Intelligence
Competitor audits, compensation benchmarks and India market insights.
Employee Value Proposition
Evidence-based EVP with defined pillars, messaging and proof points.
Employer Brand Identity
India-specific messaging, tone of voice and visual guidelines.
Culture Codification
Culture playbook, leadership narrative and internal culture framework.
Brand Governance
Governance framework and template library for consistent brand usage.
Talent Intelligence
Competitor audits, compensation benchmarks and India market insights.
Employee Value Proposition
Evidence-based EVP with defined pillars, messaging and proof points.
Employer Brand Identity
India-specific messaging, tone of voice and visual guidelines.
Culture Codification
Culture playbook, leadership narrative and internal culture framework.
Brand Governance
Governance framework and template library for consistent brand usage.
04
Legal Entity Set Up
Choice of Legal Entity
Private company v. LLP, tax rates and compliance requirements.
Foreign Direct Investment
FDI rules, reporting requirements and foreign exchange regulations.
Company Incorporation Filings
MoA and AoA documentation and company law considerations.
Bank Account Setup
End-to-end account opening, KYC checks and activation readiness.
GST, Tax and Business Registrations
PAN, TAN, GST and LUT registrations.
Hub
Legal Entity Set Up
Nine components, one accountable partner
Transfer Pricing
Transfer Pricing Framework and Safe Harbour Evaluation.
Corporate Tax and PE
Concessional corporate tax regime and permanent establishment risk.
Board of Directors
Board sizing, diversity mandates and residency criteria.
Corporate Secretarial Compliance
Corporate documentation, digital signatures and statutory maintenance.
Hub
Legal Entity Set Up
Nine components, one accountable partner
Choice of Legal Entity
Private company v. LLP, tax rates and compliance requirements.
Foreign Direct Investment
FDI rules, reporting requirements and foreign exchange regulations.
Company Incorporation Filings
MoA and AoA documentation and company law considerations.
Bank Account Setup
End-to-end account opening, KYC checks and activation readiness.
GST, Tax and Business Registrations
PAN, TAN, GST and LUT registrations.
Transfer Pricing
Transfer Pricing Framework and Safe Harbour Evaluation.
Corporate Tax and PE
Concessional corporate tax regime and permanent establishment risk.
Board of Directors
Board sizing, diversity mandates and residency criteria.
Corporate Secretarial Compliance
Corporate documentation, digital signatures and statutory maintenance.
05
Finance & Accounting
Finance Hub
Finance & Accounting
01
Procure-to-Pay
02
Order-to-Cash
03
Treasury & Banking
04
Record-to-Report
05
Management Reporting
06
Governance & Controls
01
Procure-to-Pay
02
Order-to-Cash
03
Treasury & Banking
04
Record-to-Report
05
Management Reporting
06
Governance & Controls
06
Tax
Direct Tax
Corporate tax regime, WHT framework and tax provisioning.
Indirect Tax
GST registrations, export of services and ITC tracking.
Transfer Pricing
Intercompany mapping, FAR analysis and TP benchmarking.
Tax Advisory
PE risk, secondment structures and cross-border frameworks.
Tax Operations & Governance
Compliance calendar, tax portal setup and RACI framework.
Direct Tax
Corporate tax regime, WHT framework and tax provisioning.
Indirect Tax
GST registrations, export of services and ITC tracking.
Transfer Pricing
Intercompany mapping, FAR analysis and TP benchmarking.
Tax Advisory
PE risk, secondment structures and cross-border frameworks.
Tax Operations & Governance
Compliance calendar, tax portal setup and RACI framework.
Direct Tax
Corporate tax regime, WHT framework and tax provisioning.
Indirect Tax
GST registrations, export of services and ITC tracking.
Transfer Pricing
Intercompany mapping, FAR analysis and TP benchmarking.
Tax Advisory
PE risk, secondment structures and cross-border frameworks.
Tax Operations & Governance
Compliance calendar, tax portal setup and RACI framework.
07
Compliance
1
Companies Act, 2013
Incorporation, ROC filings and board governance.
2
FEMA & RBI Regulations
Foreign investment and ODI/FDI reporting.
3
Labour Laws
Registrations, payroll compliance and statutory benefits.
4
Location & Office Setup
SEZ/STPI/Gift City registration and compliance exemptions.
5
Secretarial Standards
Board minutes, statutory registers and annual returns.
1
Companies Act, 2013
Incorporation, ROC filings and board governance.
2
FEMA & RBI Regulations
Foreign investment and ODI/FDI reporting.
3
Labour Laws
Registrations, payroll compliance and statutory benefits.
4
Location & Office Setup
SEZ/STPI/Gift City registration and compliance exemptions.
5
Secretarial Standards
Board minutes, statutory registers and annual returns.
08
Real Estate and Infrastructure
Office Space Setup
Workspace procurement, space planning and move-in readiness.
Network Infrastructure
Enterprise Wi-Fi, ISP redundancy, VPN and firewall.
Data Centre and Cloud Readiness
Data centre design, cloud onboarding, backup and DR architecture.
Passive IT Infrastructure
AV/VC systems, access control, CCTV, smart racks and server infrastructure.
IT Security Setup
Enterprise firewall, EDR/XDR, IAM and ISO 27001 readiness.
1
Office Space Setup
Workspace procurement, space planning and move-in readiness.
2
Passive IT Infrastructure
AV/VC systems, access control, CCTV, smart racks and server infrastructure.
3
Network Infrastructure
Enterprise Wi-Fi, ISP redundancy, VPN and firewall.
4
IT Security Setup
Enterprise firewall, EDR/XDR, IAM and ISO 27001 readiness.
5
Data Centre and Cloud Readiness
Data centre design, cloud onboarding, backup and DR architecture.
09
Programme Governance
Process Ownership
Clear accountability structures and escalation paths from day one.
Governance Framework
Decision rights, reporting cadences and performance mechanisms.
Partner Network Delivery
Deep domain expertise across sectors without the overhead.
Milestone Review
Critical activities and timelines tracked against agreed milestones.
Process Ownership
Clear accountability structures and escalation paths from day one.
Governance Framework
Decision rights, reporting cadences and performance mechanisms.
Partner Network Delivery
Deep domain expertise across sectors without the overhead.
Milestone Review
Critical activities and timelines tracked against agreed milestones.
Process Ownership
Clear accountability structures and escalation paths from day one.
Governance Framework
Decision rights, reporting cadences and performance mechanisms.
Partner Network Delivery
Deep domain expertise across sectors without the overhead.
Milestone Review
Critical activities and timelines tracked against agreed milestones.
Real Estate Service Roadmap
RE Service Roadmap: Step-by-Step Guide
From city selection through to ongoing operations, every step of your workspace journey is structured and delivered by Embark.
Entry Strategy
City Selection
Which city is best suited basis requirement brief?
Talent availability
Real Estate Dynamics
Infrastructure
Social Fabric
Ease of Living
Entry Strategy
City Selection
Which city is best suited basis requirement brief?
Talent availability
Real Estate Dynamics
Infrastructure
Social Fabric
Ease of Living
Entry Strategy
Micro-Market Selection
Where do we set-up our presence within the selected city?
Talent and Peers
Real Estate Dynamics
Infrastructure
Social Fabric
Early Start
Incubation
Speed to Market and Ease of Entry
Embark's Incubation (Pay as you Go)
WeWork across India
Other Flex Providers
Early Start
Long-term Planning
How do we scale?
Planning real estate for business growth and Phasing
Timing of the space(s)
Scale Strategy
Property Selection
Scientific Short-listing
Embassy Properties
Other Developers
Scale Strategy
Documentation Phase
End-to-end Services Agreement
Project Funding
Build
Office Design
Custom solution in conjunction with client teams and design partner
Build
Procurement
In conjunction with design partner and in-house project management
Build
Build-out
Executed by build partner and in-house project management
Operate
Operations
Executed by in-house Facility Management teams (day-to-day ops)
Workstream Architecture
Nine Workstreams, Fully Delivered
01
Talent Solutions
TA model, sourcing strategy, hiring plan and talent intelligence
02
HR Operations & Payroll
HRMS, handbook, onboarding, payroll and labour law compliance
03
Branding & Employer Brand
Employer value proposition and brand identity for the GCC
04
Legal Entity Setup
Entity incorporation, FDI compliance and statutory registrations
05
Finance & Accounting
Finance infrastructure, controls and operational reporting setup
06
Tax Advisory
Tax structuring, transfer pricing and compliance framework
07
Labour Law Compliance
Central and state statutory framework and ongoing monitoring
08
Real Estate & IT Infrastructure
Workspace selection, fitout, passive and active IT setup
09
Programme Governance
Integrated programme management, milestones and reporting
Delivery Phases
How Setup Is Delivered
Assess
Confirm scope, baseline, and legal requirements
Design
Configure workstream plans and operating model
Configure
Build entity, systems, processes and infrastructure
Launch
Day-one go-live with full operational readiness
Stabilise
Validate performance and hand over to Operate
Assess
Confirm scope, baseline, and legal requirements
Design
Configure workstream plans and operating model
Configure
Build entity, systems, processes and infrastructure
Launch
Day-one go-live with full operational readiness
Stabilise
Validate performance and hand over to Operate
Assess
Confirm scope, baseline, and legal requirements
Design
Configure workstream plans and operating model
Configure
Build entity, systems, processes and infrastructure