At the inaugural Fortune Southeast Asia 500 Summit in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam outlined its ambition to attract international investment into strategic technology sectors, research and development, green energy and financial services as the country seeks to move beyond traditional manufacturing.
The first Fortune Southeast Asia 500 Summit officially opened in Ho Chi Minh City on November 3, 2026, bringing together more than 250 business executives, investors and policymakers from across the region. The event provided a platform for Vietnam to present its economic development priorities and explore new opportunities for international investment and cross-border cooperation.
Speaking at the summit, Le Tan Can, Deputy Minister of Finance of Vietnam, called on international investors to expand their engagement in emerging industries with higher added value, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, research and development (R&D), green energy and financial services.
Vietnam’s ambition, he explained, extends beyond serving as a manufacturing destination for multinational corporations. The country is working toward becoming a regional hub for innovation, advanced technologies and international finance, while pursuing its targets of double-digit economic growth and achieving high-income country status by 2045.
Deputy Minister Can noted that Vietnam’s economy grew by more than 9% in the first nine months of 2026. Alongside this performance, the government is shifting its foreign investment strategy toward developing a broader innovation ecosystem and strengthening connections between multinational corporations and domestic businesses.
He identified five priority areas for international cooperation: research and development, strategic technology industries, resilient supply chains, high-quality human capital and the development of an International Financial Center in Vietnam.
The Deputy Minister also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening the private sector, improving infrastructure and maintaining a stable, transparent investment environment. These efforts are intended to encourage international companies to establish long-term partnerships and pursue projects with greater technological content and economic value.
Ho Chi Minh City Targets Regional Leadership in Finance, Technology and Innovation
At the summit, Nguyen Loc Ha, Member of the Standing Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, highlighted the city’s expanding economic scale and its ambitions to strengthen its international competitiveness.
Following its merger with Binh Duong and Ba Ria–Vung Tau in July 2025, Ho Chi Minh City has a population of more than 14 million and accounts for approximately 23.5% of Vietnam’s GDP.
The city is positioning itself as an internationally competitive center for finance, technology, innovation and trade. Its development priorities include regulatory reform, stronger supply chain connectivity, infrastructure investment and improved government support throughout the investment process.
Nguyen Loc Ha also emphasized the role of the Ho Chi Minh City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre (ITPC) as a key point of contact for international investors, helping them identify business opportunities, connect with potential partners and develop cooperation with local enterprises.
The summit followed a series of high-level engagement activities held on November 2 by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee and ITPC, with support from Fortune.
These activities included a closed-door discussion bringing together senior city officials and executives from Fortune’s global business network. Discussions focused on development priorities, the local investment environment and potential opportunities for cooperation in Ho Chi Minh City.
Vietnamese Companies Outpace Regional Revenue Growth
Opening the summit, Dr. Andrew Staples, Editorial Director for Asia at Fortune and Co-Chair of the Fortune Southeast Asia 500 Summit, highlighted the strong performance of Vietnamese companies featured in the 2026 Fortune Southeast Asia 500 ranking.
The 500 largest companies in Southeast Asia generated nearly US$1.9 trillion in combined revenue, representing a 3.4% increase from the previous year. Among them, 72 Vietnamese companies recorded combined revenue growth of 10.5%, approximately three times the regional average.
Under the theme “New Horizons, Sustainable Growth,” the inaugural summit brought together business leaders from banking, energy, manufacturing, technology, infrastructure and other key industries to examine Southeast Asia’s competitiveness and the global expansion of companies headquartered in the region.
Ang Khoon Fong, Managing Director of Fortune Asia, said Southeast Asia was increasingly moving beyond its traditional role as a destination for global investment and manufacturing.
The region, he noted, is emerging as a source of entrepreneurial ambition, innovation and business leadership, creating new opportunities for companies to compete internationally.
The summit provides an opportunity to recognize these achievements while examining the conditions needed for Southeast Asian businesses to expand their reach and succeed on the global stage.
The agenda featured discussions on AI, energy, regional connectivity, international finance and strategies for building globally competitive enterprises. One of the featured sessions included a conversation with Le Manh Cuong, Chairman and CEO of Petrovietnam.
The November 3 program also included the Fortune Most Powerful Women Asia Leaders Breakfast, the Fortune Southeast Asia 500 awards ceremony and the announcement of Fortune’s Best Companies to Work For in Southeast Asia, recognizing organizations with outstanding workplace environments across the region.
Fortune Southeast Asia 500 Strengthens Regional Business Connections
Launched in 2024, the Fortune Southeast Asia 500 ranks the 500 largest companies in Southeast Asia by revenue. The ranking covers businesses operating in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines and Cambodia.
It is part of Fortune’s broader portfolio of corporate rankings, which also includes the Fortune 500, Fortune Global 500, Fortune Europe 500 and Fortune China 500.
Held for the first time in Ho Chi Minh City on November 3, 2026, the Fortune Southeast Asia 500 Summit aims to establish a leading platform for business leadership, investment and cross-border collaboration in one of the world’s fastest-growing economic regions.
Building on the Fortune Southeast Asia 500 ranking, the summit brings together influential CEOs, policymakers and investors to promote global competitiveness, deepen regional economic integration and develop partnerships that can support Southeast Asia’s next phase of growth.
Fortune is a global business media company with a 96-year history of reporting on business, leadership and the global economy. Through independent journalism, industry analysis, corporate rankings and exclusive events, Fortune connects business leaders and decision-makers around the world. Its well-known rankings include the Fortune 500, Fortune Global 500, Most Powerful Women and World’s Most Admired Companies. The company also organizes major business gatherings, including the Fortune Global Forum, Fortune Brainstorm Tech and Fortune Most Powerful Women.