A major step toward deepening commercial links between France and Vietnam was taken when FPT Corporation (FPT) took part in the first Vietnam-France Leaders Forum. The event, which was co-chaired by Artelia Executive Chairman Mr. Benoit Clocheret and FPT Chairman Dr. Truong Gia Binh, took place during French President H.E. Emmanuel Macron’s official state visit to Vietnam.
Nearly 50 representatives from top French and Vietnamese businesses in a range of industries, including banking & finance, energy, retail, healthcare, education, and aerospace, were present at Vietnam-France Leaders Forum.
The Vietnam Software & IT Services Association (VINASA), FPT, Vietjet, CMC, BIDV, BRG Group, and TH Group were among the notable Vietnamese participants. In addition to major industry players like Airbus, Alstom, TotalEnergies, Odyssey, Thales, Suez, EDF, SNCF, and Systra, the French Embassy, the Movement of the Enterprises of France (MEDEF), the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam (CCIFV), French Foreign Trade Advisors (CCE), and Business France were present on the French side.
Using the two countries’ extensive strategic alliance and common goals, the Vietnam-France Leaders Forum seeks to deepen corporate links between France and Vietnam. In order to accomplish shared national transformation objectives, it placed a strong emphasis on encouraging cooperation, joint ventures, and long-term alliances with top businesses from both nations.
In order to maintain communication and cooperatively handle changing business difficulties, the Vietnam-France Leaders Forum is expected to become a regular event that alternates between the two nations each year.
The FPT Chairman also suggested a co-location plan to help French companies deal with worldwide issues, enticing them to open offices in areas where FPT actively grows its staff.
Roundtable sessions covering corporate knowledge, market insights, and prospects for bilateral cooperation were part of the forum.
In important sectors including sustainable energy, urban development, contemporary transportation, healthcare, retail, IT talent training, and financial services, representatives from French and Vietnamese companies showed a great desire to establish strategic alliances.
In his capacity as a representative of the Vietnamese IT industry, FPT Executive Vice President Pham Minh Tuan emphasized the company’s primary differentiator: its comprehensive ecosystem, which includes an elementary through university education system that offers instruction in not only languages and cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, but also business etiquette that helps people collaborate productively across cultural boundaries.
A Letter of Intent to implement a top-notch French education program in Vietnam’s educational system was signed during the occasion by FPT and Odyssey Education. As a partner of The Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE), Odyssey Education is a well-known French international education organization that specializes in offering French curriculum throughout Europe, North Africa, and Southeast Asia.
The first European nation into which FPT extended its operations in 2008 was France. Airbus, La Poste, Air Liquide, Quadient, Canal+, Sagemcom, SNCF, Geopost, and other world giants have since joined forces with the company. FPT’s French subsidiary was named one of France’s Top 100 ICT Companies in 2023, demonstrating the company’s expanding clout in the nation.
By purchasing a majority share in AOSIS, a French IT consulting company that specializes in SAP, Data, Cloud, and intelligent solutions for the aerospace, aviation, and transportation industries, FPT strengthened its local capabilities in the same year. FPT has established the FPT Francophone Association with the goal of cultivating French-speaking talent and promoting commercial and cultural exchange in order to further fortify cultural and professional links.
As the sole Vietnamese company to attend the Choose France Summit in Paris in May 2025, the company reaffirmed its long-term dedication to the French and European markets and indicated interest in potential alliances in the fields of artificial intelligence, semiconductors, transportation, energy, and education.
Leadership Comments
“Vietnam and France share a profound bond rooted in history and culture, which is a strong foundation for a future defined by innovation, shared prosperity, and strategic cooperation. I strongly encourage Vietnamese and French businesses to take the lead in forging new economic partnerships that reflect the dynamism of our two nations. The Vietnam–France Leaders Forum was created to serve as a catalyst for this vision, bringing together leaders, ideas, and opportunities to build a prosperous future together,” said Dr. Truong Gia Binh, FPT Founder and Chairman.
“Looking into the future, FPT commits to generating millions of jobs for the young generation, and building successful partnerships with French enterprises in any form of collaboration, not only in Vietnam but also for the global market”, he said.
“While France and Vietnam face some different challenges, we also tackle similar ones in sustainable development, industrial digitalization, and social transformation. That is why we encourage forum members to establish ventures and partnerships in both countries, and aim to attract more French companies, from large firms to SMEs, to develop business in Vietnam, while encouraging Vietnamese corporations to expand into France,” said Mr. Benoit Clocheret, Artelia Executive Chairman.
