HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, March 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A new book on Vietnam, 40 Years of Innovators, has been published by Alpha Books, a Hanoi-based publisher. The book features the founding stories of 25 remarkable individuals who have made a difference for Vietnam during the past 40 years of Doi Moi, the renovation policies that began in 1986 and kick-started Vietnam’s rapid economic growth of the past few decades. The book will be formally launched in English and Vietnamese in April.
40 Years of Innovators is co-authored by Sam Van, founder of SRO Partners who has helped more than 70 companies get listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and Sam Korsmoe, an American writer based in Ho Chi Minh City. Korsmoe has previously published four books and five short story anthologies with the Saigon Writers Club, which he founded in 2021.
Over an 18-month period, the authors conducted more than 70 interviews with over 50 business leaders, innovators, and changemakers from diverse industries and backgrounds. These individuals were leaders and changemakers. From this group, they selected 25 individuals whose experiences best illustrate Vietnam’s development story. The final result is a compelling narrative that shows, through the art of storytelling, how Vietnam has grown and developed over the past 40 years of Doi Moi.
“This book does not tell the story of policies. It tells the story of people who dared to step into uncharted territory, who broke barriers and opened new paths for the nation’s development,” said Dr. Truong Gia Binh, Founder and Chairman of the FPT Corporation, who wrote a book review.
Ted Osius, the former US Ambassador to Vietnam (2014 to 2017) added in his book review, “This book tells us about 25 remarkable individuals who contributed to Vietnam’s success. Their stories inspire, because they truly made a difference for Vietnam.”
The book organizes the 40-year history of Doi Moi into five distinct eras, beginning in the late 1980s when the concept of a market economy was just getting started and culminating with an analysis of Vietnam’s post-Covid high-tech future and its approach to A.I. and other digital ventures.
The individuals featured in the book represent five groups that have played key roles in shaping contemporary Vietnam:
- Vietnamese who studied in Eastern Europe in the 1970s and ‘80s
- Vietnamese educated in Western Europe, North America, and Australasia
- Entrepreneurs who studied domestically before launching their ventures
- Overseas Vietnamese who later returned to contribute to the country’s development
- Long-term expatriates who have lived and worked in Vietnam for two decades or more.
“Our challenge was to match these leaders from different backgrounds to specific eras of Doi Moi in order to tell the story of Vietnam’s development. We did that through the stories of the pioneers who went first and made a positive difference,” said co-author Sam Korsmoe.
“To my knowledge, no one has written a book like this,” added co-author Sam Van. “These stories are sublime and offer a rare insight into how Vietnam has been able to sustain strong economic development for decades. Ultimately, the story is about people, not policies.”
The authors have launched a website to accept early book orders at www.VietnamInnovators.com. A formal launch event for 40 Years of Innovators is planned for April in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, with additional reading and events scheduled throughout the year across Vietnam.
For additional information and interview or review opportunities about the book, please email the authors directly.
Sam Korsmoe – [email protected]
Sam Van – [email protected]
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/46284c40-e75f-460e-8ebc-d202e6afef39
