Welcome everyone to another episode of ExtraMile by YourTechDiet, an interview series with industry leaders where we discuss the latest technologies and trends. I’m your host, Sayali, and I’m thrilled to introduce our guest for today’s episode, Phuong Dang, CEO of FPT Software Americas and Senior Executive Vice President for FPT Europe, an industry leader in digital and AI transformation. With 20 years at FPT Software, Phuong has held several leadership roles and played a pivotal role in driving the company’s global expansion.
Today, we’ll explore how FPT empowers organizations to embrace digital transformation while also discussing topics like sustainability, workflow management, leadership, and the future of extended reality.
Hello Phuong, it’s a pleasure to host you at this show. Welcome.
Like for example, for Cox, we’re helping them to increase to scale from zero to thousand and three hundred people across six global locations in just 12 months like Airbus. So, we are key partner with Airbus Skywise ecosystem since 2017, supporting more than 100 airlines all around the world to improve the operation efficiency, reduce the operating cost and ensure the continuous data update. And recently we just became like the strategic partner IT with Airbus and in order to do that we have been focused and invest a lot in the AI that we now partnership with NVIDIA Mila Institute. Also focused very much on the technology like automotive in the software-defined vehicle or you know partnership with NXP to produce a self-driving platform, the chip controller and the board control system. So FPT in America and Europe, so we try to you know bring the latest technology aligned with our customer goal and bring them to the market as fast as we can.
Host: Thank you. Moving on,
FPT was recently listed among Asia’s top 40 IT service providers. So, what strategies do you have in place to sustain and expand this growth globally in the coming years?
Phuong: I think the growth is dependent on the consistent delivery of value-oriented solutions. So, with that goal, we focus on completing our global delivery model by expanding our near-shore delivery. For example, we are investing in expansion of Latin America now and I think the software industry in Latin America is poised to remarkable growth in 2025.
So, with the vibrant startup ecosystem and the adoption of the advanced technology in Latin America like AI or machine learning, we believe that area is a strong fit with our solution focused on IT consulting. So, in short, we continue to expanding our footprint and complete our global delivery model further enhancing the near-shore delivery. We continue with our M&A cut by our and joint ventures to enhance the capacity in the technology area and we have some areas to focus like AI, automotive, semiconductors, digital transformation and green transformation.
Also, I think it’s critical to the global development.
Host: Now let’s talk operations. Workflow management is critical in driving productivity. So, what role does FezyFlow play in helping businesses streamline their processes and improve operational efficiency?
Phuong: Yeah, sure. We already introduced our no-code workflow platform FezyFlow in 2023. So, with a vision to use in new area of AI Assisted no-code platforms.
So, FezyFlow empowers the enterprise in their digital transformation by leveraging their non-IT resources. So, this enables clients to achieve the faster time-to-market, time-to-value while reducing the resource utilization. So, our platform emulates all the needs for the complex coding and technology expertise.
The developer can easily optimize a single user-friendly technology platform for the creation of direction and efficacy workflows with the integration across all the departments to their needs.
Host: In a tech-driven world, sustainability has become a top priority. So how does FPT software ensure sustainability, especially when working with industries like aviation and aerospace?
Phuong: Great question. I think so first of all that FPT already achieved the EcoVadis Silver rating for sustainability. So, we are like among the top 15 companies evaluated by the ESG.
That’s the first thing. We also support the industry chain like sustainable aviation fuel, as you just mentioned. We bring more in creative maintenance and eco-friendly manufacturing process as a part of the solution that we are providing for aviation and aerospace clients.
For example, like Airbus, we deliver the digital solution that can leverage the data, AI, cloud technology to streamline the workflow, minimize the resource usage, and enable the predict maintenance. Directly contribute to the reduce of fuel consumption, emission, and waste. We also have our own platform called VertZéro for the green transformation.
So that platform can help the client to define the strategic planning for green for zero carbon nation, admission planning, control reporting, auditing, certification, implementation, all part of that. For FPT ourselves, we set our net zero target by 2040, which is like 10 years ahead of Vietnam’s commitment to the world. We also, you know, issuing our first ever environment policy with the detailed plan to reduce the greenhouse gas emission.
And since we are still growing very fast, we also want to our partner, our campus, and our partner who help us to building the campus, you know, using that ESG approach too. And the most important is its human centric. And in FPT, so we’re supporting our employees through every step of the life for resting lifelong learning opportunity for our employees.
And most important, I think, is to create a fair, inclusive, and diverse work environment. So, we right now have around 3,500 foreign employees. We carry like nearly 90 nationalities, and 37 of our employees are female, and 36% of our managers are female.
And we also get the recognition, best place to work in Vietnam, Japan, America, Singapore, and all the other markets we are operating right now.
Host: So, speaking of leadership, leadership plays a crucial role in any business to success. So what’s your personal leadership policy? Like how do you motivate teams to perform their best?
Phuong: I like to answer it short. So, I like to give the team the map, but I don’t give them the direction. So, it means that I think as a leader, I think it’s very important for the company development for sure.
But as a leader, I try to create the room for our team members can maximize their innovation with the right target for the team. And as I grow up from the ground, I do share with them the experience in problem solving when they have some obstacle on their way.
Host: So, let’s shift to tech innovation. Technological integration has revolutionized the insurance sector. How do you see extended reality technologies transforming this space?
Phuong: It’s truly helped a lot. And we have been seeing the significant impact by using the extended reality in manufacturing, in training, in smart home control. And also it’s transforming the insurance industry by enhancing the risk management assessment, claim processing, training, customer experience, etc.
I think the insurer can leverage the extended reality to simulate the real-world scenario, provide an immersive training model, and offer the interactive customer experience. So, leading to the, I think, much better risk management, improve the claim accuracy, and of course, increase the customer satisfaction. We have been applying that for not only insurance sector, but also in other sectors that I mentioned before, like manufacturing or even healthcare.
It’s helping a lot.
Host: Lastly, every successful career comes with its own shares and challenges. Could you share some of the obstacles you faced and how you managed to overcome them?
Phuong: I think we, as a Vietnamese company, want to develop the business global. So, anything should easily become challenging for us, from the communication, English communication, from the culture understanding, impact from the macro business environment, a lot. But I think to overcome all the challenges, we just do it simple as a team.
And we believe in what we believed in the past. So, the company vision, the target for each employee will never change. And we overcome as a team.
So that’s the most important. I always believe that I have the best and solid team that we can overcome together, everything.
Host: Thank you so much for being with us today and offering such valuable insights. This session has been incredibly lightning, touching on everything from IT innovation and workflow transformation to sustainability, leadership, and the future of immersive tech. Thank you so much, Phuong.
Phuong: Thank you for having me. Thank you.
Host: And to our audience, thank you so much for tuning into this episode of ExtraMile by YourTechDiet. Stay curious, stay inspired, and we’ll see you soon the next time.
