Vietnamese entrepreneurs expect 2025 a thriving year

On occasion of the Lunar New Year, famous Vietnamese entrepreneurs shared their thoughts on business opportunities and challenges in 2025.

Nguyen Xuan Phu, chairman of household appliances brand Sunhouse Group

2025 is expected to be an unpredictable year, with fewer clear signals compared to the previous years. However, manufacturing and export industries and related sectors will continue to grow well.

Similarly, digital-based businesses - in the fields of goods, services, entertainment, and games - will keep rising. In contrast, traditional ones like stores or marketplaces will face more challenges.

The tourism sector will continue to recover but grow slowly, without a "boom" like in 2018-2019. Since Vietnam's tourism market is still heavily reliant on Chinese tourists who make up 45% of the market share, there are no major breakthroughs yet.

To achieve rapid growth, businesses need to seize opportunities, likr those in the semiconductor industry. As Japan, South Korea, and the U.S. are losing their competitive edge in semiconductors, now is the time for countries like Vietnam to invest and develop.

Additionally, Vietnam could become a destination for "eagles to nestle" in the coming time as manufacturing shifts from China due to concerns about U.S. President Donald Trump’s tax policies. If businesses leverage the right opportunities and act at the right time, Vietnam's economic growth could accelerate exponentially, instead of recording only single-digit increases.

The economy follows a cyclical pattern, with phases of recession, recovery, and prosperity, typically lasting around 10 years. The stock market is seen as a "barometer" of the economy, so recovery in the economy will first be reflected in the stock market, followed by real estate and consumer goods.

The stock market is very sensitive to the currency market, depending on money pumped into the economy and interest rates. Investors should monitor the currency market closely to make smart investment decisions. A low-interest-rate environment is key for sustaining capital inflows into the stock market, supporting business performance.

Nguyen Van Khoa, CEO of tech giant FPT Corp.

For years, FPT and the government have been stepping up economic diplomacy. The firm operates in 30 countries with 82,000 employees from 75 different nationalities and has observed significant geopolitical changes. Economic diplomacy must focus on leveraging Vietnam's strengths.

We need to improve the foreign investment climate to become an attractive destination. The readiness of the administrative procedure system, as well as the interaction between the government and citizens and between the government and businesses need further improvements.

The country reaped nearly $4 billion from exporting fruits and vegetables and $2 billion from software. There is still huge room for growth in software exports.

FPT sees the future as the age of data and how to exploit it. Data is like oil, hidden deep underground so extracting valuable products from it takes significant efforts. Transforming data into profit is not easy.

It is necessary to apply technology to create a transparent market, where all data must be authenticated. We are working on two important laws: the Law on Data and the Law on Personal Data Protection. These are critical pieces of legislation that will lay the foundation to promote the development of technology in Vietnam, particularly in the field of AI.

Looking ahead, FPT focuses on three pillars: building high-quality human resources as Vietnam needs about 3 million IT professionals; protecting data and cybersecurity; and safeguarding Vietnam's sovereignty in cyberspace. Data is the future, and protecting it is crucial.

Turning data into revenue is not easy, but after nearly 36 years of development, FPT has gained valuable experience in designing, enriching, and transparently mining data.

Regarding digital workforce development, in all revolutions, the key factor is people. FPT currently has over 80,000 employees and aims to reach 1 million by 2035. STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), AI, and robotics have been integrated into both secondary and university curricula, which are valuable resources for partnerships.

In addition to normal digital infrastructure, there is new infrastructure, which is the supercomputers of the AI factory. This is for the development of AI to harness the combined power of humans and AI.

Over 36 years, FPT has been involved in several initiatives like Project 06 on developing the application of population database, e-identification, and e-authentication for the national digital transformationin the 2022-2025 period with a vision to 2030.

We have chosen several models to ensure that by the end of 2025, we will achieve such outcomes as creating favorable conditions for public servants to work efficiently and serve the people in the best possible way.

In the business sector, for many years, FPT has grown alongside Vietnamese businesses. Currently, many businesses still lack digital governance capabilities, which is why FPT will work with them to integrate AI into their operations, turning it into a competitive weapon that creates new values.

Le Quang Vu, CEO of creative marketing agency Blue C

2025 will see a more significant shift, where corporate culture will not only be about building foundations but also become a powerful force driving sustainable development and helping businesses adapt to the continuous changes of the era.

Based on research and surveys conducted on 206 businesses, Blue C has identified five key trends in corporate culture for 2025.

The first is supporting employees to adapt to changes during the transition period. A survey by PwC in June 2024 across the Asia-Pacific region, including Vietnam, found that 68% of employees experienced significant changes in their work, 48% had to learn new technologies, and many faced increased workloads.

In this context, supporting employees to adapt to changes will be a top priority for Vietnamese businesses in 2025, contributing to maintaining productivity and sustainability.

Second, culture is becoming a key driver for digital transformation. According to Blue C’s survey, for every three businesses, more than one will prioritize digital culture in 2025. Key characteristics to focus on will include customer-centricity, data-driven approach, innovation, collaboration, and sustainability. These will soon become crucial keywords in building corporate culture.

Third, it is necessary to enhance training on the use of AI in the workplace. AI continues to be a dominant trend in 2025, posing significant challenges regarding skills and adaptability for workers. Despite strong investments from leaders in AI, a survey by management consulting provider Gallup shows that nearly 70% of employees still do not use AI, and the number of those who feel comfortable with this technology has decreased by 6% from 2023 to 2024.

This indicates that AI adoption is not yet clearly oriented and lacks support from businesses. To optimize the technology, companies need a specific training plan and solutions for managing excess staff due to automation.

The fourth is rebuilding culture and maintaining motivation for working during and after apparatuss streamlining. The government's downsizing policy will create a large number of surplus workers in the labor market in 2025. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for private companies to attract high-level talent, but it is important to focus on cultural integration for new staff.

Public organizations, after downsizing, need to rebuild their culture, strengthen internal trust, encourage unity, and invest in staff training to maintain efficiency.

Fifth, it is necessary to focus on employee well-being in the workplace. In the current dynamic work environment, the level of attention an organization gives to its employees becomes a key factor in retaining staff.