ENTREPRENEUR NGUYEN THI PHUONG THAO: VIETNAM’S “GOLDEN MOMENT” TO SET SAIL INTO THE GLOBAL OCEAN

Entrepreneur and PhD Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo — Chairwoman and CEO of SOVICO Group — asserts that Vietnam is seizing a golden opportunity to ascend to leadership in humanity’s greatest technological revolution.

At the high-level session “Overview of Vietnam’s Private Economy, First Edition” (ViPEL 2025), held on the afternoon of October 10, Dr. Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo shared many striking insights.

Emphasizing how the world is reshaping each day amid humanity’s greatest technological revolution, Dr. Thảo affirmed that artificial intelligence, semiconductor chips, data, and the digital economy are not only transforming how we manufacture — they are redefining how we live, learn, and develop. Faced with this wave, Vietnam cannot remain on the sidelines.

The question today is no longer “Will we participate?” but rather: “How will we participate in order to lead?”

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính attends the inaugural “Overview of Vietnam’s Private Economy” (ViPEL 2025) session.
 

A “Golden” Opportunity — Vietnam’s Moment

According to Ms. Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo, we are standing at the threshold of a golden decade for innovation. In AI, Vietnam is already among the top six worldwide in openness to AI. The innovation ecosystem is rapidly expanding — from digital finance and smart manufacturing to green energy — creating a multi-billion-dollar market.

In the semiconductor sector, the shift of supply chains is granting Vietnam a unique position — safe, dynamic, and dependable.

For the first time, we have the chance to engage deeply in the most refined stages of global value chains — from design to packaging and testing. Moreover, future sectors such as agricultural drones, clean energy, carbon credits, and big data are blue oceans in which Vietnamese enterprises can venture.

“All these signals tell us one simple truth: Vietnam’s moment has arrived. If we dare to think, dare to act, and dare to move swiftly, Vietnam can fully become Asia’s new innovation center,” Dr. Thảo observed.

That said, the head of SOVICO Group also acknowledges that the journey toward the future will not be easy. Vietnam faces four major constraints — which are also four opportunities for breakthroughs.

First is infrastructure and data. Our computing infrastructure remains thin; data is fragmented, lacking in connectivity and safe sharing. Second is institutional policy. Technology is moving faster than regulation. Vietnam needs an “open” mindset that allows experiments and creativity within safe bounds.

The third challenge is human resources. To become Asia’s innovation hub, Vietnam needs tens of thousands of high-quality engineers capable of connecting global knowledge while innovating domestically. Finally, the fourth is capital. Innovation demands long-term, patient capital willing to accept risks in order to cultivate success.

Entrepreneur Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo delivers remarks at the event.
 

Public–private cooperation among Hanoi, SOVICO and UNESCO to develop a creative capital rooted in heritage and traditional values.
 

A New Nation-Building Mindset Needed for the Modern Era

Identifying these challenges cannot be resolved by one side alone, Ms. Phương Thảo expects real partnership among the State, businesses, and society. Public-private cooperation is the creative force shaping the future. What businesses need is not only new policies but a new mindset — one of building together, creating shared value. When government and enterprises join hands — each playing different roles but pursuing the same goal — the synergy can unlock breakthroughs.

Specifically, the government should select leading “pilot” enterprises to spearhead AI, semiconductors, and digital finance sectors. At the same time, it should build national shared infrastructure — where every enterprise can access advanced technologies. In parallel, risk sharing in R&D investment should double resources and multiply outcomes. All efforts should aim outward with the aspiration: “Vietnamese products, Vietnamese technology, Vietnamese intellect” present everywhere.

“These actions, if carried out in unified resolve, will help Vietnam enter the group of technology-creating nations, instead of merely being a technology consumer,” the entrepreneur said.

Vietnamese entrepreneurs share the aspiration to position Vietnam as Asia’s new innovation hub.
 

According to Dr. Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo, technology is not just a story of machines — it is a story of people and vision. Innovation is not the business of technology firms alone; it is the mission of an entire society — of a nation growing through intellect and resilience.

“When the government is enabling, businesses are pioneering, and society is accompanying — we will forge a united force: a breakthrough Vietnam, confident and leading. If the 20th century was the century of industrialization, then the 21st century must belong to Vietnamese intellect — to a Vietnam that creates, masters, and shines. With that belief, we — the business community — commit to walk alongside the government, co-creating a Vietnam that is strong, prosperous, and happy, where technology is the bridge linking knowledge, people, and the future,” the female CEO of SOVICO pledges.

Document handover between the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee and SOVICO Group on cooperation to research and develop Urban Railway — Metro Line 4.

Source: Thanh Niên (thanhnien.vn)