HCM City Honors Excellent Women Entrepreneurs

These business women not only exemplify courage and talent in steering their enterprises toward success, but they also serve as a source of inspiration for the next generation of female entrepreneurs.

The award acknowledges the invaluable contributions made by female entrepreneurs, fostering a spirit of continued dedication toward the nation’s economic development

Tceremony of the first Ho Chi Minh City Excellent Business Women Awards was attended by city leaders and more than 400 senior representatives from trade associations, nongovernmental organizations and businesspeople in HCM City and southern provinces. The program was organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Union and the Ho Chi Minh City Association for Women Executives and Entrepreneurs (HAWEE) in cooperation with PNJ and CAO Fine Jewellery. The awards honored outstanding business women for their contributions to the city’s and country’s socioeconomic development.

Missioned to accompany Vietnamese women on their journey to shining success, PNJ and CAO sponsored the program with the desire to revere talented women who are inspiring examples for the women community to make ongoing efforts to advance and shine on their own journey.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Ms. Cao Thi Ngoc Dung, Chairwoman of HAWEE, representative of the Program Organizing Board, said: “The award serves as an acknowledgment and commendation of the invaluable contributions made by female entrepreneurs, fostering a spirit of continued dedication toward the nation’s economic progression. The theme of the ceremony, ‘When Roses Become Diamonds’, symbolizes the journey of each business woman. Like a resplendent rose, she ascends through her own courage and prowess, shining like a radiant diamond in the marketplace, thereby becoming a beacon of pride for both the business community and the city.”

Debuted in October 2023, the award caught the interest of the broader business community and female entrepreneurs. After more than five months of qualification and evaluation, the Organizing Board selected eight excellent businesswomen and three outstanding business women from many industries and fields in the city. Commonly, they managed to advance and lead their companies to live through hardships caused by global economic recession to have significant contributions to the economic development of the city and the country and bring positive values to the community.

According to the Program Organizing Board, female entrepreneurs play an important role in the business force and work as the core force of accelerating industrialization, modernization and international integration of Ho Chi Minh City today. With that role and mission, female entrepreneurs have affirmed their position in business development and made strong contributions to the country's economy and to HCM City’s GRDP growth of 5.81% in 2023.

Ms. Cao Thi Ngoc Dung, Chairwoman of HCM City Association for Women Executives and Entrepreneurs, addresses the event

With the desire to enhance the position and image of women in all fields, in addition to this program, PNJ previously accompanied women unions and women business associations in many community projects like organizing a series of workshops on “Empathic Leadership: The Power of Connection from the Heart” for female leaders across the country, financing the “Charming HAWEE” beauty contest, supporting nearly 2,000 poor pregnant women in the “Companion through labor” program, and assisting the Vietnam Breast Cancer Network to contribute to the national hair bank.

The success and the path to success of female leaders and awarded figures are never easy. Every excellent businesswoman has an impressive story about her glorious but hard journey that requires bravery, resolve and talent. Their journeys are great inspirational stories for the younger generation starting out to do business, especially women who want to become entrepreneurs.

By Van Luong, Vietnam Business Forum