Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) – As multinational corporations expand their technology, research and global operations in Vietnam, expectations for the office leasing market are rising. Beyond location, floor area and rental costs, office standards are increasingly being shaped by the development of Global Capability Centres (GCCs), artificial intelligence (AI), digitalisation and sustainability requirements.
Changing corporate needs are widening the gap between conventional offices and workplaces designed for companies with global operating requirements. According to Savills Vietnam, next-generation GCCs are shifting from support functions to Strategic Capability Centres, undertaking high-value functions such as technology, research and development, data management and global operations.
This transformation is also changing office requirements. While conventional offices typically range from 100 to 1,000 sq.m. of leased space, GCC facilities may require between 1,000 and 20,000 sq.m., together with the ability to scale up rapidly and maintain high occupancy stability. Information technology (IT) infrastructure, smart building management systems, real-time energy monitoring, flexible workspaces, wellness amenities and green building certifications are increasingly becoming key requirements.
As of August 2026, total office supply in Ho Chi Minh City stood at approximately 2.99 million sq.m., with Grade A offices accounting for about 19%, or more than 553,000 sq.m. The market is expected to receive an additional 87,000 sq.m. of new supply by 2027.
Meanwhile, improved transport infrastructure is broadening companies’ options for office locations. According to Savills, GCCs may initially establish headquarters in central areas before expanding into emerging locations such as An Khanh ward to benefit from lower costs, larger floor plates and access to technology talent.
Ho Chi Minh City also has a substantial talent pool to support technology and global operations centres, producing around 218,000 new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)-related personnel annually and 100,000 IT/ICT graduates each year. The number is expected to continue growing, with around one million STEM students projected by 2030.
Alongside technology, sustainability is becoming an increasingly important component of office asset value. New green buildings can record average operating cost reductions of 10.5% in the first year and 16.9% over five years. Meanwhile, more than 85% of fast-growing businesses in Vietnam have ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) commitments, helping drive demand for green office space.
With GCCs, technology and sustainability converging, Ho Chi Minh City’s office market is entering a new phase in which operational quality and adaptability are becoming increasingly important, alongside location./.
VNA
