E57: The future of retail in Vietnam — with e-commerce veteran Benji Lamb

If you're on LinkedIn and interested in Vietnam, you've probably already heard of Benji Lamb. He's the founder and CEO of Asia Circles, a company that partners with global brands to help them break into Vietnam’s retail market. And one thing's for sure: he knows his stuff when it comes to e-commerce. We dive into his first-hand experience living through Shanghai’s e-commerce revolution and the striking parallels—and differences—he sees in Vietnam today. Benji breaks down modern trade vs. general trade and shelf commerce vs. push commerce, making sense of how brands really win in Vietnam’s fast-changing retail scene. We also get personal: what’s it been like for him setting up shop here? And is it OK to show vulnerability as a leader in front of your Vietnamese team? If you’re interested in the future of retail and e-commerce in Vietnam, this one’s packed with on-the-ground insights you won’t want to miss.Send us Fan MailIf you enjoy this conversation or think someone in your network could find value in it, please share it and hit follow to get notified when the next episode drops. This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X. A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening.