Event report
Throwback on the conference “Women of Impact” with Claudie Haigneré
For the year of Innovation, on September 25 in HoChi Minh City, an exceptional conference was co-organized by Airbus, Thales, the French Institute in Vietnam, the Embassy of France, French Tech Vietnam, and the CCIFV.
Supported by AWS, the event brought together researchers, business leaders, diplomats, and entrepreneurs to explore a central question: how can we exercise leadership that is meaningful and value-driven in an increasingly complex and interconnected world?
The opening remarks were delivered by Éric Soulier, Cultural Counsellor and Director of the French Institute in Vietnam, and by Tri-Mai Hoang, Airbus Chief Representative for Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Both emphasized how the diversity of cultures and expertise is a powerful driver for meeting technological and human challenges in Southeast Asia, and more broadly, for building sustainable growth.
Claudie Haigneré
The highlight of the evening was the intervention of Claudie Haigneré, ESA astronaut and former French minister. She shared her unique career path combining medicine, research, space exploration, and political engagement. As the first French woman in space, she explained how exploration broadened her worldview and inspired her lifelong commitment to science, innovation, and international cooperation. Her message was deeply rooted in curiosity, rigor, and openness.
Panel Discussion
The panel discussion brought together Claudie Haigneré, ESA astronaut and former French Minister of Research, Tôn Nữ Thị Ninh, former ambassador and president of the HPDF Foundation, Tri-Mai Hoang, Airbus Chief Representative for Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, and Dunlin Tan, Director of Research & Technology Singapore at Thales. The discussion was moderated by Diệp Trần, Publishing Director at Ubisoft and Co-lead of French Tech Vietnam.
The exchanges highlighted that diversity – whether cultural, generational, or shaped by life paths is a true driver of innovation. The speakers shared field experiences, addressed persistent challenges, but above all, pointed to concrete ways forward: mentorship, international networks, scientific alliances, and cross-sector collaboration.
Claudie Haigneré also presented her vision of leadership, encapsulated in the acronym CHARME: Confidence, Humility, Authenticity, Responsibility, Motivation, Equity, Empathy, and Exemplarity. In her view, the role of a leader is not to impose, but to inspire and create environments where everyone can contribute and thrive.
Throughout the discussions, a common conviction emerged: innovation is not only about technology, but also about curiosity, collaboration, and the ability to cross boundaries , geographical, disciplinary, or social.
The conference concluded with remarks from Thibaut Giroux, President of the CCIFV, who underlined the importance of continuing to build on this collective momentum.
The word that best sums up the evening is DARE: dare to learn, dare to explore, dare to cooperate in order to build bridges between ideas, cultures, and generations.
