Andzelika Zarudzka has joined Astellas Pharma as the Head of the Global Capability Centre (GCC),a brand-new strategic hub in Warsaw. 

Astellas is a leading global life sciences company, transforming cutting-edge science into real value for patients worldwide. The organization has a bold vision and strong values: Integrity, Innovation, and Impact to create value for patients.

In her new role, she'll be focused on building and scaling the news Global Capability Centre.

Under the strategic leadership of Kamila Grembowicz (previously at JTI) and in close collaboration with a highly skilled global team, the plans are to establish a future-ready, agile, and digitally enabled GCC- designed to deliver measurable impact and support Astellas’ long-term strategy.

Big news at Dexcom Lithuania. 

Ramūnas Stanišauskas is stepping in as the new Senior Director and Site Lead, bringing a fresh perspective and a steady track record in building high-performing teams.

In just a few months since joining in 2023, Ramūnas had already made his mark by connecting dots across teams and laying the groundwork for what’s next.

His leadership brings the kind of perspective that balances daily execution with long-term growth.

At the same time, a big congratulations to Rosita Vasilkeviciute Marcene, who now takes on a broader role as Senior Director Business Operations and Service Excellence EMEA-LATAM.

Sutherland announced an expansion of its Sofia shared services center in April 2025, focusing on customer experience and back-office operations. The expansion will add 250 jobs.

IBM announced a new GBS hub in Budapest, Hungary, in May 2025, with an investment of €25 million. The hub will focus on AI-driven business process outsourcing and is expected to employ 400 people by 2027.

Source: BBJ.hu

Citi will expand its Warsaw-based Global Business Services hub in May 2025, investing €20 million to enhance its financial operations and compliance services.

The expansion includes hiring 300 additional employees specializing in risk management and process automation.


Source: Reuters Poland, May 10, 2025

Accenture announced an expansion of its Advanced Technology Center in Krakow, aiming to create 500 new jobs by the end of 2026. The expansion focuses on enhancing capabilities in cloud computing, AI, and data analytics for its global clients.

Accenture Poland’s official LinkedIn page posted about the expansion, highlighting roles in cybersecurity and digital transformation, with a focus on attracting talent in AI and automation. (LinkedIn post, April 16, 2025)

Several Investment Promotion Agencies in the CEE and Baltic regions are promoting their growing Military Tech sectors, and this opens up vast opportunities across the region. 

Just last week, Invest Lithuania's post about its priorities in defense are emblematic of the "focus and funding" that is increasingly on Defense. Also last week, in Tallinn, at Latitude59, Estonia's Minister of Defense was a "key" keynote speaker and emphasized the sector's immediate strategic importance.

Similar voices are heard in Poland and Romania and Bulgaria.


Here highlights from Invest Lithuania:
As a NATO member on the alliance’s eastern flank, the defence industry of Lithuania has become a national priority with substantial government backing and strategic importance. This focused approach has created significant opportunities for international collaboration and investment in the country’s rapidly evolving defence sector.

Strategic location and NATO roleLithuania’s geographical position makes it a key player in European defence cooperation. Strategically positioned within the European Union and on NATO’s eastern border, the country provides secure access to crucial European markets while serving as a stable gateway for defence operations across the continent.
The country currently hosts over 2,500 Allied soldiers deployed on rotation basis, including NATO Enhanced Forward Presence forces, NATO Force Integration Units, U.S. rotational battalions, and a German brigade planned for full deployment by 2027. This military presence, combined with regular international exercises, highlights Lithuania’s commitment to collective security.
Government support and investment incentivesLithuania’s defence industry benefits from streamlined processes designed to accelerate investment and development. Recent legal provisions, titled the Green Corridor, have simplified territorial planning, land procurement, and construction procedures for large-scale investment projects, shortening the setup period for manufacturing facilities from two years to just six months.
The Green Corridor initiative also offers attractive fiscal policies for companies considering military industry investment in Lithuania, including a 0% corporate income tax rate for 20 years. Additionally, companies in Lithuania benefit from efficient export procedures, with export licenses typically processed in 25 work days or less.
Defence funding and support programsLithuania has demonstrated its commitment to defence sector investment through substantial funding initiatives. In 2024, over 45% of the National Defence Budget – nearly €1 billion – was dedicated to modernizing the Lithuanian Armed Forces, with approximately €200 million reserved for drone procurement over the next six years.
The recently launched €300 million “Vytis” initiative aims to strengthen the defence industry in Lithuania by promoting innovation and boosting global competitiveness. Led by the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation, this program addresses key industry challenges including limited early-stage funding and regulatory barriers. With targets to triple defence exports and generate over €1 billion in sector value by 2030, “Vytis” provides comprehensive support from R&D through market entry, creating significant opportunities for companies developing battle-ready innovations.
Complementing this is ScaleWolf, a first-of-its-kind venture capital fund and allied technology accelerator focused on dual-use technologies. With €13.5 million in funding, this initiative accelerates advancements in Baltic defence innovation technologies, supporting companies developing solutions aligned with NATO’s emerging and disruptive technologies priorities.

Full Story here.

First Google. Now Nvidia. As Poland racks up billion-dollar bets from the world's biggest tech players, one thing is clear: Europe’s AI map is being redrawn — and Poland is right at the center.

Poland is gearing up for a major transformation. In late April, Kulczyk Investments announced a partnership with Nvidia, one of the world’s biggest AI players, to build one of Central Europe’s most powerful supercomputers. Powered by Nvidia’s cutting-edge Blackwell architecture, the machine will deliver top-tier AI computing services — and crucially, it will keep Polish data on home soil.

The Kulczyk-Nvidia supercomputer isn’t just about showing off technical prowess — though there’s plenty of that. It’s about control and trust. Data will be processed locally, shielded by European privacy laws, and housed in Poznań’s Beyond.pl data centers — already among the continent’s most secure and energy-efficient facilities.
Dawid Jakubowicz, CEO of Kulczyk Investments, calls the partnership an exercise in “pragmatic collaboration” — a signal that innovation, not geopolitics, is driving the agenda.


Google’s radar
And it’s far from an isolated move. In February, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Google CEO Sundar Pichai in Warsaw to announce a sweeping new alliance between government and tech. The multi-billion dollar investment, aimed at wiring Poland’s digital future, marks the beginning of a cooperation deal that could lift the country’s GDP by as much as 8%.

The plan reads like an investment wish list: billions of dollars in funding, Google’s pledge to train one million Poles in AI skills, a fast-track for startups working in cybersecurity, health tech, and education. When two tech giants place billion-dollar bets on the same country in quick succession, it raises a bigger question: Why is Poland suddenly at the center of the AI race?


A new center of gravity
The aim of the recently unveiled plans is nothing less than making Poland a heavyweight in Europe's tech ecosystem, a position the country is well-suited for already.
“Poland is currently the largest engineering hub in Europe,” Pichai said at the event, highlighting a workforce of more than 400,000 IT professionals. That depth of talent didn’t appear overnight. It’s the result of years of steady investment in education, research, and infrastructure — and now, the world is taking notice.


Why Poland, why now?
The government is doing its part too, pledging to steer 5% of Poland’s GDP into digitization initiatives by 2035, and the country’s AI future. A billion PLN have been earmarked to build out a domestic AI ecosystem, including a national AI Factory, the development of a Polish large language model (PLLuM), and public-private partnerships designed to empower homegrown startups.

Government-backed supercomputers in Warsaw and Kraków will soon offer research and business communities computational power that, until recently, was the preserve of a few global giants.

Poland boasts one of Europe’s largest tech talent pools, with thousands more entering the field every year. Combine that with labor costs that remain far below Western European levels, and the country offers a rare mix of quality and affordability. But competitive wages only tell part of the story. Poland is also emerging as a frontline player in Europe’s digital defense.


Cybersecurity-oriented
Cyberattacks against Polish infrastructure have doubled in the past year. Last November, Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski laid it out starkly: “There’s hardly a day now when critical infrastructure isn’t targeted by Russian services.” In that context, technology is no longer just about economic growth — it’s about national security.
At its core, Poland’s AI push is about sovereignty: keeping control over its digital destiny in a world where data and algorithms are fast becoming tools of power. The choice is clear — lead, or be left behind.


The double-edged sword of AI for jobs
The investment boom paints an optimistic picture. But look closer, and the coming transformation of work looks far more complicated. AI isn’t just opening new doors — it’s rewriting the rules of the labor market, often at a breakneck pace.
A recent report by the Polish Economic Institute (PIE) found that about 22% of jobs in Poland are exposed to AI-driven disruption. And the roles most at risk are high-skill, high-education jobs: finance professionals, lawyers, IT workers.
Women could be disproportionately affected. Around 28% of women are employed in sectors at high risk of AI disruption, compared to just 17% of men, largely because of gendered employment patterns in administrative and service industries.
The regional divide is stark, too. In Warsaw, nearly 45% of jobs are highly exposed to generative AI technologies. In rural Świętokrzyskie, that figure drops to just 18%. Urban centers like Kraków and Wrocław, packed with business service centers and tech firms, are poised for faster — and more turbulent — change.

Source: WBJ

Back in March, Microsoft announced a $700 million investment in Poland to expand its cloud, AI, and cybersecurity operations. While not explicitly focused on Shared Services or GBS, this investment includes building hyperscale infrastructure and joint cybersecurity projects with the Polish Armed Forces.
Microsoft’s $700 million investment in Poland by June 2026 is a multifaceted initiative that expands cloud and AI infrastructure, strengthens cybersecurity, and fosters digital skills, with significant implications for the Shared Services/GBS sector. It enhances Poland’s technological and economic competitiveness and supports critical infrastructure for GBS operations.

Relevance to Shared Services/GBS SectorWhile the investment is not explicitly tied to new Shared Services/GBS centers, its impact on Poland’s tech ecosystem is highly relevant:

• Infrastructure Support: Expanded cloud and AI infrastructure provides the backbone for GBS operations, enabling scalability and efficiency in data processing, customer service, and back-office functions.
• Cybersecurity Enhancements: Robust cybersecurity is critical for GBS centers handling sensitive financial, HR, or customer data, making Poland a more secure location for such operations.
• Skilled Workforce: The skilling initiative will increase the pool of AI- and tech-proficient professionals, addressing GBS sector demands for talent in automation, analytics, and IT support.
• Attractiveness for Investment: Poland’s strengthened position as a tech hub, supported by Microsoft’s investment, may attract multinational corporations to establish or expand GBS centers, leveraging the country’s infrastructure and talent.
  

AI and Digital Transformation:

• The investment supports the Polish language model Bielik, developed by the SpeakLeash team with the Academic Computer Center Cyfronet AGH, and the PLLuM (Polish Large Language Universal Model), enhancing AI-driven natural language processing for Polish cultural and linguistic contexts.