Ho Chi Minh City, August 1, 2026 – At the High-Level Dialogue themed “AIT – Executive Roundtable: Leading Forward In The Age Of AI,” co-hosted by the Asian Institute of Technology in Vietnam (AITCV) and the School of Management (SOM AIT), experts and leaders gathered to discuss strategies for guiding organizations and enterprises through the era of digital transformation and artificial intelligence. This event reaffirmed AIT’s vision of enhancing capabilities and training a new generation of leaders for the AI era.
The forum was attended by Dr. Phung Van Dong, Executive Director of AITCV; Prof. Yousre Badir, Dean of the School of Management (SOM AIT); Dr. Sundar Venkatesh, Program Director of Fintech, AIT and special guests: Dr. Tran Viet Anh (Director of HR & Organization, EVN), Mr. Santhosh Mahendiran (Chief Data & Analytics Officer, Techcombank), Ms. Pham Thi Quy Hien (HR Director, Masan Consumer Holdings), Ms. Van Thi Hong Hanh (Chief People Officer , Home Credit Vietnam), along with over 50 experts, leaders of organizations and businesses.
Delivering the opening remarks at the event, Dr. Phung Van Dong, stated: “At AIT, we believe that developing future leaders is about more than teaching technology. It is about helping leaders build the ability to combine human judgment, strategic thinking, ethics, and innovation with the power of AI. Technology can provide answers. But leaders must ask the right questions. Technology can improve efficiency. But leaders create vision, trust, and purpose”. Reaffirming AIT’s vision and philosophy, he emphasized that Humans are the decisive and guiding factor, not AI or new technology, thereby highlighting the irreplaceable role of educating and training a talented generation of leaders in the new era.
Photo: Dr. Phung Van Dong, Executive Director of AITCV, delivering the opening speech at the High-Level Dialogue.
Solutions and Impacts from Emerging Technologies
In the current context, guiding an organization through technological volatility is a top strategic challenge for all leaders. Moderated by Dr. Sundar Venkatesh (AIT), the Executive Roundtable brought multi-dimensional perspectives on AI and emerging technologies, examining their pro-found impact on socio-economic transformation and the workforce. Furthermore, the panelists deliberated on leadership strategies and practical approaches to cultivating a new generation of leaders amidst the rapid acceleration of the AI era and digital transformation.
Photo: Panoramic view of the High-Level Dialogue featuring leaders from multi-sector corporations and enterprises.
Sharing her perspective during the panel discussion, Ms. Van Thi Hong Hanh, Human Resources Director at Home Credit, addressed fellow business leaders and guests: “Do not adopt AI just to follow a trend. Leaders must clearly define their business models to integrate AI in a way that generates real value and avoids spreading investments too thin”.
Photo: Ms. Van Thi Hong Hanh, Chief People Officer at Home Credit Vietnam, sharing insights on positioning business models when applying AI in enterprises.
Regarding the application of AI in businesses, particularly in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector, Ms. Pham Thi Quy Hien, Human Resources Director at Masan Consumer Holdings, emphasized that if only one priority could be chosen, it must be the consumer: “The consumer is at the center of every decision, the audience that needs to be served, and the most critical objective of a business.” According to her, this principle acts as a filter: every investment in AI must answer the question, “What value does this create for the consumer?” Enterprises should not deploy AI merely to chase technology, but to serve customers better and faster—that is the true measure of effectiveness.
Photo: Ms. Pham Thi Quy Hien, Human Resources Director of Masan Consumer Holdings, discussing AI and core issues in corporate digital transformation.
The “Puzzles” Businesses Need to Solve in the Era of Digital Transformation and AI About the Asian Institute of Technology in Vietnam (AITCV)
The dialogue session with the guest speakers was highly engaging, featuring direct interactions between the audience and the experts. Practical questions concerning the challenges faced by business leaders and the workforce were brought to the table, leading to breakthrough solutions and insightful perspectives.
The High-Level Dialogue is expected to serve as a bridge, enabling executives to share practical experiences and build robust adaptive capabilities. AITCV and SOM AIT are confident that the outcomes of the High-Level Dialogue will make substantial contributions to the journey of developing high-quality human resources and elevating future governance capabilities for the business community.
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About the Asian Institute of Technology in Vietnam (AITCV)
The Asian Institute of Technology in Vietnam (AITCV) was established in 1993 under an agreement between the Government of Vietnam and AIT, with the mission of transferring technology and supporting the development of Vietnam in particular, and Southeast Asia in general, through postgraduate education, training, and community outreach programs.
Through its presence in Vietnam, AIT organizes international-standard postgraduate programs, including Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Business Administration, alongside short-term training courses designed to enhance professional and managerial competencies in areas such as Business Administration, ESG, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Transformation.
In the near future, AITCV will launch the Professional Master’s in Banking and FinTech (PMBF) program. The program aims to equip professionals and managers with the knowledge, skills, and mindset necessary to adapt to the rapid transformation of the modern banking and finance industry, while simultaneously enhancing their capabilities in financial management, risk management, and the application of technology to drive organizational innovation.
Let’s look back at the memorable moments from the High-Level Dialogue themed “AIT – Executive Roundtable: Leading Forward In The Age Of AI”:
