“Last year, the narrative centred on adoption–the arrival of AI. This year, the focus has shifted to impact. Vietnamese businesses have moved from asking "Should we try AI?" to "How do we scale what is working,” he said. “The next wave will reward businesses ready to scale.”

Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud and AI Day Hanoi on September 29. Photo: AWS

Moving beyond experimentation

He presented findings from the Unlocking Vietnam’s AI Potential 2026 study, released at AWS Cloud and AI Day Hanoi, highlighting the rapid uptake of AI among Vietnamese businesses. Some 26 per cent of businesses, equivalent to around 245,000 enterprises, have adopted AI, with 78 per cent of adopters expecting AI-driven growth over the next year.

Conducted by Strand Partners, the study surveyed 1,000 business leaders and 1,000 members of the public to assess AI and cloud adoption across Vietnam.

Among AI adopters, 73 per cent consider the technology critical or important to their business strategy, while 72 per cent report productivity gains, up from 66 per cent last year. Meanwhile, 64 per cent say AI has boosted revenue, with an average increase of 15 per cent.

He highlighted TCBS and VPBank as examples of Vietnamese businesses using AI to accelerate development, improve efficiency, and strengthen competitiveness.

Techcom Securities JSC (TCBS) launched Vietnam’s first fully online initial public offering (IPO) subscription service as one of three major capabilities delivered in a single quarter, supported by AI. More than 460 TCBS employees now use Kiro, AWS’s agentic AI-powered software development environment, reducing development time by nearly 25 per cent, with 70 per cent of AI-generated code passing initial reviews.

Trinh The Thanh, head of technology at TCBS, highlighted the company’s rapid expansion. “Over the five-year period from 2020 to 2024, our customer base grew ninefold. By the end of 2024, we reached the milestone of one million customers for the first time. Concurrently, regarding stock trading market share, we rose from zero to the top three - a truly remarkable growth achievement.”

VPBank has also turned to AI to improve efficiency across its operations. Previously, AI initiatives were fragmented across departments, including customer service, sales, operations, legal, and compliance.

To address this, the bank partnered with OneByZero and AWS to develop the NEO Agentic AI Platform, built on Amazon Bedrock AgentCore. The platform brings together enterprise data, knowledge bases, reusable capabilities, and governance safeguards, enabling teams to develop and deploy AI assistants more quickly while scaling solutions consistently across the organisation.

Eric Yeo, country general manager, AWS Vietnam. Photo: AWS

“While momentum is building, sustaining it will take more than ambition. As more businesses move from experimentation to implementation, three foundations will determine their pace: a clear AI strategy backed by governance, reliable ways to measure return on investment, and the right skills to use AI responsibly,” Yeo said.

Different businesses, different journeys

According to AWS, Vietnam’s businesses have ambitions to transform with AI, with 69 per cent of businesses saying AI adoption is a top or high priority, and 84 per cent expect their use of AI to increase over the next year. This adoption spans large enterprises, small and medium-size enterprises, and AI-native startups, with each of them having their own priorities and needs. Even though 61 per cent of AI adopters say they're still experimenting, the early returns are promising with 71 per cent reporting that their AI investment has either broken even or delivered a positive return.

Among sectors, the healthcare and financial ones are showing how that ambition is shaping up. Specifically, in financial services, 41 per cent of businesses have adopted AI, compared with 26 per cent overall, and 79 per cent report productivity gains.

In healthcare, 23 per cent have adopted AI, compared with 26 per cent overall, and 69 per cent report productivity gains.

Some of Vietnam’s businesses have already embedded AI agents into their workflows, accelerating innovation and supporting international growth. Accordingly, 38 per cent of businesses surveyed have heard of agentic AI. Of those, 8 per cent have already embedded AI agents in core workflows, and 19 per cent are experimenting with or piloting them.

Early movers are reaping outsized rewards, with 81 per cent experiencing overall productivity gains. Among these businesses, 68 per cent of adopters report increased operational efficiency or productivity, 61 per cent report faster decision-making and execution, and 49 per cent report improved scalability of operations.

NoteX is an AI-powered voice intelligence and speech platform built in Vietnam and scaling globally. Running on AWS, it has reduced its AI processing costs and latency by 30 per cent and scaled to over one million users across Vietnam and over 20 countries in its first year.

Built on AWS services including Amazon Bedrock and Amazon SageMaker, NoteX trains and deploys its own voice models at scale. This allows its two-way voice translation tool, Saydi, to deliver accurate multilingual live translations and automatically identify different speakers across Vietnamese, English, and Japanese conversations in natural voice outputs. It also runs on the AWS Local Zone in Hanoi to serve data residency needs of regulated industries.

“AWS gives us the infrastructure to train, deploy, and scale our proprietary voice models across over 20 countries without managing foundational model infrastructure ourselves, allowing us to focus on our tech while reducing costs. With the AWS Local Zone in Hanoi, we run our proprietary language models closer to regulated Vietnamese customers. This allows us to deliver low latency and full compliance while scaling across 20+ countries at lower cost.” said Nguyen Luu, CEO, NoteX & Saydi.

Accelerated journey of AI-native startups

Vietnam’s AI-native startups are outpacing their peers. Free from legacy IT, they are shipping AI-powered products that scale faster and reach further. As a result, these cloud-first startups have reported 147 per cent average annual revenue growth in the past year.

They are also 4.8 times more likely to earn more than $1 million in annual revenue, and 96 per cent expect AI to drive revenue growth in the coming year. 74 per cent of startups say that their timelines for innovation are accelerated thanks to AI, compared to 66 per cent across all businesses.

Diaflow shows what’s possible. Founded by a Vietnam-based team, this enterprise AI agent orchestration service already counts over 40,000 users, 75 per cent of them in the United States. Built on Amazon Bedrock, Diaflow handles agent orchestration and governance while giving customers the freedom to adopt frontier AI capabilities of their choice. Users have executed over 100 million AI tasks to date.

Yeo added that what is evolving, however, are the types of AI skills required. As AI systems become more capable, businesses have identified that human judgement is the critical capability for an AI-enabled workforce. 62 per cent of business leaders say critical thinking and judgement will be crucial, while 57 per cent of leaders say the ability to interpret, validate and importantly challenge AI-generated outputs will become more important in the next five years.

“Vietnam's goal of becoming an ASEAN AI hub by 2030 is on track, marked by strong interest and adoption of the technology,” he said. “Every organisation is at a different point in its AI journey, but the direction is clear. Businesses that move thoughtfully from experimentation to implementation, supported with cloud infrastructure, regulatory clarity, and skills will be best positioned to compete and grow."

The package will be subject to international open bidding, a one-stage, two-envelope method, and will not be conducted online. The package value is $914.692 million, with a lump-sum contract and a 36-month implementation period. The expected closing time for bids is on November 6.

Previously, on August 27, the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Official Letter No.6909/BCT-DKT announcing the results of the feasibility study assessment.

According to technical documents, the project will be located in Vung Ang Economic Zone, Ha Tinh province, connected to the Son Duong sea area. The project includes two LNG storage tanks, each with a capacity of 200,000 sq. m, for a total storage capacity of 400,000 square metres; the maximum designed throughput capacity is three million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per year.

The port system can receive LNG carriers up to 123,000 DWT, corresponding to a carrying capacity of approximately 217,000 sq.m. The project scope also includes an LNG receiving, storage, and regasification system, marine structures, pipelines, metering and control equipment, fire protection systems, and other auxiliary items.

These components are designed and operated in a coordinated manner, from receiving LNG via ships, storing it at low temperatures, to regasification and delivering the gas to consumption points.

According to information published on the National Bidding Network, the project comprises 14 packages, with a total value of $923.343 million.

These packages cover everything from mine clearance and site preparation to design, procurement, construction, and commissioning; they also include consulting packages for project management, quality management, construction insurance, registration, maritime work, environmental monitoring, design verification, and final audit.

Some other packages are looking for contractors for several packages in the fourth quarter, including the mine clearance and explosive ordnance disposal package ($4.75 million), the site preparation and levelling package ($2.28 million), and the international quality registration package ($1 million).

The largest engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) package, worth over $914.69 million, plays an important role in the project's development; the remaining packages serve the preparation, control, and support of the project implementation process. Vung Ang LNG terminal is intended to serve the fuel needs of the Quang Trach II, Quang Trach III, and Vung Ang III power plants, and supply industrial production in the region.

Amid disruption to the international energy supply chain and transportation, the addition of LNG import and storage infrastructure is significant for diversifying gas sources in the north central region.

During the bidding period for the EPC package, a number of interested contractors proposed extending the bidding deadline. One contractor cited the deadline stipulated in the bidding documents as November 6 and requested an extension to January 15, 2027, equivalent to a 70-day extension, citing the need for more time to prepare the best possible bid documents.

AFRY awarded design contract for LNG project Swedish engineering services firm AFRY on August 31 announced that it had been selected as international technical advisor for the Thai Binh liquefied natural gas power facility in Hung Yen province.

Land clearance contract for new thermal power plant to be signed Nghe An People's Committee require the consortium of investors in the Quynh Lap LNG thermal power plant to sign the land clearance contract with the local authorities before September 25.

JBIC considers new financing options for Vietnam’s energy projects Vietnam’s substantial capital requirements for achieving high economic growth are driving efforts to diversify domestic and international funding channels. The Japan Bank for International Cooperation has expressed its readiness to support Vietnam in energy and infrastructure projects, as well as efforts to raise capital in international markets.

LNG power plant projects risk falling behind schedule Of the 18 liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plant projects with a total capacity of over 20,000 MW, only two have commenced construction, and only the Hiep Phuoc LNG project is assessed as likely to be on schedule.

Long-delayed LNG power projects may be replaced in revised PDP VIII The Ministry of Industry and Trade is consulting ministries and localities for the adjustment of Power Development Plan VIII - Phase 1. One of the contents is the proposal to replace coal-fired or gas-fired power plants with LNG power projects in the north.

Rather than focusing solely on sector-specific discussions, the event provides a space for businesses, startups, investors, public-sector representatives, and educational institutions to meet, exchange insights on practical needs and explore cooperation opportunities across multiple sectors.

France-Vietnam Forward 2026 has two key activities: French Tech Summit, focusing on technology and innovation; and Job & Education Fair, connecting talent with businesses and educational institutions.

The French Tech Summit brings together experts and businesses to discuss the application of technology across five focus sectors: transportation, industry, construction, health, and fintech.

Topics range from the future of rail infrastructure, industrial transformation and sustainable construction to digital health and fintech, highlighting the potential for technology and innovation to address specific development needs.

The programme features businesses and organisations including VNVC, FPT Corporation, Ekino, Serdao, Renova Cloud, Schneider Electric Vietnam & Cambodia, Thales Vietnam, Aden Vietnam, SHB Bank and Ledger Enterprise.

Alongside the panel discussions, ZEBOX Challenge for Impact, announced its winning startup, creating further opportunities for startup solutions to connect with businesses and partners across the ecosystem.

According to Thibaut Giroux, chairman of French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam (CCIFV), the challenge now is not simply to establish connections between the two countries' business communities, but to turn those connections into tangible opportunities for cooperation.

“Businesses need more than one-off meetings. They need a platform where they can identify the right partners, access technology and resources, and explore actionable opportunities for collaboration. France-Vietnam Forward was created with this in mind, bringing innovation, business and talent development together in one space,” said Giroux.

Alongside the technology forum, the Job & Education Fair focuses on another important dimension of economic cooperation: connecting businesses' workforce needs with the skills, career aspirations and learning opportunities of the workforce.

For France-Vietnam cooperation to continue to grow, it is important to connect businesses with talent equipped with the right skills and an international outlook. Employers are looking not only for candidates with professional expertise, but also for people who can adapt, learn and work in multicultural environments.

“The Job & Education Fair creates opportunities for both sides to meet directly, helping businesses connect with suitable talent while giving young people a clearer understanding of the skills and career opportunities sought in international markets,” said Giroux.

French ambassador to Vietnam Didier Le Bret said that whether in the fields of education, training and research, or at the corporate level, France and Vietnam have long-standing innovation partners.

Furthermore, France, ranked 13th in the 2026 Global Innovation Index, is a global technology leader, notably thanks to the creation of 55 competitiveness clusters bringing together companies, research and training centres, and thanks to the French Tech network, of which French Tech Vietnam is a member.

“We are ready to share our experience in innovation governance and to welcome Vietnamese entrepreneurs into our ecosystem,” Bret said.

“The theme of innovation was also a big topic of President To Lam's recent visit to France: not only was innovation mentioned in the Joint Declaration on accelerating the implementation of the Global Strategic Partnership between France and Vietnam, but President To Lam also devoted part of his programme to visiting the Paris-Saclay science and technology cluster and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission."

Tran Trong Tuyen, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, said that Ho Chi Minh City was entering a new phase of development, with a focus on transforming its growth model towards one driven increasingly by knowledge, technology, innovation, and human capital quality.

“As one of Vietnam’s major economic, scientific, technological, and innovation hubs, the city identifies science, technology, and innovation as key drivers of productivity, competitiveness, the creation of new added value, and sustainable development,” Tuyen said.

In this process, he added, international cooperation plays a particularly important role. France has strong capabilities in sci-tech, higher education, applied research, and the development of innovative enterprises. These are areas with considerable potential for deeper cooperation with Ho Chi Minh City.

“We expect closer links between France’s science, technology, and innovation ecosystem and the city to create further opportunities for substantive cooperation, ranging from joint research and technology transfer to new product development, investment connectivity, and market expansion for businesses on both sides,” Tuyen said.

Ho Chi Minh City seeks to strengthen links between French technology companies and local businesses, universities, research institutes, and innovation centres. This will help develop concrete cooperation projects that are viable, scalable, and capable of delivering tangible socioeconomic benefits.

“Beyond technology, we are also keenly aware that high-quality human resources are a decisive factor in the ability to adopt, master, and develop technology. Cooperation between businesses, universities, and research institutes should therefore be further strengthened, with training aligned more closely with practical needs, greater exchanges of experts and knowledge sharing, and more opportunities for young people to participate directly in research, development, and innovation activities,” he said.

France-Vietnam Forward 2026 discussed on technology, innovation, business development and talent development. Photo: CCIFV

France-Vietnam Job Fair held in HCM City, offering over 200 jobs A France-Vietnam Job Fair was held in Ho Chi Minh City on May 13 by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam (CCIFV) and the Institute of Cultural Exchange with France (IDECAF).

Extensive networks ensure thriving France-Vietnam ties As Vietnam ramps up efforts to attract high-quality foreign investment and drive its green transition, French businesses are seizing the moment to deepen their footprint in key sectors. Adam Koulaksezian, executive director of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam told VIR’s Nha Phuong how high-level visits mark a turning point for bilateral economic ties.

The groundbreaking ceremony in Hanoi. Photo: Bich Thuy

In terms of scale, the building has a total investment of over VND1.31 trillion ($52.4 million), covering total area of approximately nearly 70,000 square metres. The project implementation period is approximately 12 months.

Speaking at the event, Truong Viet Dung, Vice Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee, explained that today’s groundbreaking ceremony marks a significant milestone – a model of cooperation between a proactive, facilitating government and a pioneering enterprise – and serves as the starting point for a much longer journey.

From this moment forward, what the city anticipates is not merely the timely completion of the project, but the rapid emergence of a competitive technology hub capable of attracting top talent, mastering advanced technologies, and generating new economic value.

“This project must be developed rapidly, but more importantly, it must be infused with substantive technological activity – attracting talent, tech enterprises, research institutes, universities, and international partners. It must foster genuine research, tangible products, real-world markets, and concrete economic value. The city also looks to FPT to bring its very best here: its technological capabilities, global network, team of engineers, expertise in human resource development, and a spirit that embraces venturing into new, uncharted fields,” he stated.

Truong Viet Dung, Vice Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee. Photo: Bich Thuy

In line with this vision, fields such as AI, semiconductors, quantum technology, unmanned aerial vehicles, and other emerging strategic technologies will not merely be showcased through models or events; rather, the goal is for them to be researched, developed, tested, and applied directly within the ecosystem.

The digital technology building is part of the FPT Digital Technology Park project located in Phu Dien and Tay Tuu wards, Hanoi. Nguyen Van Khoa, CEO of FPT, said, “Hanoi has long been recognised as a hub for knowledge, science, and high-quality workers. We deeply value this and are grateful to the leadership of Hanoi, as well as the various departments, agencies, and local authorities, for their support in overcoming obstacles and enabling the project to reach today’s groundbreaking milestone. This site now marks the beginning of a new journey – one dedicated to developing people, fostering technology and knowledge, and cultivating new resources for the socioeconomic development of the capital.”

Conducted by DXL Research and Consulting, the Q3 BCI report points to a clear priority for Vietnam’s next growth chapter: ensuring that economic momentum is matched by more predictable, efficient conditions under which businesses operate, invest and create value.

The BCI eased by 1.4 points from 79.7 in the second quarter, indicating a modest adjustment. While 64 per cent of respondents describe their current business situation as good or very good, a substantial neutral bloc (28 per cent) highlights a wait-and-see attitude as international demand remains plateaus and businesses look for policy momentum to translate into faster procedures and more predictable outcomes.

Sector analysis tells a more varied story. The agriculture and food value chain recorded the strongest improvement, rising 11.7 points to 83.9, despite continued pressure on input costs and competition from regional imports.

Trade, logistics and consumer goods also remained strong, reflecting Vietnam’s role in regional production and cross-border commerce. By contrast, tourism and hospitality fell 22.5 points to 67.9 after a strong previous quarter. Its decline highlights how quickly consumer-facing businesses can feel the effects of changing spending patterns, operating costs, and external disruption, including recent extreme weather.

Market exposure also shapes sentiment. Businesses focused on Vietnam recorded confidence of 80.4, compared with 73.2 among EU-focused firms, 70.7 among US-focused firms and 73.9 among ASEAN-focused firms. These differences are consistent with the uneven pressures facing businesses across markets, although the survey does not establish a single cause.

EuroCham Chairman Bruno Jaspaert commented that Vietnam’s is on a remarkable winning streak. With GDP growing by 9.95 per cent on-year in Q3 and by 9.01 per cent over the first nine months, the country is moving closer to its ambition of double-digit growth at a time of considerable global uncertainty.

“While we celebrate this momentum, national growth figures do not tell the whole story. Local supply chain managing rising raw material and salaries costs, manufacturing plants importing their next production line and re-engineering their sourcing grounds, or an F&B distributor facing weaker demand and new taxes: they all face pressures that can limit the businesses' ability to contribute to, and benefit from, growth. The important task now is to make growth more tangible across the economy: by improving predictability, strengthening resilience and consolidating reforms, enabling businesses to devote more of their energy to creating value,” he said.

Despite the challenges businesses face today, confidence in Vietnam’s future remains strong. Nine in 10 respondents would recommend Vietnam as an investment destination; 63 per cent plan their operations for more than five years, and 23 per cent look beyond a 20-year horizon.

Vietnam’s appeal is praised for a combination of practical strengths and long-term potential. Human capital (52 per cent), cost competitiveness (51 per cent) and political and macroeconomic stability (44 per cent) remain leading competitive advantages, complemented by its domestic market (42 per cent), the large network of free trade agreements (33 per cent) and its strategic position amid shifting global supply chains (30 per cent).

Sustainability is also emerging as part of the investment proposition: nearly one in five respondents recognise the government’s commitment to sustainable growth, with this consideration more prominent among large enterprises.

As businesses reconsider supply chains in response to global tensions and shifting trade relationships, Vietnam is increasingly positioned as more than a competitive production base: it has become a strategic hub connecting regional growth with global markets. The rise in registered foreign direct investment to close to $50.4 billion in the first nine months of 2026, alongside more than $21 billion in realised investment, a five-year-high, adds to this picture of sustained investor interest.

Yet confidence is not uniform across the business community. While 97 per cent of companies with more than 500 employees would recommend Vietnam as an investment destination, smaller firms are more cautious. This gap highlights an important priority for Vietnam’s next phase of growth: ensuring that businesses of every size can navigate the operating environment and contribute to the country’s development.

Resolution No.10/NQ-TW offers a timely opportunity to recognise and strengthen these complementary contributions. By emphasising investment quality, technology transfer, innovation and domestic supply chains, it encourages a broader measure of investment success; one that considers not only capital attracted, but also the capabilities, knowledge and opportunities created within Vietnam’s economy.

Businesses are clear about what would help them invest and operate with greater confidence. Faster administrative decisions are cited by 37 per cent of respondents, while 35 per cent call for better alignment with international standards and another 35 per cent prioritise faster, fully digitalised government services.

The priorities vary across sectors and company sizes. Faster decisions matter particularly in Agriculture, Business Services and Manufacturing; standards alignment is especially relevant to Healthcare and Trade; and digitalisation leads among Tourism businesses. Smaller firms place greater emphasis on faster decisions and more efficient tax and customs processes, while mid-sized and larger businesses also highlight digitalisation and meaningful regulatory consultation. The common thread is a desire for a business environment in which time and resources can be directed towards building the future, rather than navigating uncertainty.

Xavier Depouilly, general manager of DXL Research and Consulting, noted, “This quarter’s BCI once again highlights a persistent concern for businesses in Vietnam. Despite major administrative reforms and ongoing digitalisation, businesses continue to report overlapping requirements, with online procedures often accompanied by paperwork. Beyond the overall figures, the BCI reveals how these challenges differ across sectors and business sizes. By identifying where the main constraints lie, the research provides valuable evidence to help policymakers better understand the practical barriers facing investors and small- and medium-sized enterprises, and support more targeted improvements to Vietnam’s business environment.”

EuroCham Chairman Bruno Jaspaert concluded, “A strong partnership is much like a tree: its value lies not only in how tall it grows, but also in the roots it puts down and the shelter it offers beyond itself. Many European businesses see Vietnam as a place to put down roots for the long term, growing alongside Vietnamese partners and contributing to a future neither could build as strongly alone. But strong roots need a supportive environment to flourish. And in this particular case, we need to tell the world, especially Europe, how easily trees can take root in Vietnam.”

More than 100 shrimp and rice businesses improve working conditions and ESG practices. Photo: Thanh Tra

Implemented from 2022 to 2026, the project benefited more than 23,000 workers, over 55 per cent of whom were women. Nearly 4,000 workers directly participated in training courses covering workplace skills, occupational safety and health, and related topics.

The project established 10 pioneering business models and supported four businesses in piloting sustainable management practices under the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) framework. All four completed independent ESG assessments with positive results.

In addition, more than 30 shrimp and rice cooperatives were connected with commercial partners, helping improve market access and supporting more stable livelihoods for producers. Through training and consultancy, cooperatives and farmers also strengthened their capacity to adopt safe production practices, develop brands, and improve product packaging and labelling.

Tran Ngoc Liem, deputy secretary-general of the VCCI and director of VCCI’s Ho Chi Minh City branch. Photo: Oxfam in Vietnam

Tran Ngoc Liem, deputy secretary-general of the VCCI and director of VCCI’s Ho Chi Minh City Branch, explained that shrimp and rice are two vital agricultural sectors, making significant contributions to food security, exports, and socioeconomic development, particularly in the Mekong Delta.

However, most processing businesses in the two sectors are small or medium-sized, with limited investment resources and management capacity. Some struggle to fully comply with labour and occupational safety and health regulations, including requirements relating specifically to women workers.

Working conditions also present occupational risks. Shrimp processing workers often operate in cold, humid environments and stand for extended periods along production lines. Meanwhile, workers at rice processing facilities may be exposed to dust and noise for extended periods. Production pressures, overtime, and insufficient rest can also affect workers' health and the sustainability of their employment.

"Major markets, such as EU, the United States, and Japan, are no longer focused solely on quality and price; they now impose rigorous standards regarding social responsibility, occupational health and safety, environmental protection, and transparent governance, in line with ESG criteria," he said.

"Domestically, consumers are also placing greater emphasis on food safety, quality, and product origin. Furthermore, labour shortages are exerting additional pressure on both sectors."

According to the 2025 Census on Agriculture and Rural Areas, the workforce in the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector declined by 2.84 million people, a reduction of almost 15 per cent, between 2016 and 2025. Consequently, recruiting and retaining workers has become a major challenge for many businesses and cooperatives operating within the shrimp and rice value chains.

Vu Thi Quynh Hoa, national director of Oxfam in Vietnam. Photo: Oxfam in Vietnam

According to the project’s implementing partners, one of its key achievements has been helping businesses recognise that working conditions, occupational safety and health, and social protection are not merely compliance requirements. They can also directly influence business performance and the ability to participate in international supply chains.

Vu Thi Quynh Hoa, national director of Oxfam in Vietnam, said business competitiveness was determined by more than productivity, costs, and product quality. As sustainability, traceability, social responsibility, and ESG requirements increasingly become part of global trade, workplace quality and investment in workers are also competitive advantages.

“Competitiveness and responsibility towards workers are not separate objectives,” Hoa said, noting that the two reinforced each other. "Businesses that prioritise workers are better positioned to meet increasingly stringent market and global supply chain requirements."

The project’s implementation has demonstrated that improving occupational safety and health can help businesses reduce risks, maintain a stable workforce, and enhance product quality. Policies that respond to workers’ needs, particularly those of women, can also help businesses build more equitable and sustainable working environments.

Under the project, workers at shrimp and rice processing facilities received training to strengthen their knowledge and skills in occupational safety and health, including the safe operation of equipment and first aid. State officials responsible for occupational safety were also provided with additional training through activities coordinated with relevant authorities.

Initiatives specifically targeting women workers were expanded to strengthen their participation and voice within businesses, cooperatives, and trade unions. One example was the weekend programme Chuyện nhà, chuyện xưởng (Stories from Home and the Workplace), which provided women workers with a space to share knowledge and skills related to healthcare, as well as managing workplace pressure and stress.

In parallel, the project promoted responsible business practices through multi-stakeholder initiatives, connections among businesses across the shrimp and rice value chains, and support for improving internal policies and procedures.

At the four businesses piloting ESG practices, consultancy helped progressively strengthen management systems and environmental and social policies, while establishing short-, medium-, and long-term sustainability goals. The businesses also received support to improve their capacity to meet standards relating to food safety, occupational safety, and social responsibility, including ISO 22000, ISO 45001, and Sedex-SMETA.

"The pioneering models demonstrated that the gap between compliance requirements and actual business practices could be narrowed when businesses made a commitment, invested resources, and received appropriate support. Sharing lessons from these models could help spread good practices throughout the value chain," Hoa said.

Photo: Oxfam in Vietnam

Beyond direct support for businesses, the project focused on strengthening connections between processors, cooperatives, and farmers to improve market access and sales opportunities.

Cooperatives and farmers received consultancy on safe food production practices, brand development, and product packaging and labelling. Study visits and networking activities at the Vietshrimp exhibition also created opportunities for participants to access market information and expand commercial relationships.

At the policy level, VCCI worked with the Department of Home Affairs of Can Tho City to organise an interprovincial workshop on occupational safety and health in the shrimp and rice value chains. Held in response to the Action Month for Occupational Safety and Health and Workers’ Month, the event brought together experts from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Dialogue on rice value chain linkages, organised by VCCI in coordination with the An Giang Farmers’ Union and the Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Policy and Strategy, also helped strengthen exchanges among stakeholders, with a view to improving production conditions and developing value chains.

These achievements provide a foundation for continued support to shrimp and rice businesses as they strengthen management capacity, improve sustainability policies, and meet export market standards. However, scaling up these models will require businesses to invest proactively, alongside closer cooperation among regulatory authorities, industry associations, support organisations, and supply chain partners.

According to British Ambassador to Vietnam Iain Frew, over the past four years, the Climate Finance Accelerator (CFA) has supported 34 ground-breaking businesses that are helping to accelerate Vietnam’s private sector-led green growth ambition.

“The businesses this year are offering pioneering solutions, from sand-based heat batteries and fruit-peel packaging to insect-based waste recycling and low-carbon rice farming, to unlock climate action while creating new jobs, services, and critical infrastructure. I wish them every success in raising finance, drawing on their tailored CFA support,” Frew said at the event.

Abhinav Goyal, director, Capital Projects & Infrastructure, PwC Vietnam and CFA Vietnam Team Leader said that the eleven businesses participating this year represent a promising pipeline of climate investment opportunities that can contribute to Vietnam's decarbonisation goals.

“As investor interest in sustainable and impact-driven projects continues to grow, initiatives such as the CFA play an important role in bridging the gap between innovative businesses and sources of capital. We are encouraged by the growing interest from investors and look forward to supporting these businesses as they continue their growth and fundraising journeys,” Goyal said.

Abhinav Goyal, director, Capital Projects & Infrastructure, PwC Vietnam and CFA Vietnam team leader. Photo: CFA Vietnam

CFA Vietnam’s 2026 cohort operates across a diverse range of sectors, including clean energy, electric mobility, the circular economy, sustainable agriculture, and sustainable construction materials, highlighting the breadth of climate solutions being developed in Vietnam.

Speaking to VIR, Ted Kim, CEO of Viet Smart Mobility, a company providing green transport infrastructure and shared mobility services, said the company was rolling out its GCOO shared electric bicycle service in Vietnamese cities, offering a low-emission transport option for tourism and first- and last-mile journeys.

According to Kim, growth potential and conditions for expansion Vietnam has strong potential for shared e-bikes connecting public transport, tourism and everyday journeys.

“Our ambition is to build on Hue’s operating foundation and expand progressively to 12 tourism cities,” Kim said.

In Hue, Viet Smart Mobility is developing transfers with tourist electric boats serving the Imperial City area and discussing connections with forthcoming electric buses and sightseeing services.

“The next opportunity is cooperation around people’s lifestyles: metro–bus–GCOO transfer discounts and packages combining hop-on/hop-off day passes with e-bike access,” Kim said.

Through CFA, Kim seeks to translate operating experience into an investable business model, robust financial planning and measurable climate outcomes, while connecting with suitable equity and climate-finance partners.

“Equity would support our Vietnam-specific app, customer experience and organisational capacity; complementary financing would support vehicles, batteries and stations. This includes simpler registration, payment and web-based access, addressing barriers we have encountered in practice,” he said.

His biggest challenges are financing infrastructure before demand matures, securing stable operating locations and turning local partnerships into coordinated implementation.

“We need practical arrangements covering station access, charging, safety and transfers. Our goal is a shared growth platform where local businesses participate and benefit. CFA can help us establish the financial discipline, impact measurement and investor connections needed to scale this approach responsibly,” he added.

Another business in the programme is Phuc Sang Minh Gas which helps industrial customers transition to lower-carbon fuels through integrated gas infrastructure and technical expertise.

Vu Van Nam, chief commercial officer of Phuc Sang Minh, told VIR that Vietnam had significant potential for raw biogas from farms and wastewater and waste treatment plants, but the resource remained largely untapped.

Industries that could use biogas or bio-methane include those that are difficult to electrify or transition to solar and other energy solutions, such as steel and metal roofing production, as well as food and beverage manufacturing.

Switching from coal to natural gas can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 30–40 per cent, while waste-derived BioCNG has the potential to achieve reductions of 70–90 per cent compared with conventional natural gas under well-managed production conditions.

“Our main objective in joining the CFA programme is to seek international funding, particularly impact investment that delivers environmental benefits and supports the green transition,” Nam said.

The company has also received practical support from the programme, particularly through in-person training sessions and expert advice. These activities have helped it refine its business model and financial projections, improve its investor outreach and present its projects more clearly to potential investors.

“I believe access to early-stage capital is one of the key barriers. Businesses spun off from existing organisations may have certain advantages in raising funds. However, for startups developing new technologies, government support is essential, particularly through pilot programmes and small-scale seed funding. This would enable businesses to continue testing, refining and deploying new technologies,” Nam said.

Nam is currently estimating a funding requirement of around $5 million for his company’s project spin off. In addition to direct equity investment, he also hopes to raise capital through loans from financial partners.

Funded by the UK government, the CFA programme provides individual and group support to promising climate businesses to strengthen their investment readiness, refine financial structures, and enhance appeal to financiers.

Through tailored advisory support and structured capacity-building activities, participating businesses receive assistance in evaluating financing options, strengthening financial models, refining investment propositions and preparing investor-facing materials.

The programme also supports businesses in strengthening environmental and climate considerations, as well as gender equality, disability and social inclusion practices that are increasingly important to investors.

Globally, between 2020 and 2024, the CFA supported over 238 climate investment opportunities, helped secure over 65 deals and unlocked over $530 million in investment.

Participants at the CFA Vietnam 2026 Investor Engagement Event in Ho Chi Minh City on 15 October. Photo: CFA Vietnam

CFA Institute calls for annual meeting reforms The investment professional organization issued recommendations improving shareholder engagement and governance at corporate annual general meetings.

UK-funded CFA Vietnam picks 13 businesses for low-carbon support The UK-funded Climate Finance Accelerator in Vietnam has announced its 2026 cohort of 13 businesses developing scalable solutions to support the country's low-carbon transition.

“HORECA – Understanding the Market to Go Further” held on October 15 in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: ITPC

The conference aimed at helping businesses understand the standards required to enter high-quality supply chains, while enabling hotel and restaurant operators to identify suitable suppliers.

The recovery of tourism, the expansion of hotel, restaurant, café and food and beverage chains, and rising demand for higher-quality experiences are creating new opportunities for Vietnam’s HORECA market. The channel offers significant potential for domestic agricultural produce, processed foods, beverages, and consumer goods.

Le Anh Hoang, deputy director of the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre of Ho Chi Minh City (ITPC), said that, driven by tourism growth and the expansion of the middle class, HORECA was gradually emerging as an important distribution channel with significant potential, alongside traditional retail and e-commerce.

“This trend is expanding beyond major economic centres such as Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi into localities with tourism advantages, creating more market access opportunities for domestic agricultural produce, processed foods, beverages, consumer goods, and operational services,” Hoang said.

However, Hoang also highlighted the practical requirements facing domestic producers, noting that offering good products alone was not enough to gain a stronger foothold in the HORECA channel.

“This segment demands high standards in product consistency, long-term supply reliability, dependable delivery capabilities, and professional after-sales services. Gaining access to and meeting the requirements of hotel networks, restaurants, and premium dining chains will be an important measure of Vietnamese small and medium-sized enterprises’ ability to meet increasingly stringent standards,” he said.

According to Miquel Angel, a hospitality industry expert and founder of MQL Sustainable Tourism Services, the role of public-private partnerships in bridging connectivity gaps across the sector in recent years was critical.

“Within the closely integrated value chain linking hotels, restaurants, cafés, and catering services with the broader supply chain, HORECA provides a favourable environment for Vietnamese businesses to strengthen their market position and raise brand awareness. In particular, the development of a modern HORECA ecosystem is not driven solely by commercial capabilities, but is also closely linked to sustainability standards, encouraging businesses to adopt waste management practices, conserve resources and protect the environment,” Angel said.

To maximise the benefits of the conference, Angel encouraged businesses to seize opportunities for direct networking and participate in B2B matchmaking sessions at the event.

“Alongside keeping up to date with emerging industry trends, a key factor in achieving tangible business benefits is the ability to translate the solutions and insights gained at the conference into practical action in operations and supply chain management,” he said.

Vo Phuong Vy, HORECA specialist sales manager of Passion Gourmet Food Asia, said HORECA was an ecosystem that created value and experiences for end customers, rather than simply a channel for selling goods.

“Suppliers need to understand the roles of different departments within hotel and restaurant operations. Chefs focus on quality and preparation efficiency; procurement teams prioritise pricing and commercial terms; cost control teams monitor ingredient usage and consumption standards, while management focuses on overall profit margins,” Vy said.

“Businesses therefore need to identify their partners’ specific needs, demonstrate their products’ practical benefits and offer solutions that fit existing operational processes. Simply sending product catalogues without explaining how the products can be applied in practice will limit their ability to persuade potential customers,” she said.

Drawing on her experience in the food-service industry, Vy also highlighted several common shortcomings among suppliers, including competing primarily on price, failing to provide solutions tailored to kitchen operations, lacking customer retention plans, and failing to balance sales growth with profitability and cash flow.

Nguyen Thi Mai Phuong, country director of Basilur Tea in Vietnam, said businesses needed to shift from selling products to providing solutions to capitalise on opportunities.

“Misconceptions that HORECA is reserved for large businesses, that low prices are the main competitive advantage, and that securing a contract automatically constitutes success can cause suppliers to miss opportunities. In reality, different hotel and restaurant segments have their own budgets and requirements, allowing businesses to target markets that match their capabilities,” Phuong said.

Phuong advised suppliers to understand each partner’s operating model rather than simply sending product catalogues and price lists. The requirements for serving tea at a luxury hotel, for example, may differ from those of a restaurant or a mid-sized service chain.

Conversely, procurement teams should share quality standards, budget plans and demand forecasts to help suppliers prepare their stock and ensure reliable supply. Transparency enables both sides to build more appropriate, stable and effective partnerships.

Delegates view products at the event. Photo: ITPC

Northern Ho Chi Minh City apartment market gains momentum in 2026 The apartment market in northern Ho Chi Minh City has gathered significant momentum in 2026, with a steady stream of new project launches, prices reaching new highs, and major developers joining an increasingly competitive market.

Localities report breakthrough results in FDI in first nine months Many localities surpassed FDI full-year targets in just nine months thanks to administrative reforms and strong investment promotion.

Stephanie von Friedeburg, global head of Public Sector Group, Citi. Image courtesy of Citi

“We are seeing a structural shift in global capital markets. Governments are borrowing to fund development, infrastructure and strategic priorities while the private sector is investing heavily in AI and digital infrastructure.

As competition for capital intensifies, access to financing and innovative funding solutions will become increasingly important,” said Stephanie von Friedeburg, global head of Public Sector Group, Citi on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank metings in Bangkok this week.

As elevated USD rates continue to shape funding decisions, sovereign and corporate issuers are increasingly turning to local currency funding markets such as RMB, AUD, HKD, and SGD.

Citi is leveraging its global platform and local market expertise to help clients navigate this shift through tailored multi-currency funding strategies that complement USD issuance, optimise cost of capital and diversify liquidity sources.

Citi also highlighted the growing role of sovereign wealth funds in supporting national development strategies, particularly in the Gulf, where governments are directing more capital towards domestic infrastructure, technology and AI-related investments.

At the same time, Gulf investors continue to play an important bridging role between Western and Asian markets.

The bank is also seeing increased interest from central banks in reserve management and optimisation strategies, particularly around gold holdings.

Rising gold prices are prompting reserve managers to explore solutions such as hedging, liquidity management and borrowing against gold reserves.

“Central banks are increasingly evaluating how to diversify reserves, manage concentration risk and make more efficient use of balance-sheet assets. This includes exploring gold-related financing and hedging strategies as part of broader reserve management objectives,” said Stephanie von Friedeburg.

Furthermore, while discussions about de-dollarisation continue, Citi expects the US dollar to remain the dominant global reserve currency, supported by the depth, liquidity and scale of US financial markets.

For emerging markets, elevated debt burdens and higher borrowing costs are creating pressure on public finances at a time when governments must continue investing in energy, transport and digital infrastructure.

To help address these challenges, Citi is supporting innovative financing approaches, including debt-for-development transactions and liability management exercises.

Looking ahead, Citi expects AI infrastructure, energy security, sovereign financing and debt sustainability to remain key themes shaping investment and policy decisions globally, while public-private partnerships will play an increasingly important role in mobilising capital for long-term growth.

As global financing needs continue to rise, Citi’s international network, capital markets expertise and sovereign advisory capabilities position it to support clients in navigating an increasingly complex and competitive funding environment.

Citi report: Corporates prioritise liquidity as supply chains mature Citi Institute and Citi's Services business have released a new report examining how corporate priorities are evolving as global supply chains mature.

Citi and HDBank sign MoU to expand banking cooperation Citi and HDBank have signed an MoU to expand cooperation across a broad range of banking and financial services.

Citi appoints Michael Zezas as global head of research Citi announced on October 12 that Michael Zezas will join the firm as its new global head of research. The appointment reinforces Citi’s commitment to investing in research and delivering timely insights to clients.

Citi honours 13 banks with 2025 STP Awards Citi Vietnam hosted its Financial Institutions Conference and STP Award in Ho Chi Minh City on October 13 and Hanoi on October 14, bringing together leaders and industry professionals from across Vietnam's financial sector to discuss developments in payments, liquidity management, trade finance, AI, data, and financial crime risk.

The bank’s return on equity reached nearly 20 per cent, while non-interest income accounted for 26 per cent of total operating income. Revenue from trading in valuable papers rose 30 per cent on-year, contributing 5 per cent of pre-tax profit.

As of September 30, Nam A Bank's funds mobilised from economic organisations and individual customers, together with the issuance of valuable papers, reached nearly $10.16 billion, up almost 20 per cent from the end of 2025.

Credit growth continues to be a key driver of bank profitability. Photo: baodautu.vn

Total outstanding credit rose 10.8 per cent from the outset of the year. With a full-year 2026 pre-tax profit target of $248 million, Nam A Bank had achieved nearly 80 per cent of its full-year plan.

Ahead of the Q3/2026 financial reporting season, several securities companies have released forecasts for the business performance of listed companies.

Banks remain among the sectors attracting considerable attention, as earnings trends among banking stocks, often dubbed ‘blue chips’ in local stock market, have a significant influence on overall market performance.

VPBank is forecast to maintain its profit growth momentum, supported by credit expansion, strong deposit mobilisation and increasing contributions from companies across its ecosystem.

MBS, VCBS, TCBS, VDSC and SSI have all placed VPBank among the private-sector banks expected to post the highest Q3 profits in their coverage universes. Several securities companies forecast that VPBank's pre-tax profit in Q3/2026 will exceed $400 million, driven by credit growth and the business performance of its subsidiaries.

Viecombank Securities (VCBS) forecasts VPBank's Q3 pre-tax profit at $430.8 million, up 18 per cent on-year. According to VCBS, the bank's credit growth is expected to remain positive, supported by a credit growth limit above the industry average and a recovery in retail lending.

According to MBS, combined profits at the 13 listed banks under its observation could increase 19.1 per cent on-year. State-owned banks are expected to be the main growth drivers, benefiting from lower funding costs and reduced provisioning pressure.

Credit growth remains a key driver of banks' earnings momentum. VCBS also believes that participation in financing major infrastructure projects could benefit some lenders from new policies designed to support liquidity.

Vietcombank is expected to remain the most profitable bank in the sector in Q3/2026, as it has in previous years. MBS estimates that the lender could post after-tax profit of $466.1 million, up more than 29 per cent on-year.

The bank’s net interest income in Q3 is forecast to rise 34 per cent, while its non-interest income is expected to increase 3 per cent. BIDV and VietinBank, the other two listed state lenders, are also forecast to achieve profit growth of more than 20 per cent.

Among private-sector banks, HDBank is forecast to record the strongest profit growth in the industry, at more than 50 per cent, supported by credit growth of around 35 per cent, well above the sector average.

Non-interest income is also expected to improve by 15 per cent on-year, driven by the development of subsidiaries such as HD Saison and HDS.

Several other lenders, including ACB, Techcombank, VPBank, TPBank and VIB, could post double-digit profit growth. OCB is forecast to record a more modest improvement in after-tax profit of around 6 per cent.

By contrast, profits at Sacombank, LPBank and Eximbank could decline in Q3, mainly due to higher loan-loss provisioning costs compared with the same period last year and narrowing net interest margins.

Improved business performance is expected to continue into Q4 of 2026, laying the groundwork for full-year pre-tax profit growth, although funding costs remain under pressure as deposit interest rates rise.

The banking sector’s credit growth of around 12 per cent in the first nine months of the year has been one of the key factors supporting earnings across the sector.

The Q4/2026 Business Trends Survey of credit institutions, released recently by the State Bank of Vietnam's Forecasting and Statistics department, shows that 86.1 per cent of credit institutions expect pre-tax profit in 2026 to grow on-year. Meanwhile, 10.4 per cent anticipate a decline, while 3.5 per cent expect profits to remain unchanged.

Internal factors continue to be viewed as drivers of business performance, with 73.9 to 76.3 per cent of credit institutions saying these factors would help improve their business conditions in Q3 and throughout 2026.

Business conditions in Q3 were assessed more positively than in Q2, although optimism about the full-year outlook was revised down slightly from the previous survey.

Credit institutions also considered external factors to continue having a positive impact on business performance.

According to Vu The Quan, head of Research at Vietcap Securities, banking sector profits are expected to grow by 18-20 per cent in 2026. This forecast is based on the portfolio of banking stocks covered by Vietcap.

“However, banks also need to pay close attention to asset quality, particularly following a period of strong credit growth in 2025 and rising interest rates from late 2025, which have remained high to date,” he said.

Bad debt growth at listed banks slows, but asset-quality risks persist Bad debt growth at listed banks slowed in the first half of 2026, but rising volume of loans needing attention and persistent irrecoverable debt signal mounting asset-quality risks.

VIB deploys Front Arena treasury and foreign exchange trading system on AWS On September 28, Vietnam International Bank put into operation its core system supporting treasury, foreign exchange, and financial-market trading activities, powered by Front Arena, the financial technology platform developed by FIS Global, on Amazon Web Services cloud infrastructure.

Banks sustain profit growth as funding costs squeeze margins Banks are set to sustain profit growth, but rising deposit rates and funding costs are putting increasing pressure on margins and challenging the sector’s earnings outlook.

Eximbank’s next chapter: Richa Goswami on purpose, relevance and trust For a bank with history, transformation presents a particular challenge. Holding too tightly to what worked in the past and past success can harden into inertia. Changing without a clear sense of what should endure, and an institution risks losing the identity and trust it has spent years building.

Clinical experience across diagnostic and therapeutic imaging

The clinical experience included technetium-99m (Tc-99m), iodine-123 (I-123), lutetium-177 (Lu-177), iodine-131 (I-131), and actinium-225 (Ac-225):

• Florida Theranostics (Jupiter, Florida), led by Dr. Ashok Muthu Krishnan, demonstrated imaging across Tc-99m, I-123, Lu-177, and whole-body I-131, spanning general nuclear medicine, diagnostic imaging, and therapeutic imaging on one platform.
• Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel (Petah Tikva, Israel), led by Dr. Zvi Bar-Sever, evaluated high-dose post-therapy I-131 scans and a variety of Tc-99m based scans, including sentinel node lymphoscintigraphy, lung perfusion, DMSA, and sestamibi parathyroid imaging.
• Huntsman Cancer Institute (Salt Lake City, Utah), with Dr. Jeff Yap and team, conducted physics assessments of theranostic isotope imaging, including In-111, I-131, Lu-177 and Ac-225 to evaluate image quality and quantitative performance.
• CHRU de Nancy (Nancy, France), with Pr. Laetitia Imbert and Pr. Pierre-Yves Marie, demonstrated high-energy whole-body I-131 post-treatment imaging three days after therapy, as well as other low- and high-energy imaging using Tc-99m and Lu-177.

"In July we launched an enhancement. After what these four institutions have shown, it has earned its own name. Theranostics is changing what nuclear medicine departments need from a scanner, and the VERITON-CT 400 All-Energy is now the flagship of our portfolio and the clearest expression of where SPECT/CT is heading. Customers are already preparing orders ahead of EANM," said Tomer Gabay, Chief Executive Officer of Spectrum Dynamics Medical.

"Each site tested the system in a different way, and that was the point," said Yulim Zingerman, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer of Spectrum Dynamics Medical. "The engineering is in the complete system: digital CZT detection, 360-degree geometry, a single-collimator design, enhanced shielding, reconstruction, and quantification working together across a broad range of studies. The protocols developed with these institutions will help customers put that system-level design into clinical practice."

Clinicians at the participating sites described their experience:

"The enhancements are clearly evident across general nuclear medicine bone and dopamine transporter studies, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic imaging with Lu-177 and I-131. We have seen significant improvements in anatomical clarity, quantitation, and resolution, while preserving the simplicity and integrity of the single-collimator design," said Dr. Ashok Muthu Krishnan, Florida Theranostics.

"In our experience, performance was equal or superior to conventional SPECT in high-dose post-therapy I-131 scans and in a variety of Tc-99m based scans, including sentinel node lymphoscintigraphy, lung perfusion, DMSA, and MIBI parathyroid scans. The ability to perform such a broad range of studies on one digital SPECT/CT platform is highly valuable," said Dr. Zvi Bar-Sever, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel.

"Actinium-225 is one of the most challenging therapeutic radionuclides to image, making these phantom results particularly encouraging. The visualization of emissions from its decay chain at both 218 keV and 440 keV points toward a future in which SPECT/CT could provide meaningful post-therapy imaging and quantitative insights for actinium-225 treatments." said Dr. Jeff Yap, Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah.

"The All-Energy Enhancement for the VERITON-CT 400 Series enabled us to significantly improve the capabilities of our digital CZT SPECT/CT platform to high-energy I-131 imaging. This is an exciting development for post-treatment imaging and its integration into clinical practice," said Pr. Laetitia Imbert, CHRU de Nancy.

One platform for the theranostics era

The VERITON-CT 400 All-Energy is a 360-degree digital CZT SPECT/CT platform designed for theranostics, nuclear cardiology, and general nuclear medicine. Its single collimator design supports imaging across low-, medium-, and high-energy isotopes. Nuclear medicine departments can move across clinically relevant isotopes without exchanging collimators or having separate scanners, supporting therapy planning, delivery, and follow-up on one consistent platform.

One digital SPECT/CT platform supports clinically relevant diagnostic and theranostic isotopes using a single collimator design.

The VERITON-CT 400 All-Energy is available to order now as a new system or as an upgrade for existing VERITON-CT 400 installations. Visit https://spectrum-dynamics.com/all-energy/ for more information.

See the evidence at EANM 2026 in Vienna

Spectrum Dynamics Medical will present new clinical images and initial customer experience from the VERITON-CT 400 All-Energy at the EANM 2026 Annual Congress, October 17–21 in Vienna, Austria. At booth 509 in Hall X5, attendees can review validation data, phantom studies, and clinical experience generated under IRB-approved protocols across high-energy therapeutic isotope imaging, lower-energy diagnostic imaging, theranostics, and quantitative digital SPECT/CT.

To schedule a meeting at EANM 2026, or to discuss ordering a new system or upgrade, customers should contact their local Spectrum Dynamics Medical representative, visit our website (https://spectrum-dynamics.com/), or send us a message on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/spectrum-dynamics)

Spectrum Dynamics Medical will also host the lunch symposium, "Driving Precision Nuclear Medicine with 360° CZT SPECT/CT," on Monday, October 19, from 13:15 to 14:45 in Hall E2.

The symposium will feature:

• Moderator: Pr. Denis Agostini, MD, PhD (University Hospital of Caen, France)
• Pr. Laetitia Imbert, PhD (University Hospital of Nancy, France) - Pr. Imbert represents CHRU de Nancy, one of the four initial clinical experience sites.
• Pr. Désirée Deandreis, MD, PhD (Gustave Roussy Institute, France)
• Dr. Daniel Juneau, MD (University Hospital of Montreal [CHUM], Canada)

For more information about Spectrum Dynamics Medical and the VERITON-CT platform, visit www.spectrum-dynamics.com.

Resnick brings nearly four decades of technical, cybersecurity, and program leadership spanning the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and National Security Agency (NSA). Most recently, as Senior Advisor and Director of the DoD Zero Trust Portfolio Management Office, Resnick led the Department's efforts to develop, coordinate, and operationalize Zero Trust across one of the world's largest and most complex technology environments.

He authored the original DoD Zero Trust Strategy and helped pioneer the DoD and National Security System Zero Trust Reference Architectures, Maturity Model, Innovation Labs, and independent assessment approaches. His work successfully moved Zero Trust from a theoretical concept into an implementable national defense strategy. Previously, Resnick spent over 34 years at the NSA in senior technical leadership roles, including Zero Trust Strategic Lead, Cybersecurity Innovations Director, Chief of Information Assurance Engineering, and the first Chief of the NSA Red Team. His contributions have earned him honors such as the 2024 Wash100 Award and recognition as a 2024 CyberScoop 50 Cybersecurity Visionary.

"Randy is recognized internationally for his leadership in Zero Trust, but what makes him particularly important as an advisor to IGEL customers and partners is his ability to take transformational cybersecurity concepts from strategy and architecture through program development and operational implementation," said Klaus Oestermann, CEO of IGEL. "That combination of technical vision, leadership and execution is exceptionally well aligned with the next phase of market adoption of the IGEL Adaptive Secure Endpoint Platform™."

Bridging National Security Frameworks to Commercial Critical Infrastructure

Resnick's decision to transition from leading the defense sector's Zero Trust strategy to a commercial software leader serves as a powerful market validation of IGEL's platform approach. IGEL is advancing IASEP™ to address the enterprise edge where IT, OT, cloud, applications, containers, open-source technologies, AI, and users converge. The platform combines control, data, and execution planes to enable organizations to apply policy, establish trusted execution, and generate governance evidence across diverse workloads.

Resnick will help expand these capabilities, directly translating national security-grade frameworks into battle-tested architectures for commercial critical infrastructure and government sectors alike, including financial services, healthcare, transportation, energy, and utilities. His mission will extend internationally across NATO and Five Eyes countries, as well as Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and the Middle East.

"IASEP™ gives us the opportunity to apply these lessons more broadly and securely to the enterprise edge, bringing together trust, resilience, and governance across IT, OT, and emerging workloads in an architecture that organizations can easily operationalize at a scale of their choosing," said Resnick.

John Walsh, Senior Vice President and Field CTO, Government and Critical Industries at IGEL, added: "Having known Randy for many years through his work at the NSA and later watching him lead the strategic development and implementation of Zero Trust within the Department of Defense, I am extremely confident in Randy's technical leadership, program discipline, and ability to turn transformational ideas into operational capability at extraordinary scale."

Extending the Architecture Through the Ecosystem

Resnick's role will involve close collaboration with customers and across IGEL's product, engineering, partner, and go-to-market organizations to translate requirements from government and critical industries into repeatable platform capabilities. This work will also integrate with the IGEL Ready ecosystem, combining IASEP™ with technology partners across silicon, identity, networking, SASE/SSE, cloud, virtualization, and AI. This effort contributes to increasingly sophisticated security and operational outcomes, from identity, segmentation, and comply-to-connect through workload isolation, contextual policy, observability, resilience, and governance.

Learn more at www.igel.com.

Windows is a trademark of the Microsoft group of companies.

This partnership with The World Egg and Sperm Bank will help more patients access the options they need to build their families. For individuals and couples who rely on donor eggs or donor sperm, finding the right donor can be one of the most important—and deeply personal—steps in their fertility journey. By combining TWESB's excellence in donor care and ethical standards with IVI Institute's global clinical and scientific expertise, the collaboration will offer patients more high quality choices, more coordinated support and added confidence as they pursue their paths to parenthood.

"Welcoming The World Egg and Sperm Bank into the IVI Institute family is an important step in helping more people realize their hopes of becoming parents," said Javier Sanchez-Prieto, Chief Executive Officer of IVI Institute. "There is now a growing global demand for donor eggs and donor sperm due to women delaying their first pregnancy. According to our new IVI Institute Fertility Barometer, 34% of U.S. women had their first child later than expected and there is an increasing number of cases where fertility treatment is necessary. By bringing The World Egg and Sperm Bank expertise together with the strength of our global network, we can offer patients and clinics greater choice, broader access and more confidence at every step of the journey to building a family."

"It's an honor for The World Egg and Sperm Bank to join the IVI Institute family. I made a deliberate choice years ago that IVI Institute would be my only partner, drawn by their unwavering commitment to clinical excellence and the ethical standards that define their work," said Diana Thomas, Founder of The World Egg and Sperm Bank. "While we will maintain our existing clinic relationships, we are also proud to join IVI Institute's network of clinics, which have earned patient confidence through rigorous research and proven expertise. Now, as part of the IVI family, we're united in our mission: delivering exceptional patient care and driving real, measurable results."

"This integration strengthens our ability to serve patients across our global network with the highest standards of laboratory excellence and donor care," said Isabel Gonzalez, Global Lab Director for IVI Institute. "The World Egg and Sperm Bank's commitment to rigorous screening protocols and transparent practices aligns perfectly with our mission. By combining their specialized expertise with our clinical infrastructure, we're elevating the quality and reliability patients can expect at every stage of their fertility journey. This partnership reinforces what patients trust us to deliver: world-class results backed by science and compassion."

Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, The World Egg and Sperm Bank manages every aspect of donor recruitment, qualification, cycling, and storage in-house, ensuring superior donor care, egg and sperm quality, and complete transparency. With access to a network of more than 500 rigorously screened donors and backed by scientific data that's helped founder Diana Thomas connect aspiring parents to the care they need since 1996, TWESB has established itself as a trusted partner for fertility clinics and families worldwide seeking flexible, reliable reproductive solutions.

IVF with donor eggs is a highly individualized treatment where success rates depend on multiple factors, including the recipient's age, donor egg quality, and the fertility clinic's expertise. Clinical outcomes for IVF with donor eggs remain relatively stable across patient age groups, whereas success rates with IVF using the patient's own eggs decline sharply with age. For patients over 40, pregnancy rates per cycle started are substantially higher with donor eggs than with their own eggs. Based on the global results reported and published by IVI Institute, pregnancy rates per embryo transfer in egg donation treatments are around 60%, giving more couples and single women the opportunity to become parents.

Today's announcement follows the launch of IVI Institute earlier this week, marking another important step in the organization's work to advance fertility care worldwide. As part of its launch, IVI Institute also unveiled the inaugural IVI Institute Fertility Barometer, a study of more than 24,000 women across nine countries examining their hopes for building families, the barriers they face, and their experiences navigating fertility care. The new data also revealed that 34% of U.S. women are having children six years later than they had intended, leading to an increased need for reproductive medicine treatments, including egg donation. Taken together, each of these announcements demonstrates how IVI Institute is expanding its capabilities and turning global insights and scientific excellence into better support and more solutions for patients throughout their fertility journeys. Learn more about the IVI Institute Fertility Barometer at fertilitybarometer.iviinstitute.com.

Learn more at www.iviinstitute.com.

and

https://www.theworldeggandspermbank.com/.

BRiSC™ integrates a suite of four complementary technologies spanning sequence optimization, chemical modification, dual-targeting architectures, and targeted delivery approaches. Collectively, these complementary capabilities are designed to enhance the selectivity, performance and therapeutic reach of siRNA medicines, supporting the development of differentiated therapies for a broad range of diseases.

Through continued investment in its internal discovery organization, laboratories in Beijing and Shanghai, and RNA technology capabilities, Brii Bio has expanded its internal research and development capabilities across target discovery, translational science, and preclinical development. These capabilities serve as the foundation for BRiSC™, which is already driving the progression of multiple internal discovery programs.

As one of BRiSC™'s core capabilities, the dual-targeting architecture is designed to enable a single siRNA therapeutic to simultaneously silence two distinct targets, addressing diseases driven by multiple biologic pathways, through a single treatment. Brii Bio is initially applying this approach to prevalent disease areas where complex biology and/or overlapping comorbidities may potentially benefit from coordinated modulation of multiple therapeutic targets.

"BRiSC™ reflects our commitment to building differentiated scientific capabilities across multiple dimensions of siRNA therapeutic discovery and development," said Dr. Brian Johns, Chief Science Officer of Brii Bio. "Our dual-targeting platform exemplifies this approach by combining innovative molecular design with deep insights into disease biology to address conditions driven by multiple unique pathways. Our goal is to develop differentiated RNA therapeutics that can deliver broader and more meaningful benefits for patients", he added.

For more information, visit www.briibio.com.

Higher refresh rates and shorter advertised response times do not necessarily translate into clearer, more stable gaming visuals. When such specifications depend on overclocking, undisclosed reductions in display quality or compromises in stability, the actual experience may fall short of product claims. TÜV Rheinland's framework addresses this challenge by evaluating both the accuracy of performance claims and the quality of the gaming experience.

The Native Gaming Performance evaluation system was developed to provide consumers with a transparent and measurable benchmark for assessing gaming displays. The standard clearly defines three refresh-rate operating modes, namely native, overclocked, and dual-mode, while establishing a "same mode, full-system testing" principle. Refresh-rate overclocking is excluded from certification, ensuring performance claims are assessed under consistent and realistic operating conditions.

Designed around the core requirements of gamers, the certification framework evaluates products across three key dimensions: motion performance, image quality, and visual comfort. Fourteen indicators are assessed under these dimensions. Different weighting factors are applied according to competitive, immersive, and all-around gaming scenarios; the weighted results are then summed to produce the final Gaming Performance Index (GPI), which is converted into a three- to five-star rating. The methodology also incorporates human-factor studies, including dynamic visual acuity assessments, eye-tracking analysis, and first-person shooter gaming tests. These convert subjective gaming experiences into quantifiable data and deliver a more comprehensive measurement of perceived motion clarity.

Advancing the Gaming Display Industry Toward Real-World Performance

Jay Yang, Global Senior Vice President of Electrical at TÜV Rheinland, stated: "The Native Gaming Performance Standard was introduced to help consumers identify products that genuinely deliver high-level gaming experiences. The successful certification of multiple Lenovo Legion and ANTGAMER monitors demonstrates both manufacturers' continued commitment to display innovation and the practical applicability of the standard across the industry."

He added that the certification framework combines a unified definition of native performance, full-system testing methodologies, human-factor validation, and scenario-based star ratings. This encourages the gaming display industry to move beyond specification-driven competition toward performance evaluated through real-world testing. The program also supports consumers in making informed purchasing decisions while ensuring certification integrity through ongoing standards updates and production-sample surveillance.

Sixteen Lenovo Legion Monitors Receive 3-Star to 5-Star Ratings

As Lenovo's flagship gaming monitor lineup, the Legion series is designed to deliver high refresh rates, low latency, and premium image quality. In this certification project, 16 Legion monitors received TÜV Rheinland Native Gaming Performance ratings ranging from three to five stars, reflecting Lenovo's comprehensive product portfolio from entry-level to flagship offerings.

5-Star Certified Models (4): Legion 27Q-10 OLED, Legion Pro 27Q-10, Legion Pro 27UD-10, Legion Pro 32UD-10

4-Star Certified Models (7): Legion 34W-2c, Legion 32Q-2C, Legion 27U-10, Legion 27U-20, Legion 27QD-10, Legion 27Q-20, Legion 27Q-2c

3-Star Certified Models (5): Legion 27Q-10, Legion 27-2c, Legion 27-1r, Legion 25-10, Legion 24-1r

George Toh, Vice President and General Manager, Visuals Business, Lenovo's Intelligent Devices Group, said: "The TÜV Rheinland Native Gaming Performance Certification awarded to 16 Legion monitors is strong recognition of our continued investment in gaming display technologies and our commitment to prioritizing real-world user experiences. Certification across the full range of ratings, from three to five stars, demonstrates the ability of our product portfolio to meet the diverse needs of gamers at every level. We look forward to further strengthening our collaboration with TÜV Rheinland to deliver clearer, smoother, and more comfortable visual experiences for gamers worldwide."

Four ANTGAMER Monitors Earn 5-Star Certification

Following comprehensive testing and evaluation by TÜV Rheinland, four gaming monitors from HKC's ANTGAMER brand, namely ANT25ASF, ANT255TQ, ANT275TQ, and ANT272TUE, met the requirements of the Native Gaming Performance Standard and received the highest 5-Star Certification.

Covering FHD, QHD, and UHD resolutions, the certified models are designed to address the performance requirements of professional esports players, dedicated gaming enthusiasts, and premium entertainment users seeking high-performance gaming displays.

Peng Xinchun, General Manager of Brand Operations at ANTGAMER, commented: "Receiving TÜV Rheinland's 5-Star Native Gaming Performance Certification validates our ability to deliver clear, smooth, and precise visual experiences in real gaming scenarios. Going forward, HKC will continue working closely with TÜV Rheinland to provide consumers with superior display technologies and enhanced visual experiences."

The ceremony was officiated by Yang Berhormat Lee Ting Han, Johor State Executive Councillor. The event was also attended by distinguished government officials, representatives from JTC Corporation, AME Elite Consortium and UOB, as well as valued customers, partners and suppliers of the Group.

The facility strengthens FICG's manufacturing footprint in Southeast Asia and supports growing global demand across artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing (HPC), data centres, semiconductors and other advanced technology sectors.

The milestone marks FICG's strategic shift from planning to scaled operations in Southeast Asia, strengthening the Group's role within the global technology and advanced manufacturing supply chain.

The Johor site passed customer qualification in November 2025, began production at the end of 2025 and entered mass production in the first quarter of 2026. Today's Grand Opening marks the start of full-scale output in the second half of 2026. The site currently operates eight SMT lines, with production capacity continuing to ramp up in line with customer orders and market demand.

PRO3C continues to advance its capabilities in 800G, 1.6T and 3.2T Flip Chip optical transceivers, Co-Packaged Optics (CPO), Linear Pluggable Optics (LPO) and Silicon Photonics (SiPh), supporting increasing demand for AI infrastructure and high-speed data transmission.

The opening also forms part of FICG's Johor–Singapore Twinning Strategy, which complements the continued development of the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).

Under this complementary operating model, PRO3C in Johor will focus on advanced manufacturing, engineering execution, mass production and delivery, while FICG's planned Innovation and Supply Chain Centre in Singapore will focus on global innovation, strategic sourcing, supply chain management and international customer engagement.

Together, the two locations are intended to form an integrated cross-border operating platform, with Singapore connecting FICG to global markets and strategic resources, while Johor delivers the Group's manufacturing and production capabilities.

"Today we are opening more than a factory; we are switching on the Johor node of a cross-border platform that will serve our global customers from both sides of the Causeway," said Mr. Leo Chien, Chairman of FIC Global Inc.

"Global competitiveness is no longer determined by the scale of a single factory, but by how effectively a company connects manufacturing, supply chains, innovation resources and international customers, while creating value for the local economy, jobs for local communities and support for national development. By combining Johor's manufacturing strengths with Singapore's capabilities in innovation, strategic sourcing and global connectivity, we are building a faster, more flexible and resilient regional operating platform."

Through its Johor campus, FICG will introduce its established manufacturing management practices, engineering expertise and international quality systems, while deepening collaboration with local suppliers, skilled professionals, industry partners and relevant institutions.

The development is expected to support local procurement, talent development and broader supply chain integration, while strengthening Johor's position within the regional advanced manufacturing and technology ecosystem.

At the ASEAN Conference 2026 in Singapore in July, PRO3C signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with AME Elite Consortium Berhad, while FICG signed a separate MOU with JTC Corporation. UOB is supporting the initiative through its cross-border banking capabilities and regional network.

Mr Jimmy Koh, Head of Network Partnerships and Strategic Marketing, Group Foreign Direct Investment Advisory, UOB, said: "FICG's regional expansion reflects how companies are increasingly choosing ASEAN as an integrated platform for growth. UOB is working closely with FICG to navigate its expansion across Malaysia and Singapore, leveraging our regional network and ecosystem partners to facilitate market entry and business development. This expansion highlights how businesses can harness ASEAN's diverse strengths to build resilient regional operations and accelerate growth."

The collaborations support FICG's manufacturing expansion in Johor and its planned regional operations in Singapore, reinforcing the Group's broader strategy to integrate manufacturing, supply chain capabilities, innovation and international customer engagement across both locations.

Recruitment will take place in phases in line with facility development, production ramp-up and business growth. Over the longer term, FICG's combined operations in Singapore and Malaysia have the potential to support a workforce of more than 1,000 employees, subject to market demand and operational requirements.

By linking its technology and manufacturing expertise in Taiwan with Malaysia's manufacturing capabilities, Singapore's international connectivity and the requirements of global customers, FICG is building an integrated operating platform to strengthen its business development, supply chain integration and global delivery capabilities across Southeast Asia.

2026 Performance & Trajectory Highlights

• Top-Line ARR Acceleration: On track to exceed $450 million in ARR by year-end, growing customers and revenue more than 20% compared to FY2025.
• Elite Operational Leverage: Projecting $100 million in core operating profits, demonstrating high capital efficiency that generates strong positive cashflow and comfortably clears the Rule-of-40 threshold while continuing to fund continuous R&D and core product and platform innovation.
• Consolidated #1 Market Position: Unanimously recognized as the #1 Global EOR provider across major industry analyst evaluations, including IEC, QKS and NelsonHall.

"Our performance this year demonstrates what's possible when category leadership is matched with relentless innovation," said Nicole Sahin, founder and CEO of G-P. "By grounding our agentic AI architecture in more than a decade of proprietary global employment and compliance data, we're giving organizations the intelligence and infrastructure they need to build and manage global teams with greater speed and confidence. As we continue to exceed our revenue and profitability goals, we're proving that market-leading innovation and sustained financial performance move in tandem."

Core Drivers of Success

G-P makes it fast and easy for companies to hire, onboard, and manage talent anywhere in the world without having to navigate global legal, HR, and tax complexities. Through its global employment products - G-P Employer of Record (EOR), G-P Contractor^™ and G-P Gia™, its award-winning AI Global HR Agent - the company combines more than 14 years of compliance expertise across 180+ countries with AI-powered technology embedded directly into enterprise workflows - helping organizations scale global teams with speed, confidence and local precision.

G-P's momentum and category leadership are driven by three key strategic pillars:

1. Agentic AI Execution: Strategic execution of an early AI vision, seamlessly integrating production-grade automation and agentic AI capabilities across global employment and compliance and workforce operations.
2. Defensible Compliance Infrastructure: Over a decade of investment in building direct entity networks and local HR compliance engines spanning 180+ countries.
3. Cross-Functional Execution: Sustained operational execution across G-P's product, engineering, revenue and marketing teams.

Outlook for 2027: Embedded EOR & Ecosystem Expansion

As G-P enters the final quarter of 2026 and looks ahead to 2027, the company anticipates continued revenue acceleration and operational leverage, anchored by two major platform initiatives:

• Embedded EOR Expansion: Rolling out native, white-label embedded EOR capabilities across a network of premier strategic enterprise partners.
• G-P Gia™ Everywhere: Expanding G-P Gia, the company's AI Global HR Agent, as the ubiquitous global HR solution to seamlessly integrate with all major third-party HCM and HRIS platforms.

For more information about G-P, please visit us here.

The OpenAI Partner Network is a global program for companies that build, sell and deliver AI solutions with OpenAI. It brings together partners with industry expertise, delivery capabilities and customer relationships, and provides them with resources, enablement and support to help enterprises adopt OpenAI's frontier models and products and turn them into measurable impact.

As a Select Partner, Viettel America will continue to work with OpenAI to help organizations build, deploy and scale AI solutions responsibly and effectively. This includes helping them put GPT-6 Astra to work across more of their business, using the model's deeper reasoning and computer-use capabilities to complete complex workflows from start to finish.

"Becoming an OpenAI Select Partner reflects Viettel's two-way 'Go Global' strategy, which connects frontier AI capabilities with our deployment footprint in markets around the world," said Nguyen Van Phuong, Director of Viettel America. "Working alongside OpenAI, we are committed to turning foundational technologies into safe, practical solutions that help enterprises and institutions achieve measurable results."

Viettel Group brings an extensive track record in telecommunications, digital infrastructure, data centers and enterprise technology, serving organizations in the telecommunications, technology and other enterprise sectors, with operations spanning Asia, Africa and the Americas. Drawing on this broader technology ecosystem, Viettel America will focus on applying AI to practical business and public-sector use cases.

Looking ahead, Viettel America plans to expand its AI capabilities, strengthen its technical expertise and work with organizations to develop and scale practical AI applications across the markets it serves.

OrbiMed Private Investments X raised over $1.9 billion to invest in U.S. and European life sciences venture capital opportunities. OrbiMed Asia Partners VI raised over $1 billion to invest in healthcare growth equity and venture capital opportunities across Asia. Both funds seek to build leading healthcare companies focused on biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics, and technology-enabled healthcare services.

"There has never been a more exciting time to invest in life sciences innovation," said Carl Gordon, a managing partner of OrbiMed. "AI, a proliferation of new therapeutic modalities and China's emergence as a biotechnology powerhouse are expanding the opportunities to develop transformative treatments. We look forward to helping entrepreneurs turn these advances into leading healthcare companies."

OrbiMed is led by 20 partners and supported by a team of over 150 professionals with complementary expertise in company incubation, strategy, operations and finance. The firm operates from 12 global locations across key healthcare markets.

Investors in these new funds include a broad range of medical institutions, university endowments, foundations, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and family offices.

"We are grateful for the continued support of our many long-standing investors," said Carter Neild, a managing partner of OrbiMed. "We will work tirelessly over the coming years to meet their high expectations."

For more information, please visit www.orbimed.com.

Under its new corporate governance framework, Eximbank aims to establish an independent and professional banking governance model that complies with Vietnamese law and incorporates leading international governance practices.

An overview of Eximbank’s Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders in 2026. Photo: Eximbank

Further strengthening the Board of Directors

Building on the Extraordinary General Meeting held on July 24, shareholders approved the election of one additional director for the board’s eighth term (2025–2030), increasing its membership from six to seven directors.

Among those elected was Pham Thi Huyen Trang, CEO of Eximbank. Her proposed appointment to the board had been approved by the State Bank of Vietnam in July 2026, in line with Eximbank’s previously announced governance roadmap.

The additional director were elected in accordance with the criteria set out in the bank’s corporate governance framework, with an emphasis on diverse experience, expertise, and perspectives across key areas including strategy, banking and finance, risk management, audit, technology, and human resources.

The members of the Board of Directors and the head of the Supervisory Board of Eximbank presented flowers to congratulate Pham Thi Huyen Trang, CEO, on her election as a member of the Board of Directors for the eighth term (2025–2030). Photo: Eximbank

Aligning foreign ownership limits with capital markets

Shareholders also approved amendments to the provisions governing foreign share ownership at Eximbank and the corresponding provisions of the bank’s charter.

Accordingly, Eximbank has removed the previous 6 per cent cap on aggregate foreign ownership of its charter capital stipulated in the bank’s charter and will instead apply the maximum limit permitted under applicable law.

Applying the foreign ownership limit prescribed by law also provides Eximbank with greater opportunities to engage international investors, particularly those with financial strength, corporate governance experience, and a long-term investment outlook, consistent with the Bank’s development direction.

Commitment to strong corporate governance

Nguyen Le Quoc Anh, chairman of Eximbank’s Board of Directors, said, "Strengthening Eximbank’s corporate governance model is essential to developing the bank to meet international standards.”

“The year 2026 lays the foundation for the bank’s transformation and development. Strengthening the board is not simply a matter of increasing the number of directors, but of building a leadership team with extensive experience and expertise across the financial sector, full independence, and, above all, a strong sense of responsibility towards depositors, customers, employees, and, ultimately, shareholders," he said.

"As Vietnam becomes increasingly integrated into international financial markets, Eximbank is progressively enhancing its governance and operations to achieve greater transparency and professionalism, safeguard depositors’ funds, create value for customers and employees, and fulfil a responsibility of the highest importance: contributing to the development of a stable and growing Vietnamese economy,” he added.

The resolutions advance Eximbank’s strategy implementation and development roadmap, enabling the bank to contribute to the foundations of Vietnam’s sustainable economic development.

From risk to reputation: Jason Ho on what makes a bank worthy of trust After nearly four decades across trading, treasury, risk, people, and governance, Jason Ho has seen banking through booms, crises, and transformations. Now, as a member of Eximbank’s Board of Directors, he is contributing that experience at a pivotal stage in the bank’s development.

Eximbank advances corporate governance and leadership roadmap Eximbank on August 1 announced the next milestone in its 2026-2030 Development Strategy, continuing the enhancement of its corporate governance framework and executive leadership structure.

Eximbank’s next chapter: Richa Goswami on purpose, relevance and trust For a bank with history, transformation presents a particular challenge. Holding too tightly to what worked in the past and past success can harden into inertia. Changing without a clear sense of what should endure, and an institution risks losing the identity and trust it has spent years building.

The decision represents the project's most significant milestone to date. With the successful completion of the environmental licensing process—a widely recognized rigorous and decisive stage for port and infrastructure projects in Brazil—Cedro has obtained confirmation of the terminal's environmental feasibility and fulfilled the necessary conditions to advance to the next phases of the project. This achievement reinforces the company's commitment to developing projects that comply with the most stringent environmental and regulatory standards.

In this initial phase, the license covers the handling of a volume of less than 15 million tonnes per year.

In December 2024, Cedro won the federal auction for the area identified as ITG02 and signed a lease agreement for a 35-year term, renewable for an additional equal period.

"Porto do Meio is not just a project for the next three or five years, but a strategic transformation vector for the coming decades that will significantly increase the competitiveness of the mineral industry in Brazil," states Lucas Kallas, Chairman of Cedro International, part of Cedro Participações.

"This project reflects our vision for the coming years in Brazil's port and mining sectors. We have targets to expand our iron ore production, and the terminal is essential to our growth plan through the beginning of the next decade, giving Cedro independence in iron ore exports," adds José Carlos Martins, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Cedro Participações.

Located between Vale's and CSN's terminals in Itaguaí—a position that inspired its name—Porto do Meio will occupy an area of approximately 250,000 square meters, including a stockyard and a berthing facility for vessels requiring water depths of up to 20 meters. The terminal will be connected to the MRS Logística rail network, which links the Iron Quadrangle in Minas Gerais to the coast of Rio de Janeiro state, creating a new corridor for iron ore transportation.

The construction works are expected to take three years and will include civil engineering, dredging, the supply and installation of port equipment, and electromechanical assembly. At the peak of construction, the project is expected to generate approximately 3,000 direct and indirect jobs. Once operational, the terminal will directly employ 256 people and is estimated to generate R$ 1.2 billion in municipal tax revenue.

Designed to accommodate Cedro's production, the terminal will also be open to third parties. As a result, mid-sized mining companies that currently rely on terminals operated by large groups or trading companies to export through Itaguaí will gain direct access to international markets. This means fewer intermediaries, long-term contracts, and greater predictability, as well as competitive logistics costs thanks to the terminal's proximity to the Iron Quadrangle and its rail connections.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

More information: www.onyx-hospitality.com

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Ronald Iu, Chief Executive of Ping An Digital Bank, said, "Ping An Digital Bank is honoured to participate in the HKMA's second GenA.I. Sandbox cohort. The sandbox serves as an invaluable testing ground for banks to explore financial technology. Throughout the process, we received valuable guidance from the HKMA and shared practical experience with industry peers, advancing the development of anti-fraud efforts across the sector. This project successfully validated GenAI's potential in deepfake detection, providing deeper insights into how AI identifies forged or synthetic faces across various scenarios. Sandbox testing results demonstrated a detection accuracy of over 96%. We believe the experience gained will help strengthen the industry's ability to counter deepfake fraud, and build a more robust defence mechanism."

Developed in partnership with OneConnect Financial Technology, the Anti-Fraud Strategy Platform leverages the proprietary technology of Ping An Group and OneConnect. The project focused on evaluating the platform's accuracy in detecting deepfake technologies. By integrating cutting-edge A.I. facial recognition into the identity verification process, the platform verifies user selfies in real time to flag suspected forged or manipulated faces. This capability empowers teams to proactively monitor and prevent fraud, elevating the Bank's overall risk management framework.

Looking ahead, Ping An Digital Bank will continue to leverage the technological edge of Ping An Group, increase its investment in A.I., and deepen the application of A.I. in daily operation, such as risk control and product innovation. The Bank remains dedicated to delivering a seamless, secure, and intuitive banking experience, striving to become the "user-friendly digital bank" in the mind of every customer.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

For further information, visit www.debeersgroup.com.