Nguyen Trung Chinh, Chairman of CMC Corporation, has been appointed by Keidanren - the Japan Business Federation - as a Shingiin, or Member of the Board of Councillors, opening a new strategic channel to connect Vietnamese and Japanese businesses in technology, artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure.

Recently, Keidanren issued an official letter announcing the appointment of Nguyen Trung Chinh as a Shingiin. His term began on June 3, 2026 and will continue until the conclusion of Keidanren’s 2028 Annual General Meeting, expected to be held at the end of May 2028.

A strategic bridge between Vietnam and Japan

Keidanren, officially known as the Japan Business Federation, is one of Japan’s most influential economic organizations. Established in 1946 during the country’s post-war reconstruction period, it has evolved into a major forum bringing together leading corporations, industry associations and regional economic organizations.

The federation is widely regarded as the voice of Japan’s business community, with members including major corporations such as ANA Holdings, ITOCHU Corporation, Mitsui & Co., Hitachi, Panasonic Holdings, Nippon Steel, Mitsubishi Electric, Dai-ichi Life Holdings, Marubeni and Tokyo Gas.

For decades, Keidanren has served as a bridge between Japanese businesses and the government, contributing policy recommendations on economic development, industry, trade, investment, labor, environmental issues, science and technology, and international cooperation.

Within Keidanren’s organizational structure, the Board of Councillors functions as a senior consultative body where representatives of member companies discuss major issues at the request of the federation’s chairman. Topics range from economic, industrial and social matters to environmental, scientific and technological issues, as well as long-term strategic directions for Japan’s business community.

As such, the role of Shingiin is not an executive management position but a strategic advisory one. Members of the Board of Councillors contribute policy perspectives, governance experience, cooperation proposals and initiatives that can influence Japan’s economic engagement with international partners.

The appointment of a Vietnamese business leader as a Keidanren Shingiin is regarded as a significant strategic signal. For CMC, it marks a transition from being a member company to participating more deeply in strategic dialogue and consultation within Japan’s economic community.

A representative of Keidanren acknowledged Nguyen Trung Chinh’s contributions to strengthening cooperation between Vietnamese and Japanese businesses, particularly in technology, digital transformation and artificial intelligence.

“Mr. Nguyen Trung Chinh and CMC have played an active role in connecting the Japanese business community with Vietnam. In his capacity as Shingiin, we expect him to continue contributing perspectives from Vietnam and ASEAN while promoting new cooperation initiatives in the digital economy, AI, technology infrastructure and human resource development,” the representative said.

Expanding cooperation in technology and innovation

The appointment comes as Vietnam and Japan continue to deepen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Beyond traditional cooperation in trade, investment and manufacturing, both countries are increasingly focusing on emerging sectors such as AI, data centers, digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, semiconductors, innovation and high-quality workforce development.

For Japan, Vietnam is becoming an increasingly important growth destination in ASEAN. For Vietnam, Japan remains a key partner with strengths in industry, technology, governance, investment and sustainable development standards.

In this context, Nguyen Trung Chinh is expected to contribute the perspective of a Vietnamese technology entrepreneur with deep knowledge of the Japanese market and experience promoting areas that have become shared priorities for both economies. Areas such as AI-X, AI Cloud, data centers, digital sovereignty, the data economy and technology talent development are among the fields where CMC can further expand cooperation through Keidanren’s network.

Japan is one of CMC’s most important international markets. The corporation has operated there for more than two decades and maintains a presence in major economic and technology centers including Yokohama, Osaka and Tokyo.

Through CMC Japan and the broader CMC Global ecosystem, the company provides technology services, digital transformation solutions, data and AI services, cloud computing, software development and consulting for Japanese clients.

In 2024, CMC opened its third office in Tokyo and announced its AI Transformation strategy for the Japanese market. During the same year, the corporation joined Keidanren, creating new opportunities to collaborate with leading Japanese companies in AI, digital transformation, data infrastructure and technology workforce development.

Promoting Vietnam’s technology voice on the global stage

Nguyen Trung Chinh is Co-founder, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Executive Chairman of CMC Corporation. From a small technology company established in 1993, CMC has grown into one of Vietnam’s leading technology groups, employing more than 6,000 people and operating in around 30 international markets.

Under his leadership, the company has built a technology ecosystem spanning digital infrastructure, technology solutions, global services, research and education. In recent years, CMC has accelerated its AI-X strategy, focusing on artificial intelligence, data centers, cloud computing, cybersecurity, digital transformation and high-quality technology workforce development.

Beyond his role at CMC, Nguyen Trung Chinh has also been active in professional organizations, business associations and advisory councils in Vietnam. He is a founding member of the Vietnam Private Business Association and previously served as its Standing Vice Chairman. He also served as Vice Chairman of VINASA for the 2016-2020 term, Vice Chairman of the National Cybersecurity Association for 2023-2028, and Vice Chairman of the National Data Association for 2025-2030.

He has participated in several high-level government advisory councils, contributing recommendations on economic development, science and technology, innovation, digital transformation and data governance. At both domestic and international forums, he has consistently emphasized the importance of digital infrastructure, data sovereignty, AI and technology talent in enhancing national competitiveness.

Speaking about the appointment, Nguyen Trung Chinh described it as both an honor and a significant responsibility for himself and CMC.

“I deeply appreciate the trust of Keidanren and the Japanese business community. In my role as Shingiin, I hope to contribute further to strengthening economic, technological and innovation cooperation between Vietnam and Japan, particularly in AI, data, digital infrastructure, cybersecurity and high-quality human resource development,” he said.

According to Chinh, CMC views the role not simply as a title but as an opportunity to advance practical cooperation initiatives. In the coming years, the corporation plans to strengthen connections with Japanese companies, research institutes and universities in AI, data centers, research and development, semiconductors, higher education and digital talent development.

The appointment is expected to elevate the voice of Vietnamese technology enterprises within Japan’s economic community while reinforcing CMC’s position as a digital technology bridge connecting Vietnam, Japan and ASEAN in an era of rapid growth in the digital economy, artificial intelligence and data infrastructure.

PV