At the 2026 Vietnam–UK Financial Services Summit, Ms. Chu Thi Thanh Ha, Chairwoman of FPT Software, FPT Corporation, shared her perspective on the role of women leaders in talent development, trust building, and strengthening international connections as AI continues to reshape the labor market.
The summit was held as part of the visit to Vietnam by Ms. Susan Langley, Lord Mayor of the City of London, bringing together representatives from the financial, technology, and professional services sectors of Vietnam and the United Kingdom.
During a panel discussion on talent development and leadership, Ms. Ha noted that Vietnam has a strong talent foundation, with more than 560,000 technology professionals and a median age of approximately 33. A young and adaptable workforce with a strong learning mindset, combined with financial expertise from international markets and the technology capabilities of Vietnamese companies, can contribute to building an ecosystem that supports Vietnam’s ambition to develop an international financial center.
Within this landscape, women are increasingly taking on important leadership roles. At FPT, women currently account for 36% of management positions. According to Ms. Ha, strengths in communication, relationship building, team stability, and consistency in client service are particularly valuable for large-scale financial and banking projects with demanding quality requirements.
She cited a global FPT project that needed to scale to 1,300 engineers within just one year. The project was successfully led by a female manager who was able to meet the rapid workforce expansion requirements while maintaining continuity and quality throughout the implementation.
AI Opens New Career Paths for Women
According to the Chairwoman of FPT Software, women pursuing senior leadership positions in finance, technology, and professional services continue to face a range of challenges.
The growing complexity of these industries requires leaders not only to possess deep expertise but also to continuously keep pace with macroeconomic developments, global markets, and emerging technologies. The accelerating pace of information adds further pressure, while women in many Asian countries continue to shoulder a significant share of family responsibilities alongside the demands for time, continuous learning, and travel that come with senior management roles.
Against this backdrop, FPT focuses on creating an environment where employees can advance professionally while achieving a better balance between work and life. Programs such as FPT Care, Parents’ Day, housing support, tuition assistance, and on-campus childcare are designed to support not only FPT employees but also their families.
At the same time, AI is being integrated into the employee development journey, from AI assistants that support daily work to opportunities for employees to access emerging technologies through FPT’s ecosystem of global technology partners. FPT also promotes AI training, labs, hackathons, and job rotation programs, enabling employees to expand their capabilities and move into new roles.
At FPT, AI is already helping some female Comtors – communication professionals who bridge language and business requirements in technology projects – transition into roles such as Business Analysts (BAs) and Project Managers (PMs), opening broader career paths in the technology industry.
Being Present When It Matters Most
Reflecting on more than three decades at FPT, Ms. Chu Thi Thanh Ha shared that she joined FPT while still a university student and has worked across several of FPT’s core businesses, from hands-on roles in sales to spending more than two decades helping build FPT Telecom.
In 2020, Ms. Ha moved to FPT Software, marking a transition from a domestic leadership role to a truly global business environment. Today, FPT Software has more than 30,000 AI and data engineers across over 30 countries. According to Ms. Ha, the scale and global nature of the organization require leaders to continuously learn, adapt, and upgrade themselves.
Among the most challenging periods in her leadership journey were the consecutive disruptions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, economic downturns, and rapid technological changes driven by AI.
Ms. Ha adopted three principles to guide the organization through uncertainty: staying close to markets and people, turning uncertainty into opportunity, and maintaining a long-term vision.
In Japan, Ms. Ha met 145 senior client executives within six months, listening directly to their needs and building trust. In the United States, she traveled to multiple states where FPT teams operate to meet employees and gain a firsthand understanding of local market realities.
Alongside market diversification, FPT Software has gradually evolved from traditional outsourcing services toward comprehensive digital transformation and AI services, while building capabilities in AI, cloud, data, automotive software, and enterprise platforms. FPT Software has also leveraged mergers and acquisitions to strengthen technology capabilities, expand access to highly skilled talent, and deepen client relationships.
Rather than competing primarily on cost, FPT Software is also focused on building long-term strategic partnerships with clients and participating in large-scale, multi-year technology programs.
“Lead with Your Heart”
According to Ms. Chu Thi Thanh Ha, challenging periods have also demonstrated that leadership goes beyond business results. During and after the pandemic, FPT launched a range of long-term community initiatives in education and social welfare, from Hope School to building schools and community bridges across Vietnam.
These experiences have also shaped the advice Ms. Ha offers to the next generation of leaders.
“In the age of AI and automation, human-to-human connection is becoming even more important. Technology can automate many things, but it cannot replace the value of heart-to-heart connection,” Ms. Ha shared.
According to the Chairwoman of FPT Software, no matter how rapidly technology continues to evolve, empathy, genuine relationships, and the human element will remain essential qualities of leadership.
Building on years of experience working with organizations in the United Kingdom, FPT continues to advance Vietnam–UK cooperation in AI and digital transformation, while contributing to the development of high-quality talent and strengthening connections between Vietnam’s technology and financial ecosystems and international markets.