Five Vietnamese entrepreneurs named among Asia’s most powerful in 2026
From left to right: Nguyen Bach Diep, Mai Kieu Lien, Nguyen Thi Hoa, Dang Huynh Uc My and Pham Thu Huong.
Vietnam has five female entrepreneurs among the top 100 most influential female business leaders in the Asia-Pacific region.
Fortune released its 2026 Most Powerful Women Asia ranking on October 6, recognising 100 influential female entrepreneurs from 14 markets across the Asia-Pacific region. Nearly a quarter of the women on this year's list are newcomers. Technology is the most represented sector with 16 executives, followed by banking with 14.
Vietnam has five representatives this year, its largest number in three years. They are Pham Thu Huong, Mai Kieu Lien, Nguyen Thi Hoa, Nguyen Bach Diep and Dang Huynh Uc My.
Vingroup Vice Chairwoman Pham Thu Huong ranks 37th, making her first appearance on Fortune's Most Powerful Women Asia list. Fortune described Huong as one of the figures who helped build Vingroup alongside her husband, billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong. After studying international law in Kyiv, she joined Vuong in developing an instant noodle business in Ukraine before returning to Vietnam.
Huong currently serves as Vice Chairwoman of Vingroup. She previously chaired GSM, which operates electric ride-hailing platform Xanh SM, before stepping down in September 2026. She is also a co-founder of the VinFuture Prize, which awards US$4.5 million annually, including a US$3 million grand prize.
Vinamilk CEO Mai Kieu Lien is Vietnam's second-highest-ranked representative at 71st. Lien joined Vinamilk's predecessor in 1976 and began leading the company in 1992, making her one of the longest-serving CEOs among Vietnam's major listed companies.
Fortune said Vinamilk is currently Vietnam's largest listed food and beverage company, with a market value of around US$4.9 billion at the time of the ranking. Its products are available in 65 markets, while export revenue rose 25% in the latest year.
Nguyen Thi Hoa, CEO of Viettel Global, ranks 84th, up six places from 90th in 2025. Hoa became CEO of Viettel Global in February 2025, becoming the first woman to lead Viettel's international investment arm. She previously spent around 15 years working in telecommunications and investment at the group.
According to Fortune, Viettel Global recorded revenue of around US$1.7 billion in 2025, up 25%, while after-tax profit rose 57% to about US$440 million. The company leads the market in seven of the 10 countries where it operates and serves around 90 million customers.
FPT Retail Chairwoman Nguyen Bach Diep makes her debut on the list at 90th. Diep joined FPT as an unpaid intern in 1994 and helped establish FPT Retail in 2012. She later developed the Long Chau pharmacy chain into the company's biggest growth driver.
Fortune said Long Chau accounted for nearly 70% of FPT Retail's revenue in 2025. Originally focused largely on mobile phones and technology products, the retailer has expanded strongly into pharmaceuticals and healthcare in recent years.
Dang Huynh Uc My, Chairwoman of TTC AgriS and Betrimex, ranks 95th. My represents the next generation of leadership within the TTC ecosystem. She joined the sugar business built by her mother, Huynh Bich Ngoc, and became Chairwoman of TTC AgriS in July 2024.
Fortune noted that she is driving TTC AgriS' transformation from a traditional sugar producer into a circular, technology-driven agricultural business. The company posted revenue of around VND26.9 trillion in the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
In September, TTC AgriS opened its Global Innovation Center in Singapore and is targeting revenue of VND60 trillion by 2030.
