The fourth wave of COVID-19 has heavily impacted the Vietnam economy, resulting in a 2021 third-quarter GDP growth rate of -6.17%; the lowest in the last 20 years. Local businesses have had to employ resilience and resourcefulness in their response to the challenges and opportunities presented by the disruption to manufacturing and the global supply chain.

Through an accelerated vaccination effort, Vietnam has finally managed to re-emerge from lockdown life, in line with many other countries around the world. And while it remains unclear exactly when the pandemic will finally be over and life will return to normal, it is widely accepted that international trade will gradually recover and Vietnamese businesses will enjoy a raft of new opportunities.

To provide a panoramic and practical perspective, as well as a vision for the future, Forbes Vietnam’s Business Forum 2021, under the theme The Road Ahead, will gather policymakers, economic experts and C-level business leaders from local and international corporations to discuss the business outlook, opportunities and challenges in the coming months. They will share strategies for sustainable and balanced development through this upheaval and beyond.