At the Fortune Southeast Asia 500 Summit 2026, held in Ho Chi Minh City on November 3, Dr. Jens Lottner, CEO of Techcombank, joined Mr. Amol Gupte, Regional Head of South Asia at Citi, Ms. Lynn Kuok, a Scholar at the Brookings Institution, and H.E. Ted Osius, former Ambassador of the US to Vietnam, in a panel discussion on the global economic outlook entitled “Global Economic Outlook: Regional Impact,” moderated by Ms. Alyson Shontell, Editor-in-Chief and Chief Content Officer at Fortune magazine.
The Summit brought together top business leaders, economists, policymakers, and representatives from international organizations to discuss the future of growth in Southeast Asia amid major shifts in the global economy.
With the theme “New Horizons, Enduring Growth,” the Summit served as a high-level dialogue forum on the opportunities and challenges shaping the regional economy, ranging from trade, investment, and supply chains to technology and global capital flow shifts.
Techcombank CEO optimistic about Vietnam’s growth outlook
During the exchange, Dr. Lottner evaluated that Vietnam has demonstrated impressive resilience amid global economic volatility. Despite ongoing challenges from trade and geopolitics, he said, Vietnam’s growth foundation remains intact, creating a basis for a positive outlook in the years to come.
He emphasized that FDI inflows and supply chain diversification trends continue to open up opportunities for Vietnam. To capitalize on these shifts, the economy is moving toward advanced, higher value-added manufacturing industries while accelerating infrastructure development to enhance competitiveness and integrate more deeply into international supply chains. Investment in industrial parks, seaports, and transportation networks will play a crucial role in this transition.
Addressing AI, Dr. Lottner noted that it presents an opportunity for Vietnamese enterprises to innovate and narrow the gap with leading global organizations. Based on Techcombank’s implementation experience, he emphasized that the greatest value of AI lies not just in the scale of technology investment but in the ability to apply it effectively to specific business challenges, boosting productivity and developing team capabilities.
Opportunities with the VIFC: Connecting capital for Vietnam’s next growth phase
Shifts in manufacturing and infrastructure also require the mobilization of long-term investment resources, especially as Vietnam enters a development phase characterized by large-scale projects and an increasing need to upgrade competitive capacity.
In this context, the Vietnam International Financial Center in Ho Chi Minh City (VIFC-HCMC) is expected to help strengthen the connection between global capital sources and domestic growth opportunities, while supporting the development of the capital market, next-generation financial products, and long-term fundraising channels for priority sectors of the economy.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Summit, Dr. Lottner said Techcombank and entities within its ecosystem are studying opportunities to participate in the VIFC based on capabilities built and invested in over many years. These include technological infrastructure, governance capacity, professional teams, a comprehensive financial services ecosystem, and an extensive network connecting investors, financial institutions, and international partners. The bank is also taking the necessary regulatory steps, including plans to submit relevant proposals for shareholder consideration in the near future.
According to the latest published business results, Techcombank’s pre-tax profit in the third quarter of 2026 stood at VND10.4 trillion ($409.4 million); its highest quarterly result to date. This brought its nine-month pre-tax profit to VND28.9 trillion ($1.14 billion), up 23.7 per cent year-on-year, driven by diversified revenue growth.
Alongside strong financial results, Techcombank also led the industry in brand metrics in the third quarter, affirming its position as a national industry leader.
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