FPT CEO: Building an ecosystem where businesses move forward together

September 15, 2025 – Speaking at the thematic session “Science, Technology, and Innovation – The Momentum for Growth” within the framework of the Vietnam Private Sector Economic Forum 2025 (VPSF), Mr. Nguyen Van Khoa, Vice President of the Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs Association, Chairman of the Vietnam Software and IT Services Association (VINASA), and CEO of FPT Corporation, emphasized that Vietnamese enterprises cannot continue advancing in isolation. Instead, they must establish a truly cooperative ecosystem. He also proposed that all economic policies should be “designed from real life.”

According to Mr. Khoa, while the Government is moving swiftly in the process of digital transformation, completing data infrastructure and national governance platforms, most enterprises are lagging behind. Many, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), remain confused and uncertain.

The thematic session “Science, Technology, and Innovation – The Momentum for Growth” within the framework of the Vietnam Private Sector Economic Forum 2025.

However, Mr. Nguyen Van Khoa also pointed out that the Government’s early efforts in digitizing data and implementing integrated platforms—particularly the roadmap for data sharing set to begin on January 1, 2026—are opening up a “golden opportunity” for the private sector. Businesses that can effectively leverage open data streams and integrate with national platforms will be the ones to move the fastest. Yet, moving fast alone is not enough. According to Mr. Khoa, Vietnamese enterprises must transform their mindset: “We cannot achieve sustainable growth if we go alone. In this era, development means developing as an ecosystem.”

Drawing from practical examples at FPT and its partner network, he stated that strong businesses are not those that do everything themselves, but those that share capabilities—ranging from technology and data to governance and markets. The formation of production–distribution alliances and shared technology networks enables SMEs to avoid “starting from scratch” every time they transform. “Even highly specialized products such as drones or medical data analytics systems cannot be built by a single company. We must collaborate, share, and trust one another to go far. When we build an ecosystem together, we become not only stronger but also more resilient,” Mr. Nguyen Van Khoa stressed.

Mr. Nguyen Van Khoa, Vice President of the Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs Association, Chairman of the Vietnam Software and IT Services Association, and CEO of FPT Corporation, speaking at the event.

Emphasizing the human factor, the FPT CEO remarked that “people are the vital artery determining the success or failure of innovation.” Vietnam is currently facing a serious challenge in terms of human resources capable of operating new technologies. The problem is not a lack of people, but a lack of people who know how to work with data, AI, and digital management systems. Without digital skills, the workforce may turn technology into a burden rather than an advantage.

In this context, Mr. Nguyen Van Khoa called on businesses to invest in internal training and partner with institutes and universities to develop more practical programs. He also urged the Government to introduce clear, accessible policies to support digital workforce training for SMEs—which account for more than 90% of enterprises nationwide.

A notable highlight in Mr. Khoa’s speech was his proposal to “Bring life into resolutions”—a completely new approach. “We often say that we must bring resolutions into life. But if those resolutions are not derived from real life, they will always be unbalanced in practice. I propose we reverse that: policies must originate from life itself,” he said.

He further suggested that each policy cycle should include a “practical absorption phase,” during which authorities listen to businesses, analyze behavioral data, and foster two-way dialogue. During the session, many entrepreneurs resonated with Mr. Khoa’s perspective and shared additional ideas to help the private sector achieve stronger momentum. According to him, this forum serves as a “Dien Hong Conference” for enterprises to raise meaningful questions and contribute to the policymaking process.

The Vietnam Private Sector Economic Forum 2025 took place on September 15–16 in Hanoi, organized by the Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs Association, with participation from Government leaders, ministries, sectors, and more than 1,500 entrepreneurs, experts, and international organization representatives. Prior to the forum, from July through late August, 12 provincial-level dialogue rounds were held nationwide, gathering over 3,000 opinions from the business community. Key insights will be compiled into the Vietnam Private Sector White Paper 2025 and Joint Declaration, which will be presented at the High-Level Session on September 16, chaired by Government leaders.