Global Business Services (GBS) are increasingly being asked to own transformation outcomes in processes they only partially control. This structural paradox – let's call it the Ownership Gap – is a defining challenge for GBS targeting the holy grail of performance – end-to-end (E2E) process transformation. This report argues that closing this gap requires three deliberate moves: elevating the Global Process Owner (GPO) role from advisory coordinator to empowered transformation leader; making cultural alignment a primary success variable rather than a soft precondition; and deploying AI and advanced skills as the accelerant of a governance foundation already being built. Together, these levers enable GBS to take on the role of enterprise transformation engine.
Published May 2026
