MASTERING THE SECOND CURVE
— Governance, Succession, and Growth Beyond the Founder

August 14th, 2025 | 14:00 - 18:30
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The world is shifting — and so is Vietnam.

Trump’s tariffs. Realigned supply chains. Cautious capital. Internally, Vietnam is undergoing bold reforms — from consolidating provincial power to cleaning up bureaucracy and launching two International Financial Centers.

These are not just political changes. They’re forcing a reset in how we run businesses.

For years, instinct and speed got companies here. But instinct is not a system — and scale has exposed the cracks:

  • Vague succession plans

  • Overstretched founders

  • Teams without alignment

  • No real governance

This is the Second Curve — when the leadership model that built your business can’t take it any further.

Whether you built your business or inherited it, the challenge is now the same:
Can you evolve before the system breaks?

AGENDA

1:30PM

ARRIVAL & NETWORKING, CHECK-IN

2:00PM

OPENING REMARKS
Cuong Dang, Founder & Chair, Vietnam Vanguard

2:10PM — 2:40PM

GEO-ECONOMICS BRIEFING
Global Headwinds, Domestic Reckonings: Why the System Needs to Change

2:40PM — 3:10PM

KEYNOTE: Leading Past the Breaking Point

3:10PM — 3:20PM

LAUNCH: VANGUARD EXECUTIVE ACADEMY
(in partnership with Washington University in St. Louis)

3:20PM — 3:40PM

TEA BREAK & NETWORKING

3:40PM — 4:00PM

STAYING THE COURSE (EXECUTIVE DIALOGUE)
Building Structure That Outlasts Momentum
A candid conversation with Doan Viet Dai Tu, Chairman of OpenAsia Group (TBC)

4:00PM — 5:00PM

LEADERSHIP PANEL: The Shift from Founder-Led to Leadership-Designed

5:00PM — 7:00PM

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

Special Announcement

Vanguard Executive Academy — a bold new partnership between Vanguard and Olin Business School (Washington University in St. Louis), delivering executive education for Vietnam’s new era of leadership.

Washington University in St. Louis —
Olin Business School

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Previous Speakers & Special Guests

  • Te Cheng Pang

    Consul General of Singapore in Ho Chi Minh City

  • Marco Brue

    Senior Advisor and Former Founding Partner — McKinsey & Co. Thailand, Vietnam

  • Man smiling in a chair wearing a light blue denim shirt with folded hands.

    Michael H. Nguyen

    Deputy CEO — Masan Group

  • A smiling person wearing a light gray suit and a blue shirt, standing with arms crossed.

    Uc My (Omi) Dang

    Chairlady — TTC AgriS, Betrimex

  • Tri Thong Le

    Tri Thong Le

    Vice Chairman, CEO — PNJ

  • 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.

    Thai Binh Nguyen

    Deputy CEO — REE Corporation

  • Linh Thai

    Linh Thai (moderator)

    CEO — Skills Bridge

  • Man laughing in a formal setting with blurred foreground

    Cuong Dang

    Founder, Chairman — Vietnam Vanguard

  • Nadir Ali Zafar

    Chief Experience Officer (CXO) — Human Capital Leadership Institute

By the Numbers
Vanguard Connect (May 2025)

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

Vanguard Members

2,460,000vnd

(~$95)
(early bird 20% off, ends July 25th, 2025)

Non-Members

3,250,000vnd

(~$125)
(early bird 20% off, ends July 25th, 2025)

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.

PREVIOUS PARTNERS & SPONSORS

MEDIA PARTNER

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