According to statistics from the Australian Department of Home Affairs, among the nearly 300,000 Vietnamese residing in Australia, around 75,000 of those aged 25 to 54 are business owners — spanning across various sectors such as F&B, retail and technology. This underscores Australia as fertile ground for Vietnamese expatriates looking to turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality.
Similarly, for overseas Vietnamese in Australia who choose to return to their homeland to start a business, Vietnam also offers “ample room” for growth. Over the past decade, the country’s tech sector has experienced rapid advancement — outpacing other Southeast Asian countries. With a labour-abundant supply, the country has attracted many tech giants — most notably is NAB Innovation Centre.
Recognizing the need to connect the Vietnamese community in Australia with new opportunities, Vietcetera has organized Vietcetera Goes Abroad 2025 in Melbourne, attracting nearly 200 attendees. Notwithstanding an atypical heatwave that elevated temperatures to 30 degrees Celsius, the atmosphere inside was even more vibrant, filled with nearly 200 attendees, including students, professionals, and experts from both the Vietnamese and indigenous people.
The event was hosted by Hao Tran, CEO of Vietcetera, and featured a distinguished lineup of Vietnamese and Vietnamese-Australian professionals. Among them were Mr. Luan Lai, Executive, Group Security, NAB Innovation Centre Vietnam; Ms. Hanh Tran, General Director, NAB Innovation Centre Vietnam; Mr. Bao Hoang, Co-Founder and CEO of Roll’d Australia; Ms. Cat-Thao Nguyen, Leadership & Life Coach, Global Ready LLC; and Ms. An Vo, Founding Partner & Managing Director of Janus Executive Search & Talent Advisory and more.
Inspirational Stories
In the opening panel discussion, Ms. Cat-Thao Nguyen, Leadership & Life Coach, Global Ready LLC, delivered moving sharings of her personal journey to reconnect with her Vietnamese roots after years of living abroad.
From a disadvantaged student whose only dream was to own a pair of Nike shoes, Cat-Thao went on to become a lawyer and an advisor to leaders. She wrote books, led community projects, and throughout that journey, she felt a deep, unwavering love for Vietnam — her homeland. Eventually, she left faraway Australia to return to Vietnam, the place her heart had always been drawn to. Cat-Thao believes that Vietnamese people always have the resilience and potential to thrive anywhere in the world, but it is essential to preserve their cultural heritage and national identity that defines them.
The story of Bao Hoang, Co-Founder of Roll’d — a Vietnamese cuisine restaurant chain in Australia with over 100 franchise locations — has also inspired many Vietnamese overseas and international students living abroad. To build a strong business as today, Bao Hoang endured years of hardship, witnessing the tireless efforts of his working-class family. His mother, being Vietnamese, carried with her a wealth of traditional recipes from their homeland. This became a powerful source of inspiration for him later on, when he and a group of friends pooled their resources to acquire a struggling café and transform it into their very first restaurant.
Roll’d, with its signature Vietnamese dishes such as banh mi, banh xeo, and goi cuon, quickly gained popularity within the Vietnamese community in Australia. When the first location opened, many Vietnamese queued up early in the day to savor the familiar flavors of home. Sharing with the audience at Vietcetera Goes Abroad, Bao Hoang said that the most important key to success lies in self-awareness — starting with understanding what excites you and what frustrates you. He emphasized that this journey requires a constant willingness to seek help and to learn from those around us. This philosophy has guided him in shaping a long-term business vision for the next 20 to 30 years.
Expanding Opportunities For The Vietnamese Community In Australia
During the panel discussion “Thriving in the Australian Landscape: Building Your Future”, all guest speakers agreed that one of the greatest strengths of the Vietnamese people lies in their creativity — clearly expressed through cuisine, culture, and even media. Drawing from a rich cultural heritage, the distinctiveness and originality of the Vietnamese identity can help the community stand out more prominently, especially within Australia’s multicultural landscape.
Mr. Brian Pham, Managing Director of Litecard, further noted that Vietnamese students seeking opportunities in Australia should consider pursuing healthcare-related fields, such as nursing and caregiving certifications. The local workforce in this field is steadily shrinking, as Australia faces a significant shortage of healthcare professionals due to its aging population and the growing demand for healthcare services. As predicted, Australia is going to face a shortage of over 100,000 nurses this year, with the number projected to exceed 120,000 by 2030.
Rural areas across Australia are also experiencing a high need for teachers - making it a promising opportunity for those seeking careers in education abroad. According to the latest statistics, the education and training sector in Australia is currently facing a workforce shortage of approximately 149,600 positions.
Technology And Education: Bridging The Gap Between Overseas Vietnamese And Their Homeland
In the panel discussion with Ms. Hanh Tran, General Director of NAB Innovation Centre Vietnam, attendees gained valuable insights into the tech potential of the Vietnamese market. Five years ago, NAB initiated its technological expansion into Southeast Asia, selecting Vietnam as its initial operational base.
Despite its relatively modest market size at the time, Vietnam stood out with its rapidly growing ICT (Information and Communications Technology) sector and a deep talent pool of skilled coders. That is why the NAB Innovation Centre started with 10 software engineers, but its office spans nearly 10,000 square meters and is home to almost 2,000 employees today.
Mr. Philip Dowler, Former Head of Campus, RMIT Hanoi, also shared his predictions on the future of Vietnam’s education sector, drawing from over two decades of leadership at RMIT Hanoi. He emphasized that RMIT maintains a doctoral qualification standard for those wishing to teach at the university. However, technology-driven fields supporting education and services are in constant need of skilled professionals. He also encouraged experts in these areas to consider returning to Vietnam to contribute to the country’s educational development.
He expressed hope that people would move beyond the outdated notion of Vietnam as solely defined by its rice-based agricultural heritage. With a population of 100 million, the country is witnessing significant growth in technology, agriculture, and education. A testament to this progress is the remarkable rise of tech giants such as FPT and NAB over the past decade.
Towards the end of the program, Ms. Cat-Thao returned to the stage for a conversation with Ms. An Vo, Founding Partner and Managing Director of Janus Executive Search and Talent Advisory, on the topic: Career Opportunities in Vietnam for the Overseas Vietnamese Community.
Deciding to stay in Vietnam after spending years abroad, Ms. An Vo and Janus have been actively recruiting overseas Vietnamese talents for senior positions at domestic enterprises. In the past 4 years, Janus has recruited nearly 800 talents to return and contribute to Vietnam, bridging the overseas Vietnamese community and major domestic corporations.
During the recruitment processes, Ms. An Vo noticed that overseas Vietnamese are generally well-prepared for matters related to finances, housing and networks prior to returning. However, they need to pay more attention to two important factors: integration and adaptation.
Vietnam is a developing country, therefore the operation and recruitment processes may not be synchronized, and might change quickly. International talents looking to build a career in Vietnam need to equip themselves with good adaptability to changes, not only in businesses but also in the market.
Ms. An Vo also provided an unconventional advice: try driving a car/riding a motorbike in Vietnam, because the traffic here is always fast-paced, chaotic and full of surprises - just like the dynamics of the country. Drivers need to be steady on the wheel, and understand the traffic conditions to arrive safely at their destination. Similarly, foreign talents need to adapt by constantly learning and keeping up with the daily changes in Vietnam.
Advice From The Professionals
Celia Tran, Manager of Communications and Community Engagement at Scanlon Foundation Research Institute and Co-Founder & Founding Member at Vietnamese Australian Professional Network (VAPN), emphasized that emotional intelligence (EQ) is a vital asset for entrepreneurs. According to her, the key difference between a business owner and a true leader lies in emotional intelligence — reflected in how they treat and support their employees. Entrepreneurs need to build and enrich their life experiences.
Natalie Fairley, Vice President of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, stressed the importance of thoroughly researching the Vietnamese market. She noted that many entrepreneurs assume Vietnam operates similarly to other global markets — a misconception that has led even well-established leaders and brands to stumble. Her advice to business owners is: don’t rely solely on what you think you know. Instead, take the time to live in Vietnam, build genuine relationships, and immerse yourself in the local context before making any business or investment decisions.
Luan Lai, Executive, Group Security at NAB Innovation Centre Vietnam, emphasized the importance of preserving and taking pride in one’s cultural identity as a foundation for successful integration. In a country like Australia — renowned for its cultural diversity — the ability to connect across different backgrounds not only broadens opportunities but also plays a key role in maintaining and enriching one’s own cultural heritage.
In addition to the panel discussions, Vietcetera Goes Abroad also featured an exclusive networking session for attendees, as well as a purpose-driven workshop hosted by Cat-Thao Nguyen. These sessions served as an invaluable foundation for connecting members of the Vietnamese community living, studying, and working in Australia — helping to discover prospective employment opportunities and to cultivate interpersonal connections for the next entrepreneurial generation.
Vietcetera Goes Abroad is an innovative event series organized by Vietcetera, traveling around the world to foster cultural exchange, professional networking, and showcase the inspiring stories of opportunity between Vietnam and the host countries.
- Time: 28/03/2025
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Landing page: https://vietcetera.com/en/collection/aus-trip
Special thanks to our sponsors & partners for accompanying us in this event:
Proud Partner: NAB Innovation Centre Vietnam
Recruitment Lead Partner: Janus Executive Search & Talent Advisory
Program Sponsor: AB Marketing Consultancy
Engagement Partner: City of Melbourne, Australia Vietnam Policy Institute (AVPI), SAIKYO Restaurant, Celestia và Jung Talents
Communications Partner: Australia-Vietnam Leadership Dialogue (AVLD), AusCham Vietnam, Asian Hustle Network & OV Melbourne
Community Partner: MOVSA - Melbourne Overseas Vietnamese Student Association Inc