From Hoa Khoi Doanh Nhan to Hoa Hau The Gioi Doanh Nhan Viet Nam: A 12-year journey of connection

Hoa Hau The Gioi Doanh Nhan Viet Nam 2026 announces a 'powerful' panel of judges.

From a nurtured Idea to a platform for female entrepreneurs

The year 2026 marks the 12th anniversary of the realisation of the idea of a platform for female entrepreneurs. The predecessor of Hoa Hau The Gioi Doanh Nhan Viet Nam is Miss Businesswoman (Hoa Khoi Doanh Nhan), first organised in 2014 by the District 1 Cultural Centre – Ben Thanh Theatre, in collaboration with Ben Thanh Media Entertainment Company. The Head of the Organising Committee is MC Nguyen Duy Manh, Director of Ben Thanh Media.

This was not an idea that appeared overnight. According to journalist Nguyen Duy Manh, he had been drafting the script for this platform since 2009 and had sought sponsors. However, realising the timing was not right, the idea was temporarily shelved. In 2013, he revisited the script, sought like-minded individuals, and subsequently launched the first season in 2014.

The inaugural season garnered attention from the business community. The Organising Committee received 281 applications and selected 35 contestants who met the criteria of being business leaders at the deputy director level or above, with genuinely operational companies. The final night took place at Ben Thanh Theatre on December 31, 2014. Entrepreneur Le Thi Bich Tram won the title of Hoa Khoi Doanh Nhan 2014.

From the very first season, the competition did not solely focus on appearance. Contestants underwent various segments, notably including discussions and interactions about work experience, life opportunities, and societal contributions. The Q&A segment for the Top 3 in the first season revolved around the capabilities of Vietnamese businesses in the integration process.

Runner-up Vivian Nguyen: 'I had a beautiful journey with Hoa Hau The Gioi Doanh Nhan Viet Nam 2024'

Duy Manh and the concept of a “different” platform

The mark of journalist Nguyen Duy Manh in this journey is not only in the role of organising. He started as an MC, worked in the media and entertainment sector, and later established Ben Thanh Media. Many press outlets identify him as the founder of Hoa Khoi Doanh Nhan and as the person behind many programs for the business community.

Notably, in the early years, the founder did not shy away from the model's limitations. In 2017, after Hoa Khoi Doanh Nhan was not organised as a competition due to incomplete documentation requirements, Ben Thanh Media shifted to a recognition program. At that time, Duy Manh candidly acknowledged that the platform needed to continue improving the quality of contestants, assessment methods, and organisation to develop sustainably.

This perspective somewhat reflects a characteristic of the program's development: rather than maintaining a fixed model, the Organising Committee continuously adapts to meet practical demands.

Besides Hoa Khoi Doanh Nhan, Ben Thanh Media has implemented many programs for the business community, including Businessmen Sing, Businessmen for the Community, Warm Love Coats, Mother’s Moon, and other exchange and recognition programs for entrepreneurs. In a 2017 sharing, Duy Manh stated that the major orientation of these programs is to connect and contribute to the community.

From “Hoa Khoi” to “Hoa Hau The Gioi Doanh Nhan”

Over the years, the platform has gradually expanded in both participants and messages. In 2019, the competition was named Hoa Hau The Gioi Doanh Nhan, with criteria including Heart – Vision – Talent – Beauty- and Business. Contestants went through multiple rounds of image, stage skills, performance, and interaction. To Thi Phuong won the highest position in the 2019 season.

By the end of 2022, Nguyen Duy Manh announced the Hoa Hau The Gioi Doanh Nhan 2022–2023 project. At that time, the Organising Committee clearly identified the competition as the successor to Hoa Khoi Doanh Nhan Viet Nam, organised by Ben Thanh Media and founded by journalist and MC Nguyen Duy Manh. The target was expanded to Vietnamese female entrepreneurs living and working worldwide.

Along with the name change, the message was also broadened. From a platform seeking talented and beautiful female entrepreneurs, the program aims at the image of women with Heart – Vision – Talent – Beauty and Connection, with an increasing emphasis on community factors.

The Hoa Hau The Gioi Doanh Nhan Viet Nam 2024 competition was officially licensed.

10 Years: From stage to community activities

One of the points the Organising Committee has mentioned over many years is the charitable activities associated with the competition.

In 2024, after many seasons, the program's winners, runners-up, and contestants participated in the handover ceremony for the Phuc Nguyen 5 bridge in Soc Trang. Here, journalist and Head of the Organising Committee Nguyen Duy Manh, along with the beauties, participated in the bridge handover and gift-giving activities for disadvantaged people.

According to information shared by the Organising Committee, over approximately 10 years, the program has supported children and the vulnerable by providing warm clothes, rice, gifts, and educational support. It has also been involved in building bridges in the Mekong Delta region.

In this aspect, the competition is built on a different logic than merely seeking a title. After the competition, the winners and runners-up remain connected through social, charitable, and community exchange activities.

Year 2024: A significant shift in legality and scale

A notable milestone is the 2024 season being licensed by Dong Nai's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism. This is an important detail when looking back at the program's development, as the history of Hoa Khoi Doanh Nhan once had to shift from a competition format to a recognition format due to licensing issues.

In 2024, the Organising Committee stated that the programme had spanned 7 seasons. The goal was not only to honour appearance but also to emphasise the development and influence of female entrepreneurs on economic life, while seeking beautiful individuals capable of taking action and making practical contributions to the community.

Dong Nai was also chosen with the aim of combining the competition with the promotion of tourism, scenic spots, and local imagery. According to Nguyen Duy Manh, bringing the competition to Dong Nai aligns to promote the beauty of Vietnamese women while introducing the local tourism potential.

The 12th Year: A new transition

Entering 2026, Hoa Hau The Gioi Doanh Nhan Viet Nam continues to change in scale. Ben Thanh Media collaborates with Saigon Tourist Cable Television Company Limited (SCTV) to organise the program. SCTV's participation expands the competition's media system, including television, digital platforms, and SCTV Online. The Organising Committee hopes to bring the image of Vietnamese female entrepreneurs to a wider audience.

The 2026 season carries the message “Beauty From Within”, continuing to emphasise knowledge, character, courage, and social responsibility. The judging panel includes many long-time figures in the arts and media, such as Nguyen Vu, Hien Mai, Mai Thu Huyen, Bang Chau, and People's Artist Trinh Kim Chi.

After the opening stage in Ho Chi Minh City, the competition continues to recruit in Can Tho and Hanoi. On August 26, the Hanoi stage took place at Star Galaxy, attended by the Judging Panel and the Steering Committee, including SCTV General Director Luong Quoc Huy, singer Nguyen Vu, and Master, journalist Duy Manh – Chairman of Ben Thanh Media.

In Hanoi, candidates went through introductions, performances, and personal identity presentations before the council. Outstanding faces continue their journey towards the national finals, expected to be held in Dong Nai in October 2026.

The program's founder, journalist Duy Manh, is joined by two veteran judges.

12 years and a story beyond titles

Looking back from 2014 to 2026, the most noteworthy aspect of Hoa Hau The Gioi Doanh Nhan Viet Nam is not necessarily the number of titles awarded, but rather the process of an initially nurtured idea being sustained, refined, and expanded.

From Hoa Khoi Doanh Nhan to Hoa Hau The Gioi Doanh Nhan Viet Nam, the platform has changed in name, scale, participants, organisation methods, and media system. There were times when the program faced procedural challenges and had to switch formats; there were phases of expansion in scale, gradually moving towards a model combining beauty, entrepreneurship, media, connection, and social activities.

For journalist Nguyen Duy Manh, this journey is also the path of a media professional who steps into event organisation and builds a business community. From an idea conceived in 2009 to the first season in 2014 and the 12th season in 2026, his mark is tied to the role of founder, organiser, and message-shaper for this platform.

And if there is a continuous thread over 12 years, it is the effort to transform a beauty contest into a space for female entrepreneurs to meet, assert themselves, expand connections, and – according to the Organising Committee's orientation – continue to use their influence for community activities.

In 2026, as Hoa Hau The Gioi Doanh Nhan Viet Nam enters its 12th year, the story is not just about finding the most beautiful woman on stage. It is also about how a platform was formed from a personal idea, underwent changes and challenges, and gradually established itself within the Vietnamese female entrepreneur community.

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