The Global Business and Society Leadership Forum 2026 held its launch ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City on 26 September. Mari Kiviniemi, former Prime Minister of Finland and former Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD, joined guests and partners for the gathering. The event opened a series of conversations and connections ahead of the forum on 22 November 2026.
In a business environment shaped by constant change, leadership involves more than making decisions within an organization. Leaders also need to build trust with stakeholders, recognize opportunities to collaborate and consider the lasting effects of their choices. These themes framed the launch of the Global Business and Society Leadership Forum 2026.
The ceremony introduced the forum’s direction and gave guests an early look at the conversations planned for November: leading through uncertainty, the relationship between business and society, international cooperation and responsible growth.
From a forum concept to conversations in person
Conversations began as guests, partners and the organizing team arrived. For a forum centered on dialogue and connection, these moments mattered. They gave participants a chance to learn about one another, discuss shared interests and begin building relationships before the formal programme.
During the launch, guests were introduced to the vision and planned themes of the Global Business and Society Leadership Forum 2026. Remarks, exchanges and questions opened a discussion about the demands facing business and organizational leaders. Alongside commercial performance, leaders must respond to change, sustain trust and find common ground with partners across markets, sectors and cultures.
Mari Kiviniemi brought an international perspective to the gathering. As a former Prime Minister of Finland and former Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD, she has worked in national leadership and multilateral cooperation. Her participation invited practical questions: how do leaders make decisions when information is incomplete? How do they maintain trust during difficult periods? And where can international cooperation begin?
No single answer fits every organization. The value of the gathering lay in bringing different perspectives into the same room, from international leadership experience to the immediate priorities of people running businesses, developing partnerships and building organizations in Viet Nam.
Connections beyond the formal programme
The launch continued beyond the remarks on stage. Guests exchanged views, asked questions, took photographs and carried on conversations at the side of the room. These moments served another purpose of the event: giving people with common interests an opportunity to meet face to face.
For a leadership forum, the quality of an encounter cannot be measured by attendance alone. What matters is whether participants leave with a new perspective, a conversation worth continuing or a relationship that may grow into cooperation. The launch provided an early opportunity for those connections to form ahead of the November forum.
The NTU ASEAN Executive Education programme took place alongside the launch. The executive education programme and the forum launch were separate activities, while both reflected an interest in learning from international experience, developing a regional perspective and connecting people in leadership roles.
Looking ahead to the November forum
The conversations begun at the launch will continue at the Global Business and Society Leadership Forum 2026 on 22 November 2026 at La Vela Saigon Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.
The forum is expected to bring together business leaders, founders, organizational leaders and partners interested in leadership across business and society. Its programme aims to support substantive discussion on leadership experience, adaptability, trust, international connections and sustainable growth.
The 26 September launch marked the beginning of that journey. Its images and conversations are a reminder that a worthwhile forum is shaped not only by what happens on stage, but also by people willing to meet, listen and continue the dialogue after the event.
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