BUILDERS FORUM 2026

Half-Day Executive Forum | By Invitation

April 8, 2025 | 13:30 - 18:30
Ho Chi Minh City

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Vanguard Builders Forum 2026 is an annual, execution-focused forum for the people who develop, finance, build, and operate Vietnam’s physical economy.

Convened at a moment of market correction and structural reset, the Forum brings together senior leaders across real estate, infrastructure, construction, materials, capital, and policy to confront one central question:

In a post-speculation environment, what can still be built — and under what conditions?

Builders Forum is not a real estate sales event. It is not a policy showcase.

It is a professional platform for viability, bankability, and delivery under real market constraints.

AGENDA

1:30PM

REGISTRATION & NETWORKING
Arrival, check-in, and informal networking.

2:00PM

WELCOME REMARKS

  • Cuong Dang, Founder & Chair, Vietnam Vanguard

2:10PM — 2:40PM

KEYNOTE
Post-correction realities, shifting development models, infrastructure dependencies, and international lessons relevant to Vietnam’s next build cycle.

2:40PM — 3:30PM

When Infrastructure Determines Project Survival
How infrastructure timing now dictates project viability across residential, commercial, and industrial development.

3:30PM — 4:00PM

Which Projects Still Get Funded — and Why
A candid capital conversation on bankability, risk, delays, and the real conditions behind financing decisions today.

4:00PM — 4:20PM

TEA BREAK & NETWORKING

4:20PM — 5:10PM

Rebuilding Trust — What Buyers, Tenants, and Capital Still Believe
Credibility, buyer confidence, placemaking, and recurring income models in the current market.

5:10PM — 6:00PM

Execution Under Pressure — Cost, Risk, and Control
Builder-led discussion on cost volatility, construction risk, and operational discipline under constrained conditions.

6:00PM — 8:00PM

CLOSING — What This Cycle Is Teaching Builders
Key execution insights, misconceptions to abandon, and priorities for the next phase.

PRIVATE COCKTAIL RECEPTION & NETWORKING
Hosted gathering with all attendees, speakers, Vanguard members, and regional guests. Opportunity for informal peer learning and cross-border introductions

Forum Partners

EDB Singapore logo with large blue letters and red, white, and blue dots to the right.

Past Speakers

  • Portrait of a man in a dark suit, white shirt, and red patterned tie, standing against a dark blue background with a blurred American flag in the background.

    His Excellency Marc E. Knapper

    U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam

  • Dr. Melvin Heng

    Group CEO, Thomson Medical Group

  • A man wearing glasses in a dark suit with arms crossed, standing in front of a dark background.

    Doan Viet Dai Tu

    Co-Founder, Chairman — OpenAsia

  • Amb. Ted Osius

    Former US Ambassador to Vietnam

  • Marc Woo

    Marc Woo

    Managing Director — Google (Vietnam & APAC)

  • A man in a suit and tie speaking at a podium decorated with a colorful flower arrangement.

    Mai Huu Tin

    Chairman, CEO — U&I Investment Corporation

  • A smiling man in a white dress shirt stands in front of a wall with a framed black and white portrait of a historical figure. The room features elegant decor, including silver candleholders on the wall.

    Prof. Markus Baer

    Vice Dean of Executive Education — Washington University in St. Louis, Olin Business School

  • A man wearing glasses and a dark blue, speckled polo shirt is sitting on a couch in a room with light-colored walls and a window with curtains in the background. He has short, gray hair and is looking at the camera with his hands clasped.

    Trong Kien Tran

    Chairman, CEO — Thien Minh Group (TMG)

  • A man wearing glasses and a suit stands at a wooden podium labeled 'Furama Resort Da Nang' giving a presentation. The background shows a large screen with graphs and statistics, including a green upward arrow.

    Il-Dong Kwon

    Managing Director & Partner — BCG Vietnam

  • Man laughing in a formal setting with blurred foreground

    Cuong Dang (host)

    Founder, Chairman — Vietnam Vanguard

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Vanguard LIVE Media
by the Numbers

120+

total attendees

100+

C-level executives and founders

90+

leading companies

sectors including FMCG, real estate, manufacturing, tech, logistics, and capital markets

Attendees included:

  • Founders of $10M–$200M businesses

  • Next-gen successors from Vietnam’s top family enterprises

  • Senior execs from MNCs and high-growth startups

  • Institutional advisors, investors, and board-level mentors

What to Expect

Vanguard Connect is a closed-door forum where Vietnam’s most serious leaders confront what most avoid:

  • Governance that enables growth

  • Succession that empowers, not confuses

  • Teams that function without the founder

This is not theory.

This is strategy, structure, and unfiltered leadership insight — from those who’ve done it.

“Marco Breu’s session completely reframed how I think about growth. Instead of chasing one big bet, I walked away with a practical framework to manage multiple initiatives with clarity and discipline. ‘Portfolio of initiatives’ concept was one of the most useful things I’ve heard all year.”

TICKETS

Members

COMPLIMENTARY

Non-Members

$125

(~3.25mil vnd)
(early bird 20% off, ends March 11, 2026)

Request Tickets

NOTE: Vanguard Connect is a member and invite-only event, please send us email to request for tickets and indicate whether you’re a member or non member, our team will connect further.

Please contact us if you have further questions.

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