Welcome Remarks by:

• Dr. Philipp Rösler - Chairman, President of SVEF 

• Prof Dr. Harald Gall - Dean of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Informatics, University of Zurich

• H.E. Amb. Thomass Gass - Ambassador of Switzerland to Viet Nam

• Representative of Viet Nam Government

Keynote Address: "Switzerland and Viet Nam: Partners for Sustainable and Smart Growth in Times of Change"

Objective: Reaffirm political commitment and define shared economic priorities for 2026–2030

Theme: Free Trade, Market Access and Economic Resilience in a Changing Global Order

Focus:

• Status and outlook of the Switzerland–Viet Nam FTA negotiations (EFTA framework)

• Lessons from other Swiss FTAs in Asia (e.g., Switzerland–India EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement)

• EU–ASEAN economic integration

• Trade resilience and diversified supply chains

• SME competitiveness in evolving trade regimes

Keynote Speaker: H.E. Amb. Mai Phan Dung - Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, WTO and other organisations in Geneva 

Panelists:

• H.E. Amb. Mai Phan Dung - Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, WTO and other organisations in Geneva 

• Mr. Luc Schnurrenberger - Deputy Head of International Relations of economiesuisse

• Mr. Marco Förster -  Regional Director of Southeast Asia of Dezan Shira & Associates 

• Ms. Deepti Sharma - Cluster Head India & Southeast Asia of the Switzerland Global Enterprise

Moderator: Dr. Philipp Rösler - President of the Swiss-Viet Economic Forum (SVEF)

Theme: Connecting European and Asian Financial Ecosystems for Growth and Innovation: Trends and Opportunities

Focus:

• Development of International Financial Centers and regional financial hubs

• Cross-border capital flows between Europe and Asia-Pacific with a focus on Switzerland and Vietnam

• Capital market infrastructure and intergration

• Asset and wealth management investment opportunities in emerging markets

• Fintech innovation and digital finance infrastructure

• Financial regulation, transparency, investor confidence

• Mobilizing global capital for innovation, infrastructure, and economic growth in Asia

  
  

Panel Composition: Senior representatives from Swiss and European financial institutions, capital market infrastructure providers, asset managers, Vietnamese commercial banks and investment funds, fintech innovators, international financial institutions, and representatives involved in International Financial Center initiatives.

Keynote Speaker: Representative - Ministry of Finance of Vietnam

Panelists:

• Representative - State Bank of VietNam (SBV)

• Mr. Seung Min Lee - Deputy Representative, European Representative Office (ERO), Asian Develoment Bank (ADB)

• Mr. Nino Feltscher - Policy Advisor International, Swiss Bankers Association (SBA)

• Mr. Rich McClellan - CEO of Vietnam’s International Financial Centre (VIFC)

• Prof. Duc Khuong Nguyen - President of AVSE Global, Senior Fellow of University of Cambridge, Visiting Professor of Prague University of Economics and Business

  
  

Expected Outcomes:

• Strategic dialogue supporting Vietnam's International Financial Center development

• Identification of opportunities for deeper capital market connectivity between Europe and Asia

• Strengthened cooperation between financial institutions, investors, and policymakers

• Exploration of partnerships in fintech, financial infrastructure, and investment platforms connecting European and Asian markets

Theme: Building Responsible Innovation and Cross-Border Digital Collaboration

Focus

• AI governance and ethical frameworks

• Digital trust certification and standards

• Blockchain and fintech ecosystems

• Data governance and cybersecurity cooperation

• Regulatory sandbox collaboration

  
  

Panel Composition: Academic experts, digital policy leaders, technology firms, innovation agencies, and representatives from emerging tech ecosystems in both countries

Keynote Speaker:

Mr. Thomas Gfeller - CEO of Switzerland Innovation Foundation

Panelists:

• Mr. Thomas Gfeller - CEO of Switzerland Innovation Foundation

• Prof Dr. Harald Gall - Dean of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Informatics, University of Zurich

• Ms. Bhavana (Kharay) Bhinder - Security and Privacy Risk Leader, Office of CISO, Healthcare and Life Sciences of Google

• Mr. Cezar Chirila - Executive Director, Senior AI Expert, Front-to-Back Cedit Processing of UBS

• Dr. Thierry Buecheler - Head of EMEA – Focus North and East, Oracle Business Value & Strategy

Moderator:

Ms. Xandra Farkas - Senior Executive Insurance, Banking, FinTech - UZH Lecturer

Expected Outcomes

• Launch of a Swiss–Vietnam Digital Trust Dialogue

• Exploration of joint AI research and innovation programs

• Framework for digital governance cooperation

Note: This workshop will run in parallel with Session II

Overview:

Practical workshop on market entry between Vietnam and Switzerland, combining legal, business, and institutional perspectives.

Focus:

• Market-entry strategies and business structuring

• Legal, tax, regulatory, and operational considerations

• Investment protection and treaty frameworks (EVFTA, EVIPA, Switzerland–Vietnam agreements)

• Real-life implementation challenges and execution risks

Core topics:

• Entry routes, local entities, distributors, and joint ventures

• Licensing, taxation, compliance, and governance

• Contracts, employment, and workforce mobility

• Investor protection, dispute resolution, and long-term investment confidence

Speakers:

• Mr. Marco Förster -  ASEAN Director at Dezan Shira & Associates , Hanoi Representative of SVEF

• Dr. Marus Witter - Founder of Contagi AG

• Mr. Claude Lauper: Head International Business & Risk Management at Zürich Kantonalbank (ZKB)

Moderator: 

Ms. Trang Fernandez-Leenknecht - Founder of Holistik LTD, Head of Legal & Compliance SVEF

Structured thematic seating to facilitate cross-sector dialogue:

• Finance

• Technology

• Industry

• Education

• Investment

Welcome remarks by:

• H.E M.s Helene Budliger Artieda, State Secretariat

• Mr. Ivo Sieber, Vice President of SVEF

• Prof. Christian Schwarzenegger, Vice President, University of Zurich

Theme: Strengthening Industrial Value Chains in a Changing Global Landscape 

Focus Areas:

• Smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0

• Industrial electrification, automation, and productivity enhancement

• Energy security, industrial energy supply, and the role of renewable and conventional energy sources

• Resilient supply chains and strategic industrial partnerships between Europe and Asia

• Regulatory compliance and sustainability standards for global export markets

• Circular economy and resource efficiency in manufacturing

• Digital traceability and supply chain transparency

  
  

Panel Composition: Representatives from international industrial technology companies, Vietnamese manufacturing and industrial leaders, Energy and infrastructure companies, Digital technology and industrial innovation providers, Representatives from industrial innovation clusters and investment promotion organizations

Keynote Speaker:

Mr. Roger Sonderegger - Manager Industry Sectors of Swissmem

Panelists:

• Mr. Roger Sonderegger - Manager Industry Sectors of Swissmem

• Mr. Christian Michel - Consultant Southeast Asia of the Switzerland Global Enterprise

• Mr. Manuel Der Hagopian - Partner ar G8A Architechture & Urban Planning

• Mr. Roland Kümin -  Strategic Advisor and B2B Growth & Digital Transformation Consultant

Expected Outcomes:

• Identification of industrial and energy cooperation projects

• Strengthened technology transfer dialogue between Swiss and Vietnamese industries

• Enhanced collaboration on resilient and transparent supply chains

• Strategic dialogue on industrial competitiveness and energy security in global value chains

Theme: Skills for the Future: Empowering People for Sustainable Growth

Focus:

• Research excellence, global collaboration and innovation platforms connecting academia, industry, and technology ecosystems

• Talent development for digital transformation, AI-driven workforce intelligence, and future skills for sustainability economic growth

  
  

Keynote Speaker: tbc

Panelists:

• Ms. Malin Borg - Head of the Swiss Entrepreneurship Program

• Dr. Marcus Wittner - Founding Partner of JP contagi Asia

• Mr. Florin Lanz - Senior Project Manager, Greater Zurich Area

• Mr. Jürgen Brücker - CEO, Executive Education, University of Zurich

  
  

Expected Outcomes:

• Concept for joint innovation lab or research partnership

• Academic mobility framework

• Institutional MoU preparation

Focus:

• 2026–2030 cooperation roadmap

• Public–private working groups

• Sector-specific implementation tracks

• Alignment toward SVEF 2027

  
  

Participants: SVEF leadership, Ambassadors, senior policymakers, private sector leaders, and innovation ecosystem representatives

Panelist:

• H.E. Amb. Thomas Gass - Ambassador of Switzerland to Vietnam

• Dr. Philipp Rösler - Chairman, President of SVEF 

• Mr. Ivo Sieber - Vice President of SVEF

  
  

Expected Outcomes:

• Announcement of 3–5 thematic task forces

• Commitment to structured follow-up

• Confirmation of key cooperation milestones 

Formal signing of cooperation agreements between financial institutions, universities, companies, and public authorities 

Format: Flying dinner / networking dinner 

Purpose:

• Strengthen business relationships

• Facilitate investor and corporate matchmaking

• Reinforce diplomatic engagement