On the afternoon of October 5 in Hanoi, the Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) held a conference to announce senior personnel decisions, including the reappointment of Mr. Cao Huu Hieu as General Director for the 2026–2031 term.
Attending the event were Dr. Le Tien Truong, Vinatex Party Committee Secretary and Chairman; Mr. Cao Huu Hieu, Vinatex General Director; members of the Standing Committee and Executive Committee of the Vinatex Party Committee; leaders of the Executive Office; heads and deputy heads of functional departments; leaders of several member companies; and employees of the Group’s Office.
At the conference, Ms. Tran Thi Thu Thao, Head of Vinatex’s Human Resources Management Department, announced the Board of Directors’ decision to reappoint Mr. Cao Huu Hieu as General Director of Vinatex for a five-year term from 2026 to 2031.
In his assigning speech, Dr. Le Tien Truong praised General Director Cao Huu Hieu for his efforts and achievements during the previous term. The Chairman noted that Mr. Cao Huu Hieu took on the role of General Director at a particularly challenging time, when the COVID-19 pandemic triggered unprecedented disruptions to the global economy and the textile and garment industry. Mr. Cao Huu Hieu’s five years as Vinatex’s top executive coincided with some of the most challenging periods for the textile and garment market, with overall demand hitting bottom in 2023–2024 and severely affecting the Group’s revenue and profit. When taking on the position of General Director, Mr. Hieu had little time to prepare for the Group’s top executive role. Nevertheless, together with the Executive Office, he gradually overcame these challenges, maintained operations and delivered positive results in production, business and finance. Consolidated profit in 2025 reached a record level in Vinatex’s 30-year history, while 2026 is expected to set a new record.
The decision to reappoint Mr. Cao Huu Hieu for the 2026–2031 term therefore represents not only recognition of the achievements of his first term, but also higher expectations for the General Director and the Executive Office as Vinatex enters a new phase of development.
According to Vinatex Chairman, issues such as controlling receivables and inventories, improving productivity and reducing costs were once major challenges requiring focused attention. Today, however, they have become routine management requirements for businesses. The challenges ahead are more complex, and even identifying the core issues correctly can be difficult for management teams.
Referring to remarks by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam at the opening of the fourth plenum of the 14th Party Central Committee on the morning of October 5, Dr. Le Tien Truong said strategic-level leaders are expected to demonstrate vision, systems thinking, and the ability to select and implement major policy decisions. Based on these requirements, he said strategic leaders at a group such as Vinatex should have four core capabilities: vision, the ability to identify the right problems, the ability to select the right solutions, and the ability to execute effectively.
“If the Board of Directors establishes the vision and strategic direction, the Executive Office is responsible for turning that strategy into reality. This requires executive leaders not simply to receive proposals from advisory teams, but to have the capacity to assess and select the optimal options, allocate resources and mobilize the entire organization toward common goals. In a rapidly changing business environment, strategic leadership cannot stop at general directives such as improving productivity, saving resources or cutting costs. Leaders must become ‘guides’ for the organization, with sufficient professional expertise to accurately identify bottlenecks in each business and develop specific solutions,” Vinatex Chairman emphasized.
The Chairman likened leaders in the new era to both “teachers” and “doctors”: they must not only identify the right “illness” within a business, but also determine the right “treatment,” “dosage” and timeframe. Leadership capability must therefore be built on a solid foundation of knowledge, experience, analytical skills and a deep understanding of how the entire system operates. Entering the 2026–2031 term, this responsibility will not rest solely with the General Director, but with the entire Executive Office. Each member is expected to leverage their professional strengths, work within a clear division of responsibilities and coordinate closely to strengthen the Group’s overall management capacity.
A cohesive and highly capable strategic leadership team will also provide an important foundation for Vinatex’s member companies to build confidence, pursue innovation and implement the Group’s strategic objectives proactively.
Congratulating General Director Cao Huu Hieu on his new term, Chairman Le Tien Truong expressed his expectation that the Executive Office would build on its achievements while continuously strengthening its capabilities to become a team of experts capable of guiding the entire system. The new term, therefore, is not simply a continuation of the previous five-year journey, but the beginning of a new phase with higher expectations for leadership, management quality and execution. With new thinking, new approaches and the strength of a united team, Vinatex aims to achieve new milestones, laying a stronger foundation for sustainable growth and enhancing the competitiveness of the entire system during the 2026–2031 period.
In his remarks, General Director Cao Huu Hieu expressed his appreciation for the trust and confidence placed in him by the Standing Committee of the Party Committee, the Board of Directors, the Executive Office, leaders of member companies and all employees of the Group’s Office.
He said that continuing to serve as General Director was not only an honor, but above all a responsibility and a commitment to Vinatex’s business performance, people, reputation and long-term development.
Looking back on the 2021–2026 term, which was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical conflicts, economic downturns and continued fluctuations in global textile and garment demand, Mr. Cao Huu Hieu emphasized that Vinatex’s greatest strength was its team — a team that remained resilient, embraced change and worked together to solve problems. This, he said, provides a strong foundation for Vinatex to enter the new term with higher expectations for management quality and execution.
For the 2026–2031 term, the General Director said the Executive Office would focus on practical, clearly defined and measurable priorities. These include strengthening the management foundation, improving operational efficiency and optimizing resources; accelerating digital transformation, automation and the application of technology in production and management; and making targeted investments in areas capable of generating higher added value. At the same time, Vinatex will continue investing in people and organizational capabilities, recognizing them as key drivers of long-term competitiveness. Another priority will be to build an organization that is more disciplined in execution, more transparent in management and more decisive in turning decisions into results. Each employee is expected to understand their role, take initiative and assume responsibility, rather than waiting for every decision to come from the top.
As Vinatex enters this new chapter, Mr. Cao Huu Hieu pledged to put Vinatex’s long-term interests above short-term gains, and to lead with a strong sense of responsibility, openness to learning and determination. He also expressed his hope for continued support from the Board of Directors, continued trust from stakeholders and, most importantly, unity among all Vinatex employees.
Mr. Cao Huu Hieu also reaffirmed the guiding principles presented to him by Chairman Dr. Le Tien Truong when he took office five years ago as the guiding principles for the Executive Office: “Proactive – Creative – Scientific – Humane – Transparent – Open – Decisive – Receptive”. These principles, he said, will continue to serve as the guiding philosophy for the 2026–2031 term as Vinatex strives to become more efficient, dynamic and capable of creating greater value in its next phase of development.
At the conference, Vinatex also announced the General Director’s decision to appoint Mr. Pham Duc Vinh, Chief Accountant of Vinatex Northern Textile and Garment Corporation – VNC, as Deputy Head of the Group’s General Affairs and Legal Department for a fixed term.
