Reporter: What made you fall in love with technology, a field that many people think is usually only suitable for men?

Ms. Dinh Thi Thuy: I came to the technology sector by chance. Initially, my major was finance and accounting, so I applied for an accounting internship at MISA.

However, when I became a member of the company, I was in charge of many different jobs, sometimes doing accounting, sometimes doing consulting, QA (quality management), software testing, and when there was a shortage of people, I was transferred to sales.

dinh thi thuy misa 5.jpg
MISA General Director Dinh Thi Thuy, "iron lady" of Vietnam's technology industry.

At that time, the company's staff was not large, mainly people in charge of programming, research and software production.

Because of my expertise in finance and accounting, I was assigned to provide professional advice to the software engineering team. After the software was released, I continued to introduce and deploy the software to customers.

Thanks to my willingness to learn and change to grow, I have experienced many positions from employee, team leader, department head, office director, deputy general director and now CEO of MISA.

The journey to becoming a female tech “general” must not have been easy. Can you share your experiences?

As shared before, from a girl who simply wanted to apply to MISA for an accounting internship, I was fortunate to be assigned by the board of directors to take on many key management positions in the company and now I am the general director.

In that journey, the biggest challenge for me was not having any technical expertise but being a manager, operator and leader of a technology company.

This requires a lot of effort from me. First of all, I have to always research and learn about technology trends, especially the application of technology in products. Then, I have to work hard to thoroughly understand the technology solutions developed by the company. Only then will I be confident enough to introduce and advise solutions to customers, partners and provide professional training for the company's staff.

Besides the challenges, I am also fortunate to have certain advantages. MISA is a company that provides and implements solutions and software for customers with its core strength being finance and accounting. When I became a leader, I had many advantages because I had solid expertise in this field. The fact that MISA uses automation solutions in business management also makes my job easier.

dinh thi thuy misa 3.jpg
Ms. Dinh Thi Thuy has been the General Director at MISA for 8 years.

As someone who has been with the company for 26 years, spending my entire youth with the company, I have a deep understanding of the work of each HR position. This helps me a lot when I become a leader, especially when I have to make the right decisions.

Finally, I feel fortunate to have the companionship and understanding of the company's executive board. Each member of the executive board has their own strengths, thereby creating a resonant strength for the whole group. This is also the motivation that helps me complete my tasks well.

What about other barriers? How do you balance time between taking care of family, raising children and working with your partner?

To balance time for family care, child rearing and company diplomacy, I have learned to work with a plan, schedule early in order of priority. The deciding factor in the schedule is the goal and importance of each activity in each stage.

However, to balance work and family, I also have to accept the disadvantages for myself, sacrificing time for myself. For example, during the week, I devote my enthusiasm to work, but on the weekend, I will spend time being close to my children.

With the advantage of a technology company, MISA also has many solutions to support me in operating and handling work remotely, thereby helping me to be more flexible in balancing time between the company and family.

For example, I can quickly view online reporting indicators and sign contracts remotely without having to be present at the office, minimizing work congestion while still having time to take care of my children.

To be able to do well in both roles at the company and at home, I am always aware of the need to train well both mentally and physically, and at the same time, always keep a bright and resilient mind. In any position, women need to keep the “fire” of enthusiasm and passion for themselves, only then will they have enough endurance to maintain and do everything better every day.

dinh thi thuy misa 4.jpg

Women have a lot of personality traits that men don't have. Is that a unique advantage for women in technology?

There are differences between women and men when it comes to leadership. This is true not only in IT but in other fields as well.

First, women are more resilient and able to make sacrifices than men. Women leaders are often called “iron women” because they are sharp, tough, and forged from challenges. They can persistently pursue their goals for a long time and still maintain their form.

Women's strength is also being more skillful and gentle than men. This helps women communicate and understand people around them more easily.

Communication is one of the best skills of women. They always know how to choose words and use them as an invisible weapon to persuade the other side. Besides, they also have extremely sharp ingenuity and intuition, know how to "softly manipulate and firmly release", easily adapt and handle all problems thoroughly.

At MISA, an environment where most of the leaders are men, I feel that my “femininity” is more clearly promoted. My softness and gentleness will compensate for the rigidity and dryness of my colleagues of the opposite sex.

What message would you send to women in technology on March 8?

Gender has never been a factor in assessing an individual’s ability to work or lead. In any circumstance, women need to be aware of asserting themselves, fully promoting their strengths to perform well in each position and each position.

On March 8, I wish all women, especially those working in technology, to always be in control of their careers and balance their lives. Career is important but needs to be balanced with personal life and family.

Thank you!

Ms. Dinh Thi Thuy was born in 1976 in Tu Ky, Hai Duong. She graduated from the Faculty of Accounting, Hanoi University of Finance and Accounting and has a Master's degree in Economics - Finance - Banking, Academy of Finance. In 2016, she was appointed General Director of MISA and has held this role since then.
Lisa Su, AMD's 'female general', shakes up the semiconductor industry AMD CEO Lisa Su achieved unprecedented achievements: the first female CEO of a major semiconductor company, saving AMD from the brink of collapse and shaking up the technology industry that was dominated by men.