Getting to know Giang Dao, Red Hat country manager for Vietnam

We’re delighted to welcome Giang Dao to Red Hat as a country manager for Vietnam. In the new role, Dao will be responsible for Red Hat’s business operations in one of ASEAN’s fastest-growing markets.

Dao has extensive experience in the enterprise software space, with more than 20 years in IT, and having managed virtually every industry vertical. She joins Red Hat from IBM Vietnam, where she led sales for Vietnam’s North Top Development Accounts. She also held leadership roles at technology businesses in Vietnam, such as T&T Group and CMC Corporation, supporting customers on their digital transformation initiatives. 

We caught up with Dao to hear her perspectives on open source and Red Hat, and her insights on leadership.

Why did you choose to join Red Hat?

 I’ve always been interested in entrepreneurship, as early as when I first obtained my master’s degree in World Business. At my last role in IBM, I had a great opportunity to learn from some of the best in the IT industry while leading a large sales team. There is clear synergy between IBM and Red Hat, and what caught my attention about Red Hat was the company’s leadership in open source and Linux. Open source technology is the logical way forward for organizations in Vietnam seeking to disrupt and grow. So when I knew that Red Hat was expanding the business in Vietnam and looking for their first country manager, it was really an Aha! moment. With Red Hat, I have the opportunity to help build a business like an entrepreneur, and champion enterprise open source solutions.

What do you look most forward to in your new role?

Vietnam represents tremendous potential for Red Hat in our Asian emerging markets segment (GEMs) and globally. With the recent announcement of ambitious digitization policies in Vietnam, such as the Vision towards 2030, we have an opportunity to collaborate with Vietnam’s fast-growing sectors such as financial services, telecoms, industrial production and agriculture. It’s a chance to demonstrate how the open source ethos can pave the way for long-term digital transformation and success.  

How can Red Hat and open source technology support the digital transformation of Vietnamese companies?

Red Hat’s open development model helps create more secure, stable and innovative technologies. I am excited by the opportunity to extend our presence in Vietnam and support our customers in their open hybrid cloud journey through microservices, containerization, and automation. Organizations must optimize their end user experience and create personalized experiences tailored to each customer. Digital transformation will help Vietnam’s enterprises do this more effectively.

How would you define leadership, and what kind of leader would you like to be?

I have a democratic leadership style where we can brainstorm new ideas and new approaches to solve a problem. I like to focus on vision and the big picture, but still focus on operational excellence with an agile approach. I’ve watched a lot of videos of Paul Cormier, Red Hat’s president and CEO, and really got inspired by his vision, his strategy and management style, especially around open leadership. At the same time, Red Hat in Vietnam has a young and dynamic culture with some great performers. I look forward to working closely and growing with the team, so that we can expand our business in the country over the long term and better support customers.