Country General Manager of IBM Pham Thi Thu Diep (Photo: VietnamPlus)
Hanoi (VNA) – With Vietnam looking to become a digital powerhouse in the near future, more investment should be channeled into human resources development to improve its ability to adopt advanced technology, said Country General Manager of IBM Pham Thi Thu Diep.
In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency reporters, Diep affirmed it is not impossible for Vietnam to become a digital hub , with high-quality human resources having an important role to play.
The ability to speak foreign languages and profession levels are key to connect countries, while Vietnam is lagging behind its regional peers like the Philippines and Malaysia.
“Furthermore, strong soft and teamwork skills really pay off for productivity. IMB hopes that Vietnamese universities pay due regards to soft skill training so that students are more well-prepare for the digital transformation process”, Diep said.
Vietnam is a notable name in the list of Southeast Asia’s most vibrant economies, she stressed, adding a large number of highly educated and relatively young workforce with strong desire for technology will be a key driver to brick up the digital economy.
Digital transformation began in the country 5-7 years ago, engaging an array of enterprises.
It came as a failure to many firms where key elements were not put in place, namely human resources, process and database, Diep pointed out.
Many of them have sufficient data but lack a procedure for utilising it. Moreover, they may assume that machines will perform the majority of their procedures without realising that well-trained staff are necessary to operate and utilise the equipment.
The key to a successful digital transformation business is changing the mindset of individuals. When using technology, businesses must find strategies to encourage employee acceptance of innovation.
However, Vietnam has witnessed a strong shift in recent three years, and nearly catches up with Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore, by investing in cutting-the-edge technologies and hiring foreign workers to take advantages of their strengths and knowledge, she added.
Country General Manager of IBM Pham Thi Thu Diep (Photo: VietnamPlus)
She also highlighted several challenges to Vietnam’s digital transformation process, including gaining the credibility and trust of businesses in the possibilities of the technology and the individuals who will manage it, and integrating sustainability into digital transformation to boost business performance.
Regulatory obstacles are also encountered by Vietnamese businesses during their digitalisation process. For instance, there is a lack of a cybersecurity framework for firms that wish to employ cloud computing or AI for operations and data storage.
Bridging the technical divide is an extra hurdle for companies wishing to go digital. They may pour large investments into technology but then be unable to keep up with its rapid development, she added.
| Pham Thi Thu Diep was elected as Country General Manager of IBM Vietnam in 2021. Diep is the first female leader to take over the senior leadership role in the subsidiary’s 25 years in the country. In her new role, she is responsible for business growth and leadership, including strengthening IBM’s presence and partnership with clients and partners through the adoption of open hybrid cloud and cognitive-led digital transformation. A senior leader with more than 23 years of expertise in Vietnam’s IT industry, she started her career at TRG International, a market-leading global professional services firm focused on delivering technical excellence. She also held several positions at Exact, an ERP and cloud business software firm. She joined IBM in early 2011 and has held diverse leadership positions in Services and Hybrid Cloud Software business. Prior to her current appointment, she served as Country Manager, Cloud and Cognitive Software, IBM Vietnam. She succeeds Tan Jee Toon, who moved back to Singapore to take up the IBM ASEAN Ecosystem Leadership role./. |
