Mai Kieu Lien ranks 71st on Fortune’s 2026 list of Asia’s Most Powerful Women, up 2 places from 2025 and 4 places from 2024, when she first appeared on the list. Fortune highlighted her transition from a dairy engineer to one of Vietnam’s longest-serving CEOs. Under her leadership, Vinamilk has gone through major changes, including equitization, stock market listing, and expansion into international markets.
“After 50 years, I believe choosing a career in the dairy industry was the right decision. I’ve been able to contribute to building a Vietnamese dairy industry that’s self-reliant, led by Vietnamese people, and recognized around the world,” said Lien.
In 1976, after completing her studies in dairy processing in the Soviet Union, Lien returned to Vietnam and began her career at the Truong Tho Dairy Factory. Back then, Vietnam’s dairy industry was just getting started, with limited raw materials, outdated equipment, and a shortage of skilled workers.
She began as an engineer and gradually took on management positions before being appointed CEO of Vinamilk in 1992. Over the past three decades, she has led the company through some of Vietnam’s biggest economic changes, from a centrally planned economy to a market-oriented one, and from opening up to international trade to competing directly with major global dairy brands.
Throughout her leadership, she has focused on building Vinamilk’s ability to operate independently and grow sustainably. The company has invested in advanced technology, developed modern dairy farms, and continuously improved its production processes. Making product quality the top priority has kept Vinamilk at the forefront of Vietnam’s dairy industry.
“In 1997, when the United Nations launched its Oil-for-Food Program, we donated two containers to Iraq, one containing powdered milk for children. After testing the quality of our products, Iraqi representatives traveled to Vietnam to visit our factory and learn about our production processes and technology. Following their visit, they placed an order for 300 tons of milk. Vietnam once had almost no dairy industry of its own. Today, we’ve built a strong domestic industry and are exporting our products to the world. That’s a great source of pride for me,” said Lien.
Since its establishment in 1976, Vinamilk has grown into an international dairy brand, with products now available in 67 countries and territories and cumulative export revenue of more than 3.9 billion USD. The company currently ranks 36th worldwide in the dairy industry by revenue, and its brand is valued at 2.6 billion USD.
When talking about the company’s achievements, Lien gives credit to the generations of employees who have helped build Vinamilk and emphasizes the importance of developing future leaders to carry the company forward.
“At Vinamilk, I have the opportunity to work in the field I had studied, using technology and processes that are just as advanced as those found around the world,” Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, Director of Vinamilk’s Thong Nhat Dairy Factory, said.
Today, young professionals like marketing specialist Le Kim Hang are bringing fresh ideas to the table and showing initiative and creativity.
“We're encouraged to come up with new ideas and try something a little different. I think that's a good thing. It gives us the confidence to speak our minds, share our opinions, and be open to feedback from others,” said Hang.
In her 50 years with Vinamilk, Mai Kieu Lien has left a lasting mark through her commitment to building a self-reliant business, maintaining high quality standards, earning consumer trust, and continuously embracing change.
