Nguyen Giang Son: From Finance to Future-Facing AI

Nguyen Giang Son began his career in finance. But during the pandemic curiosity nudged him in a new direction. “I spent my free time during COVID taking online programming and data analysis courses,” he says. “I was captivated by how data and technology can empower decision-making in modern organisations.”

That spark led him to NTU’s MSc in Data Science as the Class Champion – a recognition he calls “a series of steady steps focused on growth.”

Bridging Data with Decisions

Coming from a non-technical background, he spent over a year building proficiency in Python and SQL. “Before I could comfortably apply them in work, I had to get a deep understanding of the technical tools,” he says.

As a data analyst at One Mount Group, he supported functions across marketing, sales, and management. “It wasn’t just about building models or dashboards,” he explains. “It was about understanding the problem deeply enough to choose the right tool for the job, then communicating the results so they were useful and trusted.”

This emphasis on communication became a key principle. “I spent a lot of time figuring out what kind of value data science could bring, and how to express that impact in a way that made sense.”

Learning Among Peers and Mentors

“I knew beforehand that NTU had a strong research culture, but it was quite different to experience it in person,” Giang Son says.

Lectures included cutting-edge papers, while friendships and collaborations brought concepts to life. “It was very inspiring to study alongside hard-working and talented friends. Not to mention, everybody is just extremely nice and supportive!”

A Mission Beyond Self

As a Vingroup Graduate Scholar, Giang Son aligns his ambitions with national goals. “The goal of the scholarship aligns with Vietnam’s long-term development strategies, with science and technology as the spearhead.”

“My hope is that future generations of Vietnamese scientists and engineers will not only be well-educated, but also skilled in practical applications that add real value to the economy.”

Toward NLP and Low-Resource Languages

Giang Son now turns to AI research, with a focus on natural language processing. “In the long run, I want to push the boundaries of knowledge in NLP and support the development of applications for the Vietnamese language,” he says.

Vietnamese is a low-resource language in the NLP field; and he hopes to change that.

Steady Growth, Shared Purpose

“I want to acknowledge that my journey thus far has not been a success, but a series of steady steps focused on growth,” Giang Son says.

“Curiosity and persistence are key... It was curiosity that kept me passionate, and persistence that kept me going.”

From finance to AI, his story is one of thoughtful transition and purpose; anchored in building tools that empower people, in Vietnamese and beyond.