On Saturday, October 31st 2020, an alumni talk show “What Vietnamese SMEs need to prepare for opportunities from the "New Normalcy"?” was held by Aus4Skills (Australian Alumni in Vietnam) in Hanoi, Vietnam.
With the goal to support Vietnamese SMEs in adapting to the “New Normalcy” and further help expand alumni’s network in business, the event attracted over 60 participants.
Expert Bui Kim Thuy, Senior Country Representative, the US-ASEAN Business Council, Vietnam Office and 3 prominent Australian alumni who are managing businesses in Vietnam were invited as members of the Panel to come and share with the audience their experience in facing difficulties during COVID-19 and how SMEs can prepare to seize opportunities from the “New Normalcy”.
The talk show also featured display tables from 7 businesses operating in diverse fields, including farming, fitness, psychological consultation, F&B services and healthcare technology. The display attracted a lot of interests from attendees and further helped introducing and connecting alumni-owned businesses with the wider Australian alumni community in Vietnam.
Apart from being a great networking opportunity, feedbacks from participants showed that Panel presentation and discussion were well-received. Among the topics discussed, key take-aways for participants were the importance of risk and expectation management for SMEs, the need for flexible planning and a growing trend of digitalisation in the Industry 4.0 era.
The talk show was organised for and by the alumni Economics and Business Professional Group, established under the Australian Embassy’s Australian Alumni in Vietnam Strategy.
