“Breaking out of the cocoon” does not always begin with major turning points. Sometimes, it starts with listening more attentively, having the courage to step beyond the boundaries of one’s expertise, or trusting others with greater responsibility to grow together as a team. Reflecting the spirit of Women in Tech at Galaxy Holdings, the journeys of three female leaders embody a proactive approach to change, where technology is shaped by empathy, human connection, and the confidence to create distinctive value.
Staying curious, keeping an open mind, and daring to step beyond comfort zone
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hai – Human Resources Director , Galaxy Holdings reflects on her professional growth as a journey of continually expanding her own horizons. With a background in human resources management, she realized that understanding people alone was not enough to effectively guide an organization in the technology sector. She chose to deepen her understanding of technology, business models, and how technology creates tangible value. Equally important was establishing a shared vision, bringing together diverse perspectives, and fostering a supportive environment where every employee could realize their full potential.
This journey also means being willing to ask new questions and openly acknowledge what she does not yet know, embracing continuous learning along the way.
Representing Galaxy Holdings, Nguyen Thi Hai and the team receive the Asia’s Best Workplaces 2025 recognition.
Embracing new versions of ourselves with greater calm and confidence
At a certain point in her career, Ms. Nguyen Kim Anh – Deputy CEO, Galaxy Pay realized that excelling at her individual responsibilities was not enough to help the team move forward. Amid the pressure of major projects and demanding schedules, she came to understand that performance depends on more than professional expertise and a strong sense of responsibility. Behind every task are individual challenges and concerns that each team member must navigate. Even the most well-reasoned decision may fall short of its potential if a leader has not taken the time to truly understand the people working alongside them.
For Kim Anh, staying calm under pressure does not mean lowering expectations. Rather, it means listening with empathy and understanding to help the team work through challenges together. This approach allows her to balance business requirements with each team member’s individual strengths and perspectives, ensuring that organizational goals remain on track while creating opportunities for everyone to perform at their best.
Galaxy Pay’s leadership and team celebrate the company’s fifth anniversary.
Challenging familiar ways of working to stay ahead of change
For Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Phuong – Operations Director, Galaxy Connect, a defining challenge came with the need to scale the team within a short period, while operational capabilities had yet to fully keep pace with the company’s rapid growth. Addressing this bottleneck required more than recruitment. It called for a shift in management thinking: redefining roles, optimizing processes, and creating space for each team member to demonstrate their capabilities.
This required a thoughtful balance between maintaining clear standards and empowering people through trust. An effective leader does not take on the team’s work themselves, but focuses on putting the right people in the right roles and providing the support they need to grow. In doing so, individual development becomes a source of collective strength for the business.
Breaking out of the cocoon does not necessarily mean a dramatic transformation. Sometimes, it simply means learning to stay calmer under pressure, having the courage to move beyond the boundaries of expertise, or trusting others enough to delegate rather than trying to handle everything alone.
Galaxy Connect marks the first anniversary of laying the foundation for the HDBank Contact Center project.
Although their professional journeys span different roles across the Galaxy Holdings ecosystem, all three leaders share a common choice: refusing to let existing knowledge and experience limit what comes next. Their stories demonstrate that growth does not follow a fixed formula, but is driven by a willingness to adapt and take initiative.
This ability to adapt with both flexibility and conviction provides a strong foundation for women at Galaxy Holdings to thrive in a new era of technology.
Women in Tech: Shaping the future of technology with confidence and empathy
As AI and automation increasingly take on tasks involving information processing and data analysis, the expectations placed on leadership in technology companies are also evolving. Amid this wave of innovation, the question for women at Galaxy Holdings extends beyond what technology can do to how it can truly serve people and create sustainable value.
From an operational perspective, Kim Anh believes that data and AI provide objective foundations for decision-making. Yet the ability to observe, empathize with, and understand people – qualities that algorithms cannot fully replicate – is what ultimately makes the difference.
From a human resources perspective, Hai emphasizes that a leader’s core value in the AI era lies in the ability to connect technology with business realities and human needs. AI can optimize tasks, but setting direction, building alignment, and helping teams navigate change still require the conviction, judgment, and sensitivity of a leader.
Echoing this perspective, Bich Phuong recognizes AI’s potential to improve productivity while emphasizing that people remain the ones who define and direct the value it creates. Women at Galaxy Holdings are therefore going beyond simply adopting technology. They are taking an active role in driving positive change for both their organizations and the wider community.
Breaking out of “the cocoon” to discover how far we can go
On Vietnamese Women’s Day, October 20, the stories of these leaders at Galaxy Holdings convey an important message: Women in technology do not need to confine themselves to predefined roles or expectations. Everyone can grow with confidence in their own way, as long as they remain committed to learning, taking initiative, and believing in the value they bring.
Ultimately, breaking out of the cocoon is not about becoming someone else. It is about having the courage to move beyond old limitations, discover new potential, and confidently forge one’s own path – not only to unlock personal potential, but also to create greater opportunities for the teams and communities we grow with.
