On the afternoon of October 10, 2025, GELEX hosted a high-level dialogue at its Ho Chi Minh City office, with a live connection to Hanoi. The session took place in an open and inspiring atmosphere, featuring Mr. Brian Wong, former executive of Alibaba, and Ms. Shweta Shukla, former HR Director of Netflix. The event was attended by the Board of Directors, executive management, the Corporate Culture project team, and managers from GELEX member companies.

The speakers shared profound perspectives on the mission, vision, and core values of businesses, emphasizing the exemplary role of leadership, a foundation for building an organization that is sustainable, cohesive, and ever-evolving. The dialogue encouraged open discussion, as GELEX members were inspired by success stories from leading global corporations, while actively engaging with questions and ideas that reflected their shared spirit of learning and aspiration to build a lasting GELEX.

Core Values – The Foundation of Longevity

Mr. Brian Wong highlighted two main reasons why companies decline: a lack of innovation and internal crises. Therefore, core values are not mere slogans, but the true strength that helps organizations endure through change.

“At Alibaba, our mission is to make it easy to do business anywhere,” he said. “Our vision is not about power or size, but about being a good company that lasts 102 years.”

He shared Alibaba’s “decision-making triangle”, which places customers first, followed by employees, and finally investors, because when customers are satisfied and employees are happy, the company’s value naturally grows.

Alibaba’s work culture, he noted, rests on three principles:

  • Trust – simplifying processes and enabling faster action.
  • Constant change – because in e-commerce, “the only thing that doesn’t change is change itself.”
  • A bias for action – “If not now, when? If not me, who?”

He left a memorable message for GELEX: “Take life seriously, but enjoy your work—because work is a part of life, not separate from it.”

Leading by Example – The Key to Sustainable Change

Continuing the discussion, Ms. Shweta Shukla, former HR Director at Netflix, spoke about the importance of psychological safety, the foundation for a thriving and committed team, where everyone feels heard and trusted.

This sense of safety, she explained, must be built from both sides: Leaders who create an open, non-judgmental environment; and Team members who are honest, direct, avoid gossip, and maintain mutual trust.

Embedding new culture and behaviors requires 6 to 12 months of consistent leadership, no exceptions.

She added, “Change only begins when leaders truly believe and are willing to change themselves. Once trust spreads, everyone will move toward a shared goal.”

 

The dialogue concluded with a sense of reflection and inspiration. Regardless of where a company operates, in Asia or Europe, it must have a clear vision, mission, and core values to guide its actions.

A mission serves as the compass that helps leaders decide what to do, and what not to do. From the stories of Alibaba and Netflix, one universal truth stands out: “Principles may evolve, but what matters most is that we move in the same direction—sharing one mission, one purpose.”

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