She was recently honored in "Fortune's Most Powerful Women ASIA 2024" and was also awarded the noble Third Class Independence Medal.
Make a strong impression on the dairy industry
In 2013, Vinamilk made a strong impression on the Asian and world dairy industry when it simultaneously put into operation the first two super dairy factories in Vietnam, with a "huge" investment capital of hundreds of millions of dollars.
"I want the world to know about the Vietnamese dairy industry", an ambitious statement but showing the strategic vision of Ms. Mai Kieu Lien. This event also marked the transformation of Vinamilk, from the goal of realizing the "Vietnamese dairy dream" to the aspiration of "reaching the world".
From a country that had to import almost all of its milk, the name "Vinamilk" gradually appeared on the regional and world reputation rankings. The brand value also increased to be in the global top 10, proportional to the growth in the company's scale.
The whole career is attached to a business
Ms. Mai Kieu Lien is a special businesswoman whose entire career is tied to only one enterprise, one core business line. Beyond the business goals in the marketplace, for the "female general" of the dairy industry, the company is also a special mission.
During her time studying abroad in Russia, she was assigned to study the dairy processing industry - a field that was quite unfamiliar in Vietnam at that time. Hesitating about choosing a major, she wrote a letter to ask her father for his opinion.
Her father's saying "only milk can help overcome malnutrition in children and improve people's health after the war" not only helped her become more determined to pursue the dairy industry, but also became a guiding principle throughout her nearly half-century journey with the company.
Pursuing and dedicating herself, she devoted all her heart to answering the question "how to improve the quality of nutrition and health for people, especially children".
Many times renew yourself
Not long ago, the company's creative imprint received special attention with the launch of its new brand identity and the subsequent "greening of social networks" campaign.
Regarding that milestone event, the CEO once shared: "Vinamilk has innovated itself many times since it was one year old.
This time is no exception. Not only the brand, the company is innovating comprehensively". The statement clearly shows a Vinamilk that is nearly 50 years old but is still ready to innovate and keep up with trends.
When asked about the principles that help the company successfully conquer domestic and foreign markets, the "female general" always mentions 3 core factors: quality, price and service. Of which, quality must come first.
"We are a food company, producing food and drinks for everyone. We have to make the best products, as if we were making them for our relatives and family." That is what she always reminds her team when they start researching and developing a new product to serve consumers.
Up to now, the company is still the enterprise that owns products that are at the forefront of nutritional trends in the market. Notably, the first European organic fresh milk and powdered milk products produced in Vietnam; or the first fresh milk in the world to meet the Clean Label Project standards for safety and purity.
In the late 1990s, Vietnam was one of the most attractive markets for foreign direct investment (FDI) enterprises and joint ventures with foreign partners became a trend. In most deals, the FDI sector often held 70% of the shares, taking control.
Thinking that the company had enough resources and an understanding of the domestic market to be able to stand on its own two feet, Ms. Lien and her colleagues decided not to enter into a joint venture and to keep the Vietnamese brand. Looking back after many years, she still believes: "Vinamilk today is thanks to that decision."
Bold and determined are the keywords that the company used to describe its brand when it launched its new identity in 2023 and affirmed, "still the same, since 1976". And this is one of the statements that clearly shows this "personality" of the company, when the powerful female CEO laid the first bricks for Vietnam's dairy export sector in 1997.
To have the opportunity to participate in the Iraqi Government's oil-for-food program, at that time, the company sponsored 2 containers of powdered milk for children in this country.
After checking the quality and visiting the factory, the Iraqi Government asked Vinamilk to supply 300 tons of milk in 3 months. Without much hesitation, Ms. Mai Kieu Lien quickly agreed to prove the company's ability to meet the requirements in terms of quality, quantity and delivery time.
To date, the company's products have reached 62 countries/territories and continue to increase every year.
Ms. Mai Kieu Lien, her team and domestic engineers found solutions to repair the machines and restore production, successfully producing the first batch of milk on March 26, 1988. This was the first batch of powdered milk not only for the company but also for the Vietnamese dairy industry; the most convincing proof of the saying "nothing is impossible".
Sustainable doesn't mean going slow
According to Ms. Mai Kieu Lien, sustainable development is a long-term strategy, but that does not mean it can be done slowly. On the contrary, the female leader believes that the company always needs to be fast, to take shortcuts and achieve the set goals.
When the concept of sustainable development was not yet popular in Vietnam, the company had a sustainable development report independent of the financial report (2012).
When Vietnam committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, the company was among the first to announce its commitment to this goal.
To date, the company is also the first in the industry to have 3 units (2 factories and 1 farm) certified as carbon neutral according to PAS2060:2014 standards.
As a leader with a comprehensive digital transformation mindset from a very early age, Ms. Mai Kieu Lien believes that the success or failure of a business depends on people. It is not by chance that the company is often remembered as "the best place to work in Vietnam" and is always an "attractive" name in the recruitment market.
With the orientation of "nurturing talents", the company is the cradle of training and gathering many experts in the milk processing and dairy farming industry in Vietnam. Many managers, farm and factory directors today come from specialized training programs or study abroad sponsored by the company itself.
Besides the powerful and courageous image of a businesswoman who is running a business with more than 10,000 employees, Ms. Lien is also known as a simple and sincere person. She once surprised everyone when she revealed that her family does not have a maid.
Instead, the whole family will find ways to divide and arrange the work. For her, doing housework helps her balance her life with work, as well as helps her children not depend on others.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nhieu-triet-ly-cua-nu-tuong-tro-thanh-chat-cua-vinamilk-20241013143654073.htm
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