The Makeover 2025: AI with a human core for HR
The Makeover 2025 gathered over 1,800 leaders in Ho Chi Minh City on October 15-16 to talk about practical ways tech and human insight can drive growth. Launched by Talentnet in 2023, the conference has become a key stop for HR and business leaders who want strategy that actually works.
This year's headline: AI is here to raise the bar across HR - from workforce planning to rewards - but people remain the lever.
A virtual MC that felt human
The event introduced M-AI, The Makeover's virtual MC powered by real-time motion capture. On stage with a human co-host, M-AI delivered natural movements, visual nuance, and live interaction - not as a gimmick, but as proof that tech can boost engagement while keeping it personal.
That theme carried into the venue experience. The Neo-Arena blended sound, light, and motion to reduce the gap between stage and audience. It set the tone: immersion is the new norm for corporate events.
Day 1: Transformation with intent
Pham Minh Huong (IPA Group) introduced a Transformation and Continuation framework - innovate, but keep your core steady. Son Do Lenh (Talentnet) pushed leaders to reclaim their strategy and stop letting tools dictate direction.
Sujay Bhat (SAP SuccessFactors) showed how AI can make HR predictive and personal, improving engagement and productivity without bloating process. Then futurist Henrik von Scheel, known for defining Industry 4.0, closed with a clear reminder: "The more technology advances, the more we must focus on people." He urged building in-house AI models to protect data, cut risk, and keep teams moving in one direction with clear goals and fast feedback loops.
Day 2: Put people first, then scale
Godelieve van Dooren, Southeast Asia CEO of Mercer, unpacked how AI is reshaping compensation. Transparency and efficiency are rising, but fairness and empathy still decide trust.
On the panel "Beyond Pay: Rethinking employee value in the AI age," leaders from Nafoods Group, Home Credit Vietnam, and Talentnet aligned on a simple truth: personalisation wins. See employees as individuals, not data rows, and you earn lasting commitment.
To close, Nguyen Thi Quynh Phuong, head of Human Capital Solutions at Talentnet, announced The 2025 Talentnet-Mercer Total Remuneration Survey. Her point was direct: flexible, insight-led rewards policies will be the difference between resilience and rework in a fast-moving market.
What HR leaders can apply now
- Build safe AI: explore in-house or private models for sensitive HR data; set clear governance, audit trails, and human review.
- Make HR predictive: use skills and performance signals to forecast attrition, mobility, and hiring needs before they hit.
- Personalise at scale: move beyond one-size-fits-all policies; segment rewards, learning, and career paths by impact and aspiration.
- Modernise rewards: combine pay with flexibility, growth, and well-being; treat total rewards as an experience, not a spreadsheet.
- Measure what matters: link AI initiatives to a tight set of metrics-time-to-fill, quality of hire, engagement, performance uplift.
- Keep the human in the loop: train managers to use AI insights wisely; judgment and context still carry the final say.
Why this event mattered
Technology wasn't just discussed - it was felt, from M-AI on stage to a venue experience built for attention. Sponsors and partners such as SAP, GREENFEED, HSBC, IPA Group, OCB, PNJ, British Council, ELSA, goFLUENT, and others helped extend the reach, ensuring ideas move from stage to execution.
Next step: upskill your HR team on AI
If you're turning these insights into plans, invest in focused learning. Explore practical, role-based AI training for HR teams at Complete AI Training.
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