NEC Vietnam Taps Veteran Leader for AI-Driven Push in Southeast Asia

HANOI, Vietnam – May 18, 2026 – NEC Vietnam has appointed long-time company veteran Yasushi Numakura as its new General Director, a strategic move signaling a deeper commitment to Vietnam's burgeoning digital economy and a reinforced push to establish the country as a technology hub for the broader Asia-Pacific market. The appointment, effective April 1, 2026, places a leader with over three decades of experience at the helm as the company aligns with both Vietnam's national ambitions and NEC Corporation's global vision for an AI-driven future.

Numakura's return to a top leadership role in Vietnam is a testament to his deep familiarity with the region. He is not a newcomer to the country's dynamic market, having previously served as the Head of NEC Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh branch in 2014. During that tenure, he was instrumental in transforming the branch's business portfolio and forging key regional partnerships. His extensive career, which began with the NEC Group in 1990, spans systems engineering, mobile technology development, and global business leadership, providing him with a comprehensive understanding of the technological and commercial forces shaping the industry.

A Veteran Hand for a New Digital Era

In his new capacity, Numakura is tasked with steering NEC Vietnam's strategic direction, with a pronounced focus on bolstering its software development capabilities and accelerating digital transformation projects. This mission extends beyond Vietnam's borders, positioning the subsidiary as a critical development and service center for both Japanese and other APAC markets.

His leadership arrives at a pivotal moment for NEC Corporation globally. The company is aggressively pursuing its “Mid-term Management Plan 2025,” which outlines a path to becoming a world-class provider of Digital Government and Digital Finance (DG/DF) solutions and a leader in the global 5G rollout. This strategy is underpinned by a profound internal and external transformation toward becoming an AI-native organization where security is paramount.

"I am excited to join NEC Vietnam and build on the strong momentum established by the local team over the years," Numakura shared in a statement. "In line with NEC's 2030 mid-term direction, we will also advance our capabilities as an AI-native organization with security at the core, ensuring that our innovations are both impactful and resilient."

Aligning with a National Transformation

NEC's sharpened focus is perfectly timed to synchronize with Vietnam's own ambitious national agenda. The Vietnamese government's "National Digital Transformation Program" aims for the digital economy to constitute 20% of the nation's GDP by 2025 and 30% by 2030. This initiative prioritizes the digitization of key sectors such as finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and public administration, creating a fertile ground for NEC's core competencies.

The company's established expertise in biometrics, public safety, and enterprise software solutions directly addresses the pillars of Vietnam's strategy. As the government works to make 100% of administrative procedures available online and climb the ranks of the UN's e-government index, NEC's experience in building secure and efficient digital infrastructures for governments worldwide becomes a significant asset. Furthermore, the national "Make in Vietnam" strategy, which encourages local innovation and production, aligns with NEC's goal of strengthening its local software development teams.

Navigating a Competitive Landscape and Cultivating Talent

While the opportunity is vast, NEC operates in an increasingly competitive market. Vietnam's IT software and services sector, valued at around $8 billion in 2023, is forecast to grow at a blistering 17% annually. The landscape is populated by formidable local giants like FPT Software and a host of agile, fast-growing IT outsourcing firms such as TMA Solutions and Kaopiz, all vying for a share of the global and domestic markets.

To succeed, NEC Vietnam's strategy will rely heavily on leveraging one of the country's greatest assets: its people. Vietnam boasts a young, dynamic, and cost-effective tech workforce of over half a million professionals, with an additional 55,000 to 60,000 IT students graduating each year. By expanding its software development and AI operations, NEC is positioned to tap into this rich talent pool, fostering innovation while benefiting from significant cost advantages compared to other regional hubs.

This investment in local talent is symbiotic. The government's new "Law on the Digital Technology Industry," effective in 2026, prioritizes the development of human resources for the tech sector. NEC's focus on high-value skills in AI and cybersecurity can provide crucial career pathways for Vietnamese professionals and create opportunities for collaboration with local universities and Vietnam's vibrant startup ecosystem, which already includes four unicorns. By embedding itself within this ecosystem, NEC Vietnam is not only advancing its own corporate goals but also contributing to the foundation of Vietnam's digital future, positioning itself as a pivotal player in the nation's journey to becoming a true technology powerhouse in Southeast Asia.