The Autumn Economic Forum 2026 provides a platform for the Vietnam International Financial Center to showcase its operating model and attract international investors. It is held in Ho Chi Minh City and promises to reveal how a large‑scale gathering can become a source of real capital.

McClellan said the 1,500 attendees could generate about 100 exchanged business cards, lead to 30 further discussions and finally result in five substantive investment opportunities. He explained that this illustrates how the centre builds its pipeline from initial contact to real deals.

McClellan stressed that the forum should be seen as the start of the investment‑development process, not the end. He added that the real value lies in the follow‑up work after the event, when discussions turn into actual transactions.

Knapper noted that in less than a year the centre moved from a National Assembly resolution to an operational organisation, establishing a legal framework, securing its first founding members and launching an online membership registration system. This rapid progress gives investors confidence in the centre’s credibility.

The event expects more than 1,500 delegates, including representatives from at least 22 international VIP delegations, and aims to announce 12 new foreign direct investment projects with a combined registered capital of about US$13 billion. These targets show how the forum seeks to convert early interest into concrete investment commitments.