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2021 is shaping up to be a very exciting year for Schneider Electric Vietnam. At the start of the year, we were honored to speak with Mr. Dong Mai Lam – Cluster President Vietnam & Cambodia, the first Vietnamese leader of the company, about his inspiring journey from the early days at Schneider Electric and his vision for the future of the company.
Can you tell us briefly about your career journey so far at Schneider Electric? What part of your career did you enjoy the most?
My career with Schneider came like predestination when I came back to Vietnam for the holiday while doing my Ph.D. in Australia 19 years ago. Looking back, It’s a decision that I never feel regretful about. I appreciate the dynamic and diversity of the career path that the company is providing to employees. Over the last 19 years, I have been given opportunities to rotate to new assignments every 2-4 years, with many different challenges and experiences, but rewarding. I have been doing many different roles like Customer Care, Logistics, Quality, Offer Marketing, Sales, General Management, Country Leadership, and also been given the chance to work in different cultures and business contexts. That’s how it made my career with the company very enjoyable so far.
What made you join Schneider Electric and what made you stay for almost 20 years?
My answer would be its People. As we say it, “Great People Make Schneider Electric A Great Company”.
Schneider Electric is a very people-oriented company and provides many opportunities to learn and grow. The diversity and dynamics of career prospects are huge as I mentioned earlier. Also, working for a company that has a great vision for the future, sustainability, and community is something that inspired me and made me feel proud of.
“Great People Make Schneider Electric A Great Company”
How does it feel to become the first Vietnamese Country President in Schneider Electric Vietnam history?
I feel proud but also high responsibility & liability. As the first Vietnamese Country President, I will have to make sure that I will, together with all Schneider Electric Vietnam employees, make Vietnam a great success story in the years to come. Only by doing that, we can together inspire more Vietnamese to succeed me as the leader of our Vietnam cluster in the future because we believe that it works best to be “the most local of global companies”.
“As we grow our business, we grow our people.”
How has Schneider changed and evolved since you first started your career here?
Looking back 20 years ago and what Schneider as of today, it’s a huge step that the company has made to transform from an electrical supplier company to a “best training company” in the market, then a company that drives the digital trend of our industry. And today it’s a company that has progressed a long way in sustainability to be the world’s most sustainable, a company that is on the most admired list, and among “100 Best Places to Work in Vietnam” so many consecutive years. With that, our people profile & competency, our business model, our technology have also been evolved significantly and will continue to change to be more agile, more resilient, and more successful. And as we grow our business, we grow our people and deliver our commitment of providing them a meaningful career where they are empowered to make the most of their energy and feel valued and included!
What’s your outlook on the future for Schneider Vietnam?
Vietnam is in front of a huge transformation for the economy especially in Industrialization, urbanization, and digitalization, which is opening huge opportunities for Schneider Electric. I do not doubt that if we build a strong organization, the right focus, a strong partnership network, the market, the success and growth for Schneider Vietnam will be enormous in the years to come.
What is some advice you have for Vietnamese talents who want to accelerate their career to senior leadership positions?
There is no single formula or ingredient for success. Open-minded, strong collaborative mindset, adapt to change, willing to take the different challenge, learn every day, be disciplined and integrity when coming to compliance and Principles of Responsibility, build your brand, and build trust to your customers, your peoples, etc. This is the combination of a successful recipe in our fast-changing business and organization in Schneider Electric.
Schneider Electric is shaping the future of energy management and the best is yet to come in Vietnam! Now is a good time for talents out there to join our transformation! Learn more about current available opportunities!
About The Author
Dong Mai Lam has become the first Vietnamese Country President in Schneider Electric Vietnam since Jan 2021. He has been with the company for more than 19 years and contributed to the transformation journey of the company before taking various international assignments and then came back as a local leader.
