Seoul [South Korea], September 9 (ANI): Two prominent Southeast Asian business leaders, Vietnam's Don Lam, Co-founder and CEO of VinaCapital Group, and Philippine entrepreneur Jose Ma Concepcion III, Chairman of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) and Chairman of RFM Corporation, were honoured with the 11th ASEAN Entrepreneur Award at the 27th World Knowledge Forum in Seoul.

The award recognises outstanding entrepreneurs from the ASEAN region and is presented by the World Knowledge Forum in collaboration with the ASEAN-Korea Centre (AKC).

Since 2016, the World Knowledge Forum has been presenting the ASEAN Entrepreneur Award to leading business figures from Southeast Asia to strengthen networks between Korean and ASEAN entrepreneurs and introduce the region's business leaders to Korean investors and the wider public. So far, 23 entrepreneurs have received the prestigious recognition.

This year's awardees represent two key pillars of ASEAN's economic growth, capital and entrepreneurship. Lam has played a significant role in developing Vietnam's investment landscape through VinaCapital, while Concepcion is widely recognised for promoting entrepreneurship and supporting micro, small and medium enterprises in the Philippines and across ASEAN.

The recognition comes as ASEAN continues to emerge as one of the world's most dynamic economic regions, with a population of around 680 million and a combined GDP of approximately USD 3.9 trillion.

Speaking at a panel discussion following the award ceremony, the two leaders highlighted the importance of innovation, inclusion, sustainability and deeper regional cooperation in driving ASEAN's future growth.

Concepcion urged young entrepreneurs to think beyond domestic markets and build businesses with regional and global ambitions.

"Think big," he said, stressing that startups must look beyond national boundaries in an increasingly interconnected global economy.

He also underlined the importance of inclusive economic growth, particularly through greater support for micro, small and medium enterprises, which form the backbone of Southeast Asian economies.

"An economy will only grow if everybody participates in that economic growth," Concepcion said.

Don Lam, meanwhile, highlighted ASEAN's growing economic importance and called for deeper cooperation between South Korea and Southeast Asian countries in investment, technology and innovation

He noted South Korea's strong economic presence in Vietnam, describing it as one of the country's most important investment partners, with major Korean companies playing a significant role in Vietnam's manufacturing and technology sectors.

Looking ahead, Lam identified artificial intelligence as a major opportunity for Korea-ASEAN cooperation. He said Vietnam was investing heavily in developing its technology workforce and aimed to train 50,000 AI engineers over the next 18 months.

The two awardees also emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among governments, businesses and entrepreneurs to ensure that ASEAN's rapid economic growth remains sustainable and inclusive.

The 27th World Knowledge Forum has brought together global political leaders, business executives, scientists and technology innovators in Seoul to discuss some of the world's most pressing economic and technological challenges. (ANI)