Brian Jeffrey
FPT’s Global Journey: Key Insights from the “Make in Vietnam” Forum
During the recent “Make in Vietnam” Forum held on January 15 in Hanoi, FPT President Truong Gia Binh recounted the organization’s transition to the international arena.
Founded on September 3, 1988, FPT aspired to harness scientific and technological advancements to gain strength.
A decade later, FPT embarked on its international venture.
“Inspired by the achievements of India, we opened a branch in Bangalore but struggled to find clients. Subsequently, we set our sights on Silicon Valley in the US, yet faced similar challenges,” Binh shared, reminiscing on these initial hurdles.
As funds dwindled, and morale was low among employees, the breakthrough came when Ishida from Sumitomo connected FPT with major Japanese corporations.
FPT realized a unique opportunity: most IT professionals in Japan were not inclined to learn local languages, primarily communicating in English.
In contrast, FPT’s team possessed Japanese language skills.
“Fortunate circumstances arose when then Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung permitted the establishment of a university focused on teaching Japanese to IT engineers,” Binh noted. “Today, this capability is considered Vietnam’s strength in Japan.”
At present, numerous foreign software companies operating in Japan hail from Vietnam, which has also formed a Vietnamese software association there.
Moreover, FPT employees are expanding their linguistic repertoire by learning Korean, Chinese, German, French, and others, utilizing language proficiency as a pathway to global markets.
The strategy of mastering local languages to offer software services is a unique trait of Vietnam.
Two significant factors are propelling the rapid expansion of Vietnam’s software industry internationally: the 4.0 Industrial Revolution and ongoing global geopolitical dynamics.
“Exceptional companies are generating substantial revenues from traditional sectors, while their workforces remain heavily IT-focused. Vietnam has the opportunity to pivot towards a burgeoning sector that has yet to achieve massive financial success—digital transformation,” Binh stated.
“As Archimedes famously said, a lever can move the world. I firmly believe that Resolution 57 serves as Vietnam’s lever for revival and ambition to transform into a prosperous nation,” he added.
