Tran Thanh Phuong – Vietnamese Expert Joins the Judging Panel of the Globee Awards for Technology

Amid the ever-evolving landscape of global technology—where every innovation has the potential to reshape entire industries—international awards play an increasingly vital role in setting new standards of innovation and shaping the future of technology. In this context, the participation of experts from emerging economies—particularly Southeast Asia—as judges for global awards is seen as a positive and progressive step.

In 2025, Mr. Tran Thanh Phuong, Founder and CEO of ExtendMax Vietnam, was officially invited to join the judging panel of the Globee Awards for Technology—one of the world’s most prestigious annual awards programs that honors outstanding technological innovations from hundreds of countries and territories. With deep expertise in regulatory compliance for high-tech products—especially in civil cryptographic devices, telecommunications terminal equipment, and IT products—Mr. Tran Thanh Phuong is a rare representative from Vietnam selected to serve on the panel of this globally recognized award.

Globee Awards for Technology – One of the World’s Most Prestigious Technology Honors

The Globee Awards for Technology is a key category within the Globee® Awards system—an internationally recognized awards program headquartered in the United States. The organization is renowned for honoring excellence in business, customer service, and technology. Specifically, the technology segment focuses on celebrating outstanding innovations across areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, big data, blockchain, IoT, hardware devices, and enterprise software.

Unlike many commercial or media-driven award programs, the Globee Awards implements a transparent evaluation process conducted by independent experts. Judging is not influenced by sponsorship or participation fees. The panel consists of hundreds of technology leaders and professionals from around the world, each assessing submissions based on four key criteria: achievement, main content, clarity, and supporting evidence.

The integrity and objectivity of the evaluation process are ensured through an anonymous scoring system, cross-review mechanisms, and consolidated feedback reports from multiple judges. As a result, the honored innovations are not only groundbreaking but also validated for their practicality, scalability, and market relevance.

Each year, the Globee Technology Awards attract thousands of entries from startups, fast-growing tech firms, and Fortune 500 companies such as IBM, Cisco, Ivanti, and Broadcom—as well as leading Vietnamese technology enterprises like Viettel, FPT, VNPT, and CMC. Over the years, this award has become a significant milestone for organizations aiming to establish their global presence in the tech landscape.

The Role of Judges and the Significance of Vietnamese Expert Representation

The judging panel at the Globee Awards is not only tasked with selecting the most deserving winners, but also with redefining how technological value is perceived in each era. An AI application, for instance, must not only be accurate, but must also ensure data security. A telecommunications device must not only deliver high speed, but also comply with international standards and meet regulatory requirements regarding encryption, frequency spectrum, and security.

This is why experts from interdisciplinary fields—such as technology law, telecommunications policy, cybersecurity, and risk management—are invited to join the judging panel. Their role is to ensure that the recognized solutions are not only technologically innovative, but also practically deployable, capable of navigating the complex legal and regulatory frameworks of different countries.

Mr. Tran Thanh Phuong was invited to the judging panel as a seasoned compliance consultant with hands-on experience supporting multinational corporations in bringing advanced technologies into the Vietnamese and Southeast Asian markets. His expertise is particularly strong in sectors with high regulatory sensitivity, including civil cryptographic devices, telecommunications equipment, wireless networks, and information management software.

From advising on import documentation and analyzing conformity certification requirements to preparing technical dossiers for licensing by Vietnamese regulatory authorities—such as the Government Cipher Committee, the Ministry of Information and Communications, and the Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality—Mr. Phuong’s work demands a deep understanding of both technology and legal-administrative processes. These competencies make him an exceptional contributor to judging categories related to hardware devices, cybersecurity solutions, and cross-border technology platforms.

From Law and Technology to Global Jury Recognition: The Professional Journey of Tran Thanh Phuong

Since founding ExtendMax in 2015, Mr. Tran Thanh Phuong has followed a clear and consistent path in building a specialized consulting platform focused on technology law—a field that was still nascent in Vietnam at the time. Rather than adopting the conventional commercial models, Mr. Phuong focused on solving a highly specific challenge: helping global tech enterprises bring their products into Vietnam legally, efficiently, and in full compliance with increasingly complex regulations on civil cryptography, cybersecurity, and telecommunications.

From the early stages, ExtendMax—under his leadership—pioneered consultancy services for conformity certification of advanced ICT products, including many categorized as “specially controlled items,” such as encrypted devices, wireless transmission equipment, network-connected terminals, and security software. These are product groups that few consultancies have the legal and technical capacity to handle properly.

One of Mr. Phuong’s key contributions has been the design and standardization of tailored consulting workflows for different product categories—a process that had no clear precedent in the Vietnamese market. By systematizing each step—from legal requirement analysis, test planning, and technical dossier preparation to working with regulators such as the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Government Cipher Committee, and the General Department of Customs—ExtendMax significantly reduced time-to-market for client projects.

From a small team of experts, ExtendMax quickly evolved into a trusted consulting partner for many global corporations. Among the most notable achievements:

LEGO’s $1.3 Billion Factory Project in Vietnam:
ExtendMax acted as the Importer of Record and provided end-to-end consulting for all ICT equipment imported for LEGO’s first factory in Southeast Asia—a flagship project with over $1.3 billion in total investment. As a state-of-the-art green facility, the project demanded the import of numerous tech devices requiring complex licenses, such as encrypted systems, high-security networks, and industrial control platforms. In his leadership role, Mr. Phuong ensured legal compliance and importation processes were completed on time, helping LEGO meet its operational commitments.

Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien Metro Project:
Another exemplary case is ExtendMax’s legal and technical advisory role in Vietnam’s first metro line project in Ho Chi Minh City. The metro’s control, monitoring, and communication systems integrated high-tech equipment from Japan and Europe, all subject to stringent local regulations on telecommunications, electromagnetic safety, and encryption. ExtendMax supported legal classification, licensing strategy, and direct liaison with authorities to ensure timely approval for the imported equipment, facilitating the successful trial operation of Vietnam’s inaugural urban railway system.

Beyond these major projects, one of ExtendMax’s greatest strengths under Mr. Phuong’s leadership has been its ability to maintain consistently high compliance standards for global tech companies without incurring legal risks or supply chain delays. The firm’s internal processes have been harmonized with international governance standards and best practices in cross-border risk management—allowing partners to operate with confidence in Vietnam’s regulatory landscape.

This blend of practical experience and cross-disciplinary expertise has positioned Mr. Tran Thanh Phuong as one of the few Vietnamese professionals recognized on the global stage. In 2024 and 2025, he was invited to serve as a judge for the Stevie® Awards, followed by his appointment to the Globee Awards for Technology expert panel in 2025. In these roles, he contributes not only by assessing technological innovation but also by offering legal-technical insights into feasibility, safety, and market readiness—particularly in high-regulation jurisdictions such as Vietnam, the EU, South Korea, and Japan.

What stands out in Mr. Phuong’s journey is not merely the number of projects or accolades, but his unwavering commitment to a core principle: aligning technology with regulatory compliance, and helping businesses bring products to market legally, effectively, and sustainably. This is what makes Tran Thanh Phuong not only a respected CEO, but also a vital professional bridge between the technology sector and national legal systems.

>>> Read more: One of the Few Vietnamese Experts on the Stevie Awards Judging Panel

The Significance of Vietnam’s Participation in the Globee Awards for the National Tech Landscape

The inclusion of a Vietnamese expert on the judging panel of the Globee Technology Awards is not only a personal achievement—it carries broader implications for Vietnam’s technology community. It signals that Vietnam is no longer just a consumer market for technology, but is now capable of contributing to the global conversation by evaluating, validating, and shaping the future of innovation.

For local tech enterprises, having a Vietnamese judge at an internationally respected platform like the Globee Awards can serve as strong motivation to participate more confidently in global competitions. These are arenas that recognize not only bold ideas but also the ability to realize, implement, and align them with international regulatory frameworks. Moreover, Mr. Tran Thanh Phuong’s participation opens doors for greater international networking opportunities for Vietnamese experts and companies operating in legally complex technical fields.

On a personal level, Mr. Phuong’s role as a judge is not only a recognition of his expertise—it’s also an opportunity for continuous learning. By engaging with cutting-edge technologies and global innovations, he gains valuable insights that further enhance the quality of his consulting services for clients in Vietnam and across the region.

In an era where technology is a key driver of economic growth and national innovation, the international presence of Vietnamese experts like Mr. Tran Thanh Phuong at platforms such as the Globee Technology Awards is a meaningful signal. It not only affirms individual capabilities but also elevates the global standing of Vietnam’s tech professionals—a quiet yet powerful step toward deeper integration into the global innovation ecosystem.