Event report

Throwback to Build to Last 2026

The 2026 edition of Build to Last once again confirmed its position as a leading platform for dialogue, innovation, and collaboration within the construction and infrastructure ecosystem in Vietnam.

Bringing together more than 850 participants, 25+ speakers, and 26 sponsors & partners, the event reflected the growing momentum of an industry actively shaping the future of sustainable development.

The strong presence of nearly 20 major media outlets, including national television broadcasters, further highlighted the importance and impact of this year’s edition.

A Morning of Vision, Strategy, and Industry Insights

The event opened with official remarks from key institutional figures:

• Mr.Thibaut Giroux, Chairman, CCI France Vietnam
• H.E. Mr. Olivier Brochet, Ambassador of France to Vietnam
• Mr. Nguyễn Lộc Hà, Permanent Vice Chairman, People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City
• Special thanks were also extended to Mr. Etienne Ranaivoson, Consul General, for his presence and continued support.

The morning sessions set the tone for the day, focusing on long-term vision, innovation, and the structural transformation of the industry.

Keynote highlights

The first keynote, led by Schneider Electric Vietnam, explored the critical role of resilient power systems in enabling the energy transition.

The second keynote, from Saint-Gobain Vietnam, marked a major milestone: the DURAflex®️ plant in Quang Tri achieving net-zero carbon emissions (Scope 1 & 2) in 2026.  A first in Vietnam’s cement board industry, illustrating the tangible progress toward sustainable construction.

Panel discussions: from vision to execution

Three high-level panels brought together leading experts to address key industry challenges:

• From Growth to Legacy: exploring how long-term thinking and sustainability are reshaping infrastructure development
  Speakers: Quynh Thai (Schneider Electric Vietnam & Cambodia), Mung Fei Yim (Artelia Airports), Pearl Mars (Bureau Veritas Philippines), Simon Davies (AIA Environment)
  Moderator: Christophe Cougnaud (Forvis Mazars Vietnam)
   
• From Materials to Megawatts: highlighting the technologies and solutions enabling large-scale sustainable construction
  Speakers: Nguyễn Trường Hải (Saint-Gobain Vietnam), Nour-Eddine M. (VINCI Construction), Boris Vivares (Vivablast), Charlélie Michaud (Polaris Edge), Quoc Tuan Nguyen (Pebsteel Vietnam)
  Moderator: William Badger (Vietnam Green Building Council)
   
• Connecting Cities, Connecting Markets: examining the role of infrastructure as a driver of economic growth and regional competitiveness
  Speakers: Antoine Le Bihan (AFD), Eric Gratton (Artelia Vietnam), Bruno Jaspaert (DeepC Industrial Zones Vietnam), Simon Farhat (Gemalink)
  Moderator: Adam Koulaksezian (CCI France Vietnam)

These discussions provided strategic insights into how the sector is evolving to meet both environmental and economic demands.

An afternoon focused on action and collaboration

Following a morning rich in insights, the afternoon sessions shifted toward practical application and industry engagement.

5 interactive workshops allowed participants to dive deeper into concrete solutions, covering topics such as:

• Maritime decarbonization through electrification and digitalization, with Dharmendra Umarnani (Schneider Electric)
• Resilient building assessment and certification processes, with Pearl Mars (Bureau Veritas)
• Integrated construction solutions from major industry players, with Nour-Eddine M. (VINCI Construction Grand Projets Vietnam), Pierre Quinot (Freyssinet), Van Chau Nguyen (Bachy Soletanche Vietnam), and Nguyen Duc Thai (Menard Vietnam)
• Asset protection and waterproofing expertise, with Thomas Demelier (Triflex Asia)
• Sustainable and human-centered architectural design, with Simon Davies (AIA Environment), Matthieu Radet-Sancet (AIA Life Designers Shanghai), and Nicolas Senly (AIA Life Designers Southeast Asia & Oceania)

These sessions equipped attendees with practical tools, innovative approaches, and actionable knowledge to tackle current challenges and drive more resilient construction practices.

Beyond the content sessions, Build to Last 2026 placed strong emphasis on networking and collaboration.

Exclusive interviews conducted by the CCIFV events and communications teams, including with Olivier Brochet the French Ambassador in Vietnam, helped amplify key voices and insights from the event.

The B2B matchmaking sessions, organized with Serdao, generated more than 160 scheduled meetings, fostering meaningful exchanges and opening the door to new partnerships across the ecosystem.

The day concluded with a networking session, reinforcing the event’s role as a catalyst for long-term collaboration.

Conclusion

Build to Last 2026 once again demonstrated that the future of construction in Vietnam lies at the intersection of innovation, sustainability, and collective action.

A sincere thank you to all sponsors, partners, speakers, and participants who contributed to making this event a success.

Build to Last. Build the Future.