So first of all, thanks for making the time for this chat. How about we start with a brief self-introduction?

Hi,  my name is Duong, but you can call me Dee, a nickname I have used since high school. I did the three year Economics programme at HKU, from  2012 to  2015. For clarification, I did Economics and Finance in my first year, but then in my second year, I switched to Economics and Political Science.

It’s been great to see how HKU has been expanding their global outreach  –  HKU just opened an office in Vietnam 2-3 years ago! Before that, every year we had very few Vietnamese students in Hong Kong. Last week, I participated in  the FHA (Food & Beverage Trade Show) in Singapore, and we had a little HKU reunion – from that bunch of people, we created a little group of 20-something Vietnamese that graduated in the past few years from all  HK universities.

At the moment, I’m the principal business development manager of Trade and Investment Queensland. It’s a government agency  with 21 offices in 18 countries, and Vietnam is the main office  for the South-East Asia region, considering that Australia would like to boost economic engagement with Southeast Asia, which is one of the fastest growing regions in the world. 

So what does Trade and Investment Queensland do? How’s your role?

 Trade and Investment Queensland promotes export of prioritised sectors from Queensland to the world, connecting Queensland businesses to potential importers and investors. It’s similar to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

I’m based in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, and my day-to-day is facilitating business connections, making sure that Queensland businesses get the support they need when they come to explore business opportunities in Vietnam.

Ok! So was that the sort of role you had always aspired to do?

I wouldn’t put it that way, but my non-linear career path has naturally led me here. My academic background was largely focused on international trade, and now, my role serves as a real-world application of the principles and practices within that field.

Oh nice, I used to do something similar! Let’s go back a bit now – before university, did you have an idea of what sort of career you wanted to pursue? What influenced you to move towards the direction you took?

I had a fairly clear sense of my career interests even back in high school. Studying in the UK, I took Maths, Economics, Politics, and History for IGCSEs and later A-Levels, along with Accounting.

My early fascination with global trade and economics was shaped not only by my studies but also by my family. My father worked in public service, and my mother ran her own business, which led to open discussions at home about the market—both in Vietnam and internationally. In 2006, Vietnam joined the WTO, triggering rapid societal changes. Suddenly, cars and mobile phones became more prevalent, making these shifts impossible to ignore.

Right before I moved to the UK for high school, the 2007–2008 financial crisis unfolded. At the time, my sister—eight years my senior—was already in the UK for university. Our family often discussed economic developments in both the UK and Vietnam, giving me an early understanding of exchange rates, living costs, and broader financial dynamics. These conversations helped shape my awareness and perspective from a young age.

That’s a really interesting upbringing! But it also sounds like quite a challenge…

Thankfully, the transition wasn’t too difficult— I had plenty of time to prepare. I took intensive English lessons and did extensive research and planning. By the time I arrived, I felt well-prepared—except for the weather. I had no idea how to properly take care of myself in that climate.

Since my sister was already in university, I didn’t stay with her and instead lived with a host family. That experience was truly invaluable—I still keep in touch with my host to this day. She taught me so much about adapting to a new society, having gone through that journey herself as an immigrant from Pakistan.

So weather was the primary reason for applying to HKU?

It’s quite a funny story! I had already received offers from universities in the UK, but many of my Chinese friends encouraged me to consider Hong Kong and Singapore as well. So, I applied to both. What ultimately swayed me toward HKU was its three-year curriculum, compared to Singapore’s, which didn’t offer that structure.

But there was more to it than just academics—when we were about to enter university in 2012, the UK coalition government at the time, made up of the Tories and the Liberal Democrats, tripled student fees. That definitely played a role in my decision-making!

That’s the same story for me!

Plus,  I did a bit of research into different universities, rankings, comparing pros and cons…I wanted to try something new as well. If you remember in 2012, Hong Kong was really on the rise.

Another personal reason is because I like KPop, Big Bang. In 2012, YG said they’d open a Hong Kong office as well!

So when you do a comprehensive comparison, considering all these factors, plus Hong Kong’s proximity to Vietnam…I chose Hong Kong. And quite a few friends from my high school came back to Asia as well.

So now you’re in Hong Kong. It’s 2012. What sort of path were you looking to take?

I initially chose Economics and Finance for university. At the time, E&F was a particularly popular field, alongside accounting, so I decided to give it a shot. However, midway through my studies, I realized that political science intrigued me more. Even just scanning course titles, I found them far more compelling.

In my first year, I started taking prerequisite courses and eventually transitioned to a political science major in my second year. Still, economics has always remained a foundational part of my academic journey.

But in terms of career? Did you have a set direction?

Well, I wanted to be a diplomat when I was much younger. That’s probably why I went on to study a lot of politics, history, and economics! At some point I was really inspired by some of the top diplomats of the time – I was reading a lot about Lee Kuan Yew as well.

Oh, so not just Vietnamese politics?

During that time, I grappled with the decision of staying abroad or returning to Vietnam. As things unfolded, I realized that my desire to contribute to Vietnam remained strong—it’s something deeply important to me. There are countless ways to give back, whether through policy work, advisory boards, or other impactful initiatives.

Because of that, I’ve always kept an eye out for opportunities in policy and advisory roles, ensuring that I can play a meaningful part in shaping progress.

So during university, did you choose internships in these areas? Or business or…what sort of area?

During my second summer, as I took a three-year course you remember, I interned in the Department for Foreign Affairs in Ho Chi Minh City for three months.

Oh lovely! Did you pursue that area after graduating?

Not right away. While at HKU, my friend and I launched a volunteer project called PEACE (Protect and Empower All Children through Education), which received funding from HKU 100. The initiative aimed to provide educational support for underprivileged children, empowering them through learning. We ran the project for about two and a half years—me for two years, and my friend for another year—before stepping into the workforce. Our work involved bringing HKU students to Vietnam to volunteer, teaching local students English and other subjects.

So, my first job after graduation was actually in education—a passion that grew from my experience with PEACE. In 2015, private education wasn’t yet a dominant sector in Vietnam, but through networking, I joined one of the country’s largest education groups. At the time, they had around 60,000 students enrolled across K-12 and university levels. Today, they’ve expanded even further, offering a diverse range of schools, from affordable options to bilingual and international institutions.

My interest in education was strong, and for two years, I worked as an assistant to the Chairman of the group. One interview question he asked me left a lasting impression: “If there were 100,000 students in the school, what would you want to teach them?” That question truly resonated with me—education shapes the future, and having the opportunity to influence generations through 12 years of learning is incredibly powerful.

After two years as his assistant, I transitioned into the role of director for the study abroad company he established within the group. My own study-abroad experience played a key role in that move. During my tenure, we developed numerous short- and long-term study camps, helping students gain exposure to international education and better prepare for the challenges ahead.

So you started a business from scratch then! What was that like?

Being part of the group gave us a lot of support, and with around 60,000 students already in the system, simply managing their needs kept us incredibly busy in the first few years.

A key aspect of my role was establishing partnerships with schools in different countries—which, interestingly, directly connects to the work I do today! Back then, I attended numerous study fairs, engaged with schools, explored programme offerings, and assessed potential collaborations to bring new opportunities to our students. That kind of international cooperation remains a significant part of what I do now.

Nice! So how long were you a director there for?

I spent two and a half years there, until 2019. After that, I returned home to take care of the family business, which was beginning to expand into community tourism. My dad had a deep passion for a historic village in Vietnam—one rich with relics, ancient wells, and other artifacts that could be over 2,500–3,000 years old.

He has always been fascinated by history, and as more young people moved away from the village, he wanted to support the community by developing initiatives like homestays and community tourism. I came back to help him bring this vision to life, ensuring that he could eventually retire while leaving a meaningful legacy behind.

That sounds like quite a big decision? To move from a big institution to your family business.

It wasn’t really a big decision—just a shift in priorities at that point in my life.

For the family business, my main motivation was to support my parents, a way of thanking them for everything over the years. Since they had just started the business and were transitioning into retirement, I wanted to make sure they had someone by their side as they built it up. I was still quite young then—around 25 or 26 in 2019. Ultimately, I just wanted to spend more time with my family and help them. I had been planning to return home for a few years already, so it wasn’t a dramatic shift. Plus, I had also been preparing for marriage in the near future, so the timing felt right.

So your hometown is not in Ho Chi Minh?

I was born there, but my hometown is in central Vietnam. It’s a small city, but for the community tourism stuff, I did have to travel maybe an hour or so. It’s a very different environment.

How did you find adjusting to this new environment?

One of the biggest challenges was the limited talent pool in a small town. Early on, communication was tough—I was mostly working with farmers and fishermen, and those in government tended to be from the older generation.

In places like the UK or Hong Kong, emerging trends would typically take one or two seasons to reach Vietnam. But for my hometown, that gap stretched to two or even three years, making it even harder to stay ahead and implement new ideas.

So it was a slower pace of life.

Yes, the pace was definitely slower. But my educational background helped me navigate some of the challenges.

One of the unexpected difficulties of living in Hong Kong was that English wasn’t as widely spoken as I had anticipated. So, I started picking up Cantonese, and fortunately, I had already studied Mandarin back in secondary school, which gave me a foundation. I carried that same mindset when I returned to Vietnam—it was all about adapting my communication style. Sometimes, it was as simple as adjusting certain words to better connect with people in their own language.

Ok. And for running the family business, what was that like?

Running the family business came with a clear set of goals. When launching a programme like that, we had to go through government verification and rankings. My main objective was to complete the setup and secure an official ranking. The system used for rural initiatives in Vietnam, called OCOP (“One Commune, One Product”), encourages local communities to develop their own products and services, with ratings going up to five stars.

We managed to achieve a three-star ranking, which was the milestone I had set for myself before moving on. I spent about a year and a half there, as the application process for three stars wasn’t overly complicated—it was more about organizing the website, social media presence, marketing strategy, documentation, and capturing visuals. But marketing for a community-based product required a very different approach, making it a valuable learning experience.

So 2020, Covid. How did you move to a new role at that time? Was it challenging?

Navigating a career shift during the COVID era certainly had its challenges, but I transitioned into a new role fairly smoothly. My next job was with Thanh Thanh Cong – Bien Hoa Joint Stock Company, one of Vietnam’s largest listed sugar companies. I joined just two months after my wedding in 2021.

I started in the marketing department, working my way up from Assistant Brand Manager to Marketing Manager, and eventually moved to the group level. Over the course of four years, I held various roles across marketing, PR, and investor relations. Given my previous international exposure, I took the lead in handling international relations, expos, partnerships, and key global activities for the company.

I see. And any challenge moving from a small business that you were running to a big company?

I found the transition fairly smooth. For one, I was still young—about 27 in 2021—so I felt ready to take on a new challenge. Secondly, I saw these two types of organizations in fundamentally different ways. The family business was sizable but hadn’t yet become a listed company, meaning its corporate structure, governance, and operations were quite different. In contrast, the company I joined was publicly listed, operating at a much larger scale and within a completely different sector.

In education, the business model is more service-oriented, with relatively straightforward inputs and outputs. But in a production company—especially in FMCG—you experience the entire value chain, from farm to table. That shift made the role a significant learning opportunity rather than an intimidating challenge.

Because I approached it as a chance to gain new knowledge, the transition felt natural. Just like in my previous roles, I continued to take initiative and drive projects forward. Ultimately, success in any shift comes down to recognizing your transferable skills and figuring out how best to apply them. Once you do that, the transition becomes much easier.

That’s quite good advice in terms of mindset, and being clear on how you approach the role and what youtube out of it. So, you were there for four years – how did you move on to your next position?

For the first two to three years, my work focused primarily on marketing—both product and trade marketing. Later on, I expanded into Public Relations and Investor Relations, which gave me more exposure to the company’s business in Australia. That’s how I became familiar with Queensland and the broader Australian market. The biggest shift was moving from private enterprise to a government agency, but that change aligned well with the experiences and skills I had built along the way.

So Trade and Investment Queensland! How is it?

I’ve been with Trade and Investment Queensland for nearly a year now. When I left my previous job, I was actively seeking opportunities with international organizations—whether related to the UN, the public sector, or global trade and investment. I was particularly drawn to organizations that promote international relations and economic globalization.

Vietnam had a significant year, as several key relationships were elevated to comprehensive strategic partnerships. That shift guided my job search, leading me to explore opportunities in countries with strong ties to Vietnam, such as Singapore, Canada, and Australia. I focused on roles that aligned with my language skills and expertise while also keeping proximity to home in mind. That’s how I found my way to this position!

It’s fortunate that I have you here now actually, it’s obviously quite a tough time for global trade. Do you have any thoughts or your reactions around Trump’s tariffs?

It’s been an interesting week for all of us. For Australian products, we also saw tariffs imposed – there used to be 0% tariffs on Australian products going to the US, and for Vietnam to the US, 3-5% only depending on which products we are looking at.

Vietnam has been quick to respond, sending a delegation to the U.S. shortly after the tariffs were announced. Just days later, Trump announced a 90-day delay on the tariffs, which sent markets into a frenzy. Meanwhile, Xi Jinping’s visit to Vietnam further underscored the shifting geopolitical dynamics.

The traditional dominance of China-U.S. trade relations is evolving, with countries now looking to diversify their partnerships. Australia, for instance, has already outlined a strategy for deeper trade engagement with Southeast Asia, recognizing the region as a key economic driver until 2040. Southeast Asia’s 500 million-strong market and rapidly expanding middle class make it an attractive trade partner, particularly in infrastructure investments.

Looking ahead, Southeast Asia is poised to become an even more critical hub for global trade, and further integration through high-speed rail and port expansions will only strengthen its role. You have mentioned the UK – The UK, despite its geographical distance, is actively investing in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, recognizing the region’s growing economic significance.

These developments highlight a fundamental shift in global trade dynamics—countries are reassessing their dependencies and forging new alliances. The coming months will be crucial in determining how businesses and governments adapt to these changes.

You make it sound quite positive!

It is quite positive, because it’s the second time this has happened (that Trump has come to power), so we are more prepared this time!

That was really interesting to hear! Final thoughts then, what advice would you give to students now / to your university self?

I truly cherished my time at Hong Kong University, and if I had the chance to go back, I wouldn’t change a thing. Moving from the UK to Hong Kong was an incredible experience—I got to try a new sport, meet amazing people, and fully immerse myself in campus life by staying in a hall. Every aspect of that journey shaped me in ways I’ll always appreciate.

Oh which one! And which sport?

My time at Lee Shau Kee Hall and playing Softball was unforgettable—though we always lost! Still, the friendships and the culture made it a truly Hong Kong experience for me. Some aspects weren’t always the healthiest, but they were undeniably part of the city’s charm. I revisited HKU last May with my husband, just to share that part of my life with him.

Looking back, if I could give myself advice, it would be not to panic so much. There’s no need to stress over attending every mock interview from the Big Four—what truly matters is mastering the essence of learning. It’s about developing the right methods and adaptability, because in 5 or 10 years, much of our current knowledge may become obsolete. What remains essential is our ability to learn new things quickly and to stay happy. After all, our generation is notorious for FOMO!

Indeed…do you have advice on how to adapt well to change?

As for adapting to change, I believe it all comes down to mindset and attitude—whether at work or in life. When dealing with difficult people, instead of trying to change them, perhaps we should adjust how we communicate with them. And if we truly can’t connect with someone, that’s okay too. Holding onto personal principles is key, but imposing them on others isn’t always necessary—unless, of course, something illegal is involved!

Thank you very much for your time!

Dee is currently Principal Business Development Manager at Trade & Investment Queensland in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. She may be reached on Linkedin here.