Ways to sustain growth for businesses in Vietnam

To maintain growth momentum and move up international value chains, businesses in Vietnam should focus on enhancing their capabilities in three areas: talent, technology and governance. General Director Dinh Thi Quynh Van of PwC Vietnam underscored this today at the Vietnam Business Summit 2018 held in Hanoi.

Around 1,300 delegates from Vietnam, ASEAN and top trading partners such as the US, Japan and the Republic of Korea took part in the high-level conference, which was organised by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry within the framework of the World Economic Forum on ASEAN 2018.

Themed “Vietnam – We mean business: Connect and Innovate”, the summit saw Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and World Economic Forum President Borge Brende deliver keynote addresses and hold dialogues with the business community around Vietnam’s role in the ASEAN and global value chains. 

 The event offered local and foreign enterprises the chance to meet with business and government leaders in ASEAN and beyond, gain an insight into Vietnam’s economy, as well as explore new business opportunities in key areas of investment attraction.

Enhancing capabilities for growth

Representing PwC Vietnam – the knowledge partner of the summit, General Director Dinh Thi Quynh Van delivered a speech during the session ‘Vietnam – Connect and Innovate: New business opportunities’. She also joined top leaders from the Vietnamese government, the Asian Development Bank, Citi Vietnam and Vietjet Air in a panel discussion.

Latest research shows that Vietnam’s growth in GDP, FDI inflows, labour force and middle-income consumer base has consistently outperformed many of its regional peers. Ms. Quynh Van said that these all added to Vietnam’s reputation as one of the rising stars of ASEAN and the global economy. However, she pointed out that the country’s advantage of low labour costs will become less valuable over the coming years, as new technologies and changing global trade dynamics threaten this core value proposition.

“In order to grow sustainably, businesses should invest in three key areas: technology, talent and governance,” Ms. Quynh Van emphasised. “Under the impact of Industry 4.0, companies should seriously consider transforming their business to become smarter, more efficient, and more risk-resilient and transparent. For that, they’ll need to equip themselves with the right technologies, the skilled people to operate those technologies, and the appropriate governance structure.”

“Businesses will need to take the lead in this process, but the Government will have a role to play in facilitating the change, especially with regards to the capacity of institutions, skill supply and infrastructure for digital connectivity,” she added.

Improving regional ties

On the occasion of the World Economic Forum on ASEAN and Vietnam Business Summit, PwC introduced the comprehensive study “The Future of ASEAN – Time to Act” about ASEAN economies, and released a special publication named “The Future of ASEAN: Vietnam Perspective”, which provides an in-depth look into Vietnam’s growth fundamentals and competitiveness in comparison with ASEAN peers.

The Vietnam Perspective report focuses on sectors that have great potential for development, including financial services, consumer goods, and infrastructure – transportation. For each featured sector, the report compares Vietnam against other markets in ASEAN and highlights the main growth areas and opportunities that investors can leverage on.

“We believe that developing these sectors will help Vietnam improve its position in the region, as well as its capacity for collaboration. Besides the “hard infrastructure” like railways, roads and ports that will be essential to improve cross-border connectivity, the financial services sector will provide the “soft infrastructure” needed to boost commercial and investment activities,” Ms. Quynh Van explained.

Once among the smaller economies in ASEAN, Vietnam has risen into the middle-income bracket and is recognised as one of the most dynamic emerging countries in the region. 

According to experts from PwC and other international organisations attending the World Economic Forum on ASEAN week, the country will continue to offer promising prospects for the business community. The key to success is to thoroughly understand Vietnam’s business landscape, by identifying the opportunities and challenges for growth.

PSNews

Other News

Data-driven land valuation to curb speculation: Experts

Data-driven land valuation to curb speculation: Experts

From a property-market perspective, Do Thi Thu Giang, National Director of Valuation and Advisory at Savills Vietnam, said the orientations under Resolution No. 21-NQ/TW could make the market more transparent and efficient, with property values increasingly tied to actual development and use potential.

Resolution No. 19-NQ/TW sets new growth drivers for Vietnam

Resolution No. 19-NQ/TW sets new growth drivers for Vietnam

Science and technology, innovation, digital transformation and AI must be translated into higher productivity rather than pursued as ends in themselves. At the same time, people should be placed at the centre of development, not merely viewed as a resource but as the ultimate objective of development policies.

Expo to open door for Vietnamese suppliers to enter US market

Expo to open door for Vietnamese suppliers to enter US market

US retail giant Target is seeking Vietnamese suppliers of household goods, home textiles, children’s products, personal care and beauty products, with a focus on companies capable of manufacturing and developing products that meet requirements on quality, design and supply chain management.

2026 Banking Sector Digital Transformation to open in Hanoi

2026 Banking Sector Digital Transformation to open in Hanoi

The annual event, which will be held on August 18-19, 2026, at the ICE International Exhibition Centre, 91 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hanoi, is expected to attract around 324 delegates and feature 21 booths representing credit institutions, payment intermediary service providers, and technology companies.

Vietnam – one of most attractive destinations for leading US semiconductor companies: expert

Vietnam – one of most attractive destinations for leading US semiconductor companies: expert

Vietnam has built a solid semiconductor and electronics industry before joining ITSI, attracting major US semiconductor companies. Intel Products Vietnam is one of Intel's largest assembly and testing facilities worldwide, while chip design companies such as Synopsys, Cadence, Marvell and Qualcomm have established engineering and research centres in the Southeast Asian country.

Vietnam targets higher-quality FDI under Resolution 10

Vietnam targets higher-quality FDI under Resolution 10

During the first seven months of 2026, Vietnam attracted more than 38 billion USD in registered FDI, up nearly 58% year-on-year. More importantly, the increase was driven by large-scale, high-tech projects rather than a surge in the number of new investments, signalling a significant improvement in the quality of capital inflows.

Manufacturing, engineering drive hiring growth in H1: report

Manufacturing, engineering drive hiring growth in H1: report

Manufacturing and engineering posted the strongest recruitment growth, with hiring demand surging 70% year-on-year, driven by production expansion, supply chain restructuring and sustained investment inflows in high-tech manufacturing.

Government proposes special mechanisms to unblock APEC 2027 projects in Phu Quoc

Government proposes special mechanisms to unblock APEC 2027 projects in Phu Quoc

The projects in Phu Quoc have been implemented under tight deadlines. Since May 2025, the Prime Minister has directed preparations for APEC 2027, including accelerated infrastructure development on the special zone. An Giang province and investors have subsequently launched a number of major projects involving complex technical requirements and demanding construction schedules.

Financial market reform plan targets high, sustained growth through 2045

Financial market reform plan targets high, sustained growth through 2045

The plan seeks to develop a balanced and modern financial market that is closely integrated with regional and global markets, strengthens the mobilisation and allocation of domestic and foreign capital, and enhances the market’s role as a key provider of medium- and long-term capital for the economy and as a major driver of sustained high economic growth.

An Giang aims to become leading maritime economic hub

An Giang aims to become leading maritime economic hub

Under the province's master plan for 2021–2030 with a vision to 2050, An Giang will prioritise investment in five strategic sectors: strategic infrastructure; processing industries and clean energy; trade, services, logistics and border-gate economy; high-quality tourism; and high-tech agriculture, ecological development and the circular economy.