The Makeover 2025 showcases AI-driven innovation in business and HR

The Makeover 2025 showcases AI-driven innovation in business and HR

The Makeover 2025 brought together over 1,800 executives in Ho Chi Minh City to explore how technology and human insight can shape the future of business.

Launched by Talentnet in 2023, The Makeover is an annual conference that highlights emerging trends in business and human resources (HR). This year's edition, held on October 15–16, provided a platform for regional leaders and futurists to discuss strategies for sustainable growth, covering topics from AI-driven human resource models to future-ready leadership frameworks.

The two-day conference also introduced 'M-AI', the virtual MC powered by real-time motion capture technology. Taking the stage alongside a human co-host, M-AI was more than a novelty, it symbolised the collaboration between humans and machines in storytelling and engagement. The virtual host’s natural movements, expressive visuals, and real-time interaction captivated the audience, proving that even in the digital era, innovation can carry a deeply human touch.

M-AI, The Makeover's virtual MC, showcases real-time interaction and expressive movements

Technology wasn’t just showcased on stage, it flowed through every attendee experience and the moment guests entered the futuristic Neo-Arena, they were greeted by a seamless blend of sound, light, and motion that blurred the line between audience and stage.

Day 1 of The Makeover on October 15 featured insights from leading voices in the regional and global business scene, including Pham Minh Huong (IPA Group), Son Do Lenh (Talentnet), Sujay Bhat (SAP SuccessFactors), and futurist Henrik von Scheel. Huong presented the Transformation and Continuation framework, showing how businesses can innovate while remaining true to their core. Lenh encouraged leaders to 'rewrite the rules' of technology adoption and reclaim strategic direction, while Bhat highlighted AI’s potential to create predictive, personalised HR strategies that enhance engagement and productivity.

Wrapping up Day 1, Henrik von Scheel, the Danish futurist and strategist credited with coining the term 'Industry 4.0', delivered a keynote titled 'The Next Disruption: Lead It or Be Led.' He emphasised the importance of the human element in organisations, saying,"The more technology advances, the more we must focus on people. Build in-house AI models to protect data and reduce risks. The leader of the future is the one who aligns goals, tracks progress, and adapts swiftly, ensuring the entire team moves forward together."

Henrik von Scheel

If Day 1 focused on transformation, Day 2 on October 16 turned the spotlight on people. Opening the sessions, Godelieve van Dooren, Southeast Asia CEO of Mercer, explored how AI is redefining compensation and rewards, bringing greater transparency and efficiency while reminding leaders that fairness and empathy must remain at the core. During the panel 'Beyond Pay: Rethinking employee value in the AI age', experts from Nafoods Group, Home Credit Vietnam, and Talentnet agreed that personalisation is now the true differentiator.

Organisations that understand employees as individuals, not data points, will earn lasting engagement and loyalty. Closing the event, Nguyen Thi Quynh Phuong, head of Human Capital Solutions at Talentnet, unveiled The 2025 Talentnet–Mercer Total Remuneration Survey, emphasising that flexible and insight-driven rewards policies are key for resilience and sustainable growth in a fast-changing market.

Nguyen Thi Quynh Phuong, head of Human Capital Solutions at Talentnet

The event was supported by leading brands including SAP, GREENFEED, HSBC, IPA Group, OCB, PNJ, British Council, ELSA, and goFLUENT, alongside exhibitions and digital media partners such as Dragon Capital, FulbrightX, Fullerton, Phuong Nam Bookstore, Singapore Management University, WOGI, ZaloPay, Hoiana, FT Vietnam, and Quickom, contributing to the wide reach and impact of The Makeover 2025.

VIR