After welcoming Dao Thu Phuong as the new chief operating officer, Vietcetera rolls the red carpet once again for a new face that will soon become the voice behind the Vietnamese edition of the weekly podcast Vietnam Innovators.
Miro Nguyen, a Vietnamese-Slovak business growth expert, will be hosting the third season of Vietnam Innovators, alongside Vietcetera CEO Hao Tran, who hosts the English edition of the podcast. Miro replaces Ruby Nguyen, former COO of Vietcetera, who hosted the first two seasons.
While Miro admits to having yet fully grasped the essence of his homeland — having lived his whole life in Slovakia — he’s curious and excited about the opportunities of building connections with Vietnam’s next generation of business leaders and of learning the dynamics behind the country’s miracle growth.
“I’ve listened to the podcast since I arrived in Vietnam three years ago,” Miro told Hao on his first appearance on the Vietcetera podcast. “And I saw that the people you are able to meet and the topics you are able to explore are really interesting. It’s like what you discuss over a cup of coffee is taken into a bigger platform for others to listen to.”
Why Vietnam? Why Vietnam Innovators podcast?
Before Miro packed his bags and hopped on a one-way ticket to Hanoi from Slovakia, he worked at the Embassy of Vietnam in Slovakia for nearly five years, and then for FPT. He took big roles at the ICT company’s Slovakian and German offices from 2014 until 2019. He moved to Vietnam with his wife as he became the head of worldwide business and strategic account management of FPT Software. Today, he continues to climb the ladder as vice president for global affairs and a partner for FPT Digital.
“FPT was one of the first Vietnamese companies to have successful M&As in Europe. So when I had the chance to talk with the company during the acquisition in 2014, it painted a whole new picture of Vietnam for me,” Miro shared.
“At first, people in Slovakia were really surprised to see a Vietnamese technology company take over a German-owned business. Some were doubtful, some were excited. Many asked, ‘Is Vietnam really a place for innovation?’ When I arrived in Vietnam, I’ve proven that myself.”
This is a very fast-paced country, he further shared. Everyone in Vietnam is looking to do something big and impactful, especially digitally. With the fast rise of online platforms for shopping, learning, banking — basically, everything — Vietnam is taking big leaps towards digital transformation.
“There are so many opportunities to explore. With the infrastructure that Vietcetera has built, we are able to get to people who can share relevant stories. This [podcast] is a new channel, new media.”
But beyond being a self-confessed fan of Vietcetera even before meeting Hao on a Zoom call in the midst of the pandemic, Miro said he’d always been curious about the inspiration behind building Vietcetera.
“I know that you (Hao) are a Vietnamese American. And as someone who also grew up overseas, I wanted to know how you were able to do something new here, and where Vietcetera is heading.”
New season, new energy
Miro agrees that while Vietnam Innovators is leading conversations mainly about entrepreneurship, business trends, and growth strategies, it is a platform for learning, especially among the new generation.
“One of the first guests I’d have on the show will be someone with a background in blockchain and cryptocurrency,” he said, adding that he will make the discussion relatable to people. “I want such a complicated topic to be explained, so people would know how they can actually take part in this new sector of the economy.”
Talks revolving around real estate, banking and finance, and diversity and inclusion — which seem to be intimidating to most people but are necessary and worthwhile subjects to explore — can also be expected from the Vietnam Innovators - Vietnamese Edition Season 3.
The new season of Vietnam Innovators with Miro will be aired every Thursday starting April 7, 2022, on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.