Double-digit growth, record dryer sales, and a disciplined commercial execution are shaping our performance in one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic markets. Robert Vu, Electrolux Group General Manager in Vietnam, discusses how the team is navigating competition, driving performance, and preparing for the next phase of growth.
Hi Robert. Based on your time in Vietnam, how would you describe the current market landscape and evolving consumer expectations?
As a strategic base for many major Asian competitors, Vietnam represents a dynamic, fast-evolving, and increasingly challenging market. We are seeing strong price pressure, intense competition from regional and local brands, and rapidly changing consumer expectations.
One unique characteristic of Vietnam is the speed at which consumers adopt new technologies and trends. This often requires us to introduce and refresh innovations faster than in many other markets.
At the same time, consumers are becoming more design-conscious and quality-driven, while still expecting competitive pricing. Balancing these expectations makes the market both exciting and demanding.
What is our position in this increasingly competitive market?
Electrolux Group continues to maintain a strong position in the mass-premium segment. This is driven by our commitment to thoughtful design, human-centric innovation, and reliable product performance that consumers trust.
We are leaders in the dryer segment, and last year we turned around our performance in the cooking category.
Looking ahead, our focus is not only on growth but also on building a sustainable brand that resonates with modern Vietnamese homes. We aim to deliver meaningful innovations that improve everyday life at home, strengthen partnerships with our retail partners, and continue developing categories with strong long-term potential.
Despite the challenges you mentioned, the local team has achieved impressive growth. What key factors do you believe have driven this success?
Firstly, we focused on disciplined sales execution, ensuring a data-driven approach in market sensing, forecast accuracy, and sell-out tracking. We’ve also optimized the product portfolio to stay focused and maximize profitability. And, of course, we’ve leveraged our recent launches, such as the UltimateCare3 laundry range, to further strengthen our collaboration with trade partners. New products and displays for this launch were rolled out across key channels within just the first three months, significantly accelerating speed-to-market and visibility.
The second success factor is our highly engaged people. The right mindset within the organization boosts speed, agility, collaboration, empowerment and ownership. Over the past couple of years, this culture has enabled our teams to navigate challenges more effectively and execute with greater confidence and accountability.
While Vietnam achieved strong results in 2025, we need to strike a balance between discipline and flexibility to continue growing in one of the world’s most dynamic markets.
How would your team describe the way you lead and show up for them?
I work with an open-door, servant-leadership approach. We are a small team, so my door is always open for colleagues to share and express whatever may be on their minds.
Secondly, I see myself as someone who is there to promote employee well-being, growth and empowerment. I try to act as I would expect any good manager to: listen, support mental health, take responsibility and protect the team, share power and encourage autonomy, and balance daily tasks with long-term vision.
Finally, although a bit extreme, I make myself available 24/7 because, from experience, problems arise at the least expected times, especially during peak shopping hours on weekends or holiday periods.
Ready for the next phase of growth
Building on this momentum, our team in Vietnam will continue to focus on strengthening its core categories, accelerating digital growth, and deepening collaboration with partners. With a strong foundation in place, the team is well-positioned to capture new opportunities and drive sustainable growth in the years ahead.
