In an interview with Nikkei in Tokyo (Japan), Mr. Pham Minh Tuan shared that FPT Software will not only provide human resources but also GPU computing infrastructure to create advanced AI solutions for the Japanese market.

“AI is one of our growth drivers,” said Mr. Tuan.

In April, FPT announced a comprehensive strategic partnership with semiconductor manufacturer Nvidia. The launch of new services in Japan is in line with the partnership between the two companies.

The $200 million investment will be disbursed by the end of 2025. In addition, FPT also plans to increase its workforce in Japan from 3,500 to 5,000 by 2025.

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FPT Japan's new office in Mita, Tokyo. Photo: Nikkei

The main goal of FPT’s AI services is to digitally transform financial institutions in the land of the rising sun. Mr. Tuan explained the reason for launching the new service: “They have a lot of data. How to monetize that data and create new value through data mining is important. AI and the latest technologies with large language models or large vision models can support customers to realize their dreams but require large computing resources.”

At the end of July, FPT Japan opened a new office in Mita, Tokyo. Mr. Tuan shared that as of March, FPT Japan recruited 3,500 employees and will soon reach the 4,000 employee mark. If they grow 40% like previous years, they will have 5,000 employees next year. The latest data shows that 63% of FPT Japan employees are Vietnamese and 31% are Japanese.

In 2023, FPT's revenue from foreign markets, including Japan, the US, Europe, and Asia Pacific, will exceed 1 billion USD for the first time. Mr. Tuan revealed that in new markets, they will start with mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and then expand business from the new company.

Japan has been a major market for FPT since its inception. Last year, Japan contributed 38% of FPT Software's total revenue. Its customers include KDDI, Itochu, Panasonic, Takenaka, Fujifilm Healthcare, and Microsoft Japan. The company also has offices in many cities such as Sapporo, Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Okinawa.

“We want FPT Japan to become the 20th largest company in Japan, and Japan will maintain the No. 1 position with FPT Software but contribute 35-50% in the future to balance the ratio with other markets,” Tuan told Nikkei. FPT Japan acquired NAC in March, providing market consulting, engineering and system integration services.

FPT Software representatives emphasized that the ability to use Japanese when working with local companies is a strength of the company. According to Nikkei, most FPT Software employees are fluent in Japanese because more than half lived here before joining FPT. Nearly 800 employees seconded from Vietnam are learning Japanese.

According to Mr. Tuan, the company wants to maintain about 30-40% of foreign staff in Japan and needs more Japanese employees. FPT provides internship programs for Japanese students at FPT University in Vietnam.

Compared to Japanese enterprises, Mr. Tuan said, “If they work for FPT, they will not only learn theory but can grow every day through learning from customers, colleagues, real projects and the latest technology. That is our philosophy. FPT’s core value is speed, we always want to shorten their learning time.”

(According to Nikkei)