E66: Building a life in Vietnam: identity, business, and the search for home
In this episode of You Don’t Know Vietnam, Ian Paynton is joined by Gauthier D'haenens, a Vietnamese-born Belgian adoptee who returned to Vietnam as an adult searching for his biological parents — and...
10 Feb 35min
E65: What GDP headlines don’t tell you about Vietnam’s 'era of rising'
Vietnam is no longer just a fast-growing economy or a low-cost manufacturing hub. It is entering what many local leaders now call an era of rising — defined not only by economic momentum, but by diplo...
27 Jan 33min
E64: Let’s talk about Tết, baby — has Vietnam’s biggest holiday changed forever?
Tết has always been Vietnam’s most important moment of the year — culturally, emotionally, and commercially. For some categories, it can account for up to 40–45% of annual sales. But something feels d...
12 Jan 30min
E63: Reduce emissions AND grow economically? Why Vietnam can do both
Michaela Baur is the Country Director of GIZ Vietnam, a German development agency with more than 30 years of experience working in Vietnam. Today, Ian asks the question on the tip of everyone's tongue...
8 Des 202545min
E62: Keeping soul, changing shape: Vietnam’s evolving identity
Vietnam is changing shape fast — but its soul hasn’t moved an inch. In this episode, Ian sits down with Vinamilk creative director Chieu Pham to unpack the cultural codes that remain constant beneath ...
17 Nov 202533min
E61: Factory towns, gig work, and the untold side of Vietnam’s economic boom
Vietnam’s economy is booming. Foreign factories are multiplying, GDP is surging, and global investors are calling it the next Asian powerhouse. But who’s really benefitting from this rapid growth? In ...
3 Nov 202532min
E60: Why foreign leadership styles fail in Vietnam (and how to fix yours!)
Many foreign leaders arrive in Vietnam full of confidence — armed with a leadership style that’s worked everywhere else. But within weeks, frustration sets in. Teams seem hesitant, feedback is quiet, ...
20 Okt 202534min
E59: Navigating the grey area that can decide life or death for business in Vietnam
"That grey area or that almost darkness within a conversation can be life and death. And if you don’t have the trust to be able to have an honest conversation, you can meet an impasse and never move f...
7 Okt 202530min
