The Ho Chi Minh City Economic Forum (HEF), established in 2018 and organized annually by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, serves as a premier international platform for dialogue. It convenes government leaders, eminent experts, and business representatives from around the world to deliberate on critical economic issues in alignment with Vietnam’s development priorities.

Building on the success of five previous editions, Ho Chi Minh City Economic Forum (HEF) in 2025, under the guidance of the Prime Minister of Vietnam, marks a new breakthrough. This year, the forum introduces a special autumn session with the theme: Autumn Economic Forum 2025 “Breakthrough for Shared Development and Ho Chi Minh City”

For the first time, Ho Chi Minh City Economic Forum (HEF) will be held in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF), a leading global organization that convenes political, business, and academic leaders to shape international agendas.

As Ho Chi Minh City has grown into a megacity of over 13 million people, contributing nearly a quarter of the nation's GDP, it faces the critical task of streamlining its governance and restructuring its economy to adapt to a volatile global landscape.

Consequently, HEF 2025 will focus on the intelligent economy, where knowledge, technology, and innovation become the driving forces for economic breakthroughs in Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City. The forum will concentrate on discussions across four key pillars: smart government, smart manufacturing, smart logistics, and smart services. The objective is to cultivate a smart, autonomous, and sustainable urban ecosystem, ultimately finding solutions to build a smart city that will spearhead economic growth for the entire country.

Embodying the national ambition for a new era of growth, this year's theme is a direct implementation of the vision set forth by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the World Economic Forum in Davos 2024. As the Prime Minister declared, "The smart era must become a new growth engine for the economy." This forum serves as a catalyst, demonstrating Vietnam's leadership and unwavering commitment to turning this vision into a reality, thereby charting our nation's bold ascent in the international arena.

HEF is honored to convene a distinguished gathering of visionaries, innovators, and policymakers at the forefront of the intelligent economy revolution. Our speakers are chosen for their exceptional expertise and demonstrated ability to translate strategic vision into practical outcomes, spanning cutting-edge technologies to real-world applications.

Ho Chi Minh City stands as Vietnam’s commercial capital and one of Asia’s most dynamic emerging metropolises. According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Planning and Investment, the city consistently attracts over 30% of the nation’s total foreign direct investment (FDI). Its strategic location, youthful and tech-savvy population, and pro-business policies position it as a premier destination for investment in high-growth sectors, including:

- Technology and the Digital Economy
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Financial Services
- Real Estate and Smart Infrastructure