Television interview / Vietnam Today / The Point
A competitive position matters most when a business can turn it into dependable execution.
Mickaël Driol joins Vietnam Today’s The Point for a discussion of Vietnam’s competitiveness. This page explores the operating questions behind that discussion: supplier capability, reliable infrastructure and the path from approval to production.
Vietnam Television’s international English-language channel, bringing news and perspectives on Vietnam to audiences worldwide.
Competitiveness beyond the headline
An interview on the practical capacity behind Vietnam’s industrial ambitions: suppliers, reliable infrastructure and the route from approval to operation.
Interview details
- Guest
- Mickaël Driol, CEO of Mekong Partners
- Programme
- The Point
- Broadcaster
- Vietnam Today / Vietnam Television
- Format
- Television interview
- Programme date
- 15 July 2026
Business perspectives
From competitive status to operating capacity.
Test operating readiness
Supplier capability, power reliability and ramp-up time are practical tests as industrial projects become more demanding.
Build local value
Domestic suppliers and technical capabilities influence how much value production networks retain locally.
Connect policy and delivery
Project readiness requires specific evidence, not just a competitive national profile or an approval.
Mekong Partners perspective
Make readiness measurable before committing.
An implementation plan should distinguish what has been approved, what has been contracted and what has actually been demonstrated. Those are different states. Use an evidence register to record the owner, dependency, deadline and unresolved condition behind each important launch assumption.
Can the location support the process?
Confirm the requirements for utilities, access, equipment installation, logistics and specialist staff. Identify the evidence still needed and the qualified specialists responsible for technical checks. General location attractiveness does not establish that a particular site is ready.
Are suppliers ready for repeatable delivery?
Define qualification gates, process controls, change approval and escalation. Track pilot evidence separately from promised capacity. Review upstream dependencies and subcontracting arrangements so local sourcing does not hide an unresolved continuity risk.
Who owns the path from approval to launch?
Assign accountable owners for each workstream and maintain a shared dependency map. Specify what triggers escalation, who may change the schedule and which open items prevent the next gate from being passed.
A concise readiness dashboard can track unresolved dependencies, qualification progress, required specialist reviews and actions overdue. Each measure needs an agreed definition and a reliable evidence source. A dashboard should surface uncertainty, not conceal it behind a green status.
Start with a decision gate that the management team can use: proceed, proceed with conditions, defer or redesign. Record the basis for that decision and what would cause it to change.
Close the gap between approval and operation.
Share the current project stage and the decisions holding up the next milestone. We can help frame the readiness review, clarify responsibilities and structure an implementation roadmap with relevant specialist input.
