Opening the workshop, NIEF President Mr. Nguyen Nhu Quynh emphasized that the domestic private sector remains a central driver of Vietnam’s economic growth - contributing around 50% of GDP, over 30% of state budget revenue, and employing more than 80% of the labor force. Within this ecosystem, the 500 largest private enterprises - representing only 0.05% of all firms - account for nearly 12% of total revenue and 17% of corporate assets. Mr. Quynh underscored that the VPE500 research, now in its third year, provides empirical evidence supporting Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW, which reaffirms the private sector as a pillar of industrialization, modernization, and global integration.
Representing KAS Vietnam, Mr. Lewe Paul, Resident Representative, highlighted that the VPE500 initiative is more than a corporate ranking - it is a strategic research tool capturing enterprise dynamics, competitiveness, and market concentration within Vietnam’s private economy.
Two keynote presentations framed the discussion. Ms. Trinh Thi Huong, Deputy Director of the Agency for Private Enterprise and Collective Economy Development (Ministry of Finance), outlined current policy measures translating Resolution 68 into actionable reforms. These include regulatory simplification, improved access to finance, and innovation incentives for large enterprises. Dr. Tran Toan Thang, Head of International Studies and Integration Policies at NIEF, presented the main findings of the VPE500 Report 2025, supported by new sectoral and firm-level data.
A high-level panel discussion addressed structural bottlenecks facing large private firms - such as fragmented regulations, insufficient innovation incentives, and barriers to internationalization - and called for coherent, evidence-based industrial strategies to enhance productivity and competitiveness.
The VPE500 Report 2025 reaffirms that Vietnam’s large private enterprises are emerging as critical agents of structural transformation, driving productivity growth, technological upgrading, and national competitiveness. Both the workshop and the report emphasize the urgency of targeted reforms to unlock the full potential of Vietnam’s private sector leaders. By addressing linkages, financing gaps, and regulatory inconsistencies, policymakers can foster a more inclusive and innovative economy - positioning these enterprises as engines of sustainable growth in line with Vietnam’s development ambitions for 2030 and beyond.
