As enterprises across Asia Pacific accelerate digital transformation amid rising cyber risks and regulatory demands, IT management is becoming more complex and strategic. Arun Kumar, Vice President of Revenue Operations at ManageEngine, discusses with Việt Nam News and Associated Press reporter Vũ Hoa the regional trends shaping demand and how the company is positioning itself to support secure and sustainable digital growth in Việt Nam.

From a regional perspective, what major trends are shaping enterprise IT management and cybersecurity demand across the Asia Pacific today?

Across Asia Pacific, enterprise IT management and cybersecurity demands are being shaped by the pace of digital transformation, evolving threat landscapes and increasing regulatory complexity.

One key trend is the accelerated adoption of cloud, AI and SaaS-based platforms across large enterprises and SMEs. Organisations are modernising IT operations to support hybrid work, data-driven decision-making and scalable digital services, which in turn is driving demand for unified IT management solutions that improve visibility, performance and resilience.

Simultaneously, cyberthreats across the region are becoming more sophisticated and automated. Attackers are increasingly exploiting identity weaknesses, misconfigured endpoints and human trust through phishing and AI-enabled social engineering attacks. This has heightened interest in integrated approaches that bring together identity and access management, endpoint security, monitoring and incident response within a single framework.

Regulatory pressure is another major driver. With data protection and cybersecurity regulations evolving across ASEAN and the wider Southeast Asia region, organisations are seeking tools that help translate compliance requirements into daily operational controls while also supporting local data residency and audit readiness.

With that, skills shortages remain a persistent challenge. Limited access to cybersecurity talent is accelerating demand for automation, AI-assisted analytics and simplified management platforms that reduce operational complexity.

As organisations in APAC push ahead with digital transformation while facing tighter budgets, how is ManageEngine adapting its regional strategy to support sustainable growth?

ManageEngine is adapting its regional strategy with a strong focus on affordability, flexibility and local relevance. A key priority is to help customers do more with less. ManageEngine offers modular and scalable solutions that allow organisations to start with essential IT management or security capabilities and expand over time without heavy upfront investment. Simultaneously, the company is investing in automation and AI-driven capabilities to help organisations improve efficiency, reduce manual workloads and address ongoing skills shortages across the region.

ManageEngine is also strengthening its regional footprint through local teams, partners and compliance-focused offerings, ensuring solutions align with national regulations and business realities.

Việt Nam is frequently cited as one of the fastest-growing digital markets in the region. From your APAC vantage point, what makes the Vietnamese market particularly significant for ManageEngine?

Việt Nam is a dynamic market with strong economic growth and an accelerating digital agenda. Enterprises across manufacturing, banking, retail and the public sector are rapidly modernising their IT infrastructure, adopting cloud services and expanding digital platforms to support both domestic growth and international integration.

The country also has many active businesses, with SMEs accounting for up to 97 per cent of these businesses. These organisations are increasingly aware of the need for proactive IT management, endpoint security and identity protection, which aligns well with ManageEngine’s philosophy of providing enterprise-grade capabilities at accessible price points.

In addition, Việt Nam’s evolving data protection and cybersecurity regulations are prompting organisations to strengthen governance and compliance practices. This is driving greater interest in integrated platforms that simplify compliance while enhancing operational visibility.

Based on ManageEngine’s experience in markets with similar characteristics, what do you see as the most pressing IT management challenges currently facing Vietnamese enterprises?

Vietnamese enterprises face several pressing IT management challenges commonly seen in fast-growing digital markets across APAC. One major issue is infrastructure complexity. As organisations adopt hybrid environments spanning on-premises systems, cloud services and remote endpoints, maintaining visibility and consistent performance becomes increasingly difficult without unified management tools.

Another critical challenge is the expanding threat landscape. With more digital touchpoints, enterprises are exposed to increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks while many continue to struggle with securing endpoints, managing identities and protecting data in real time due to limited security resources.

Skills and resource constraints also remain significant. Shortages of IT and cybersecurity professionals often leave small teams stretched across operations, compliance and incident response. In addition, evolving regulatory requirements add further complexity, driving demand for integrated solutions that simplify compliance while maintaining agility and cost efficiency.

Which solution areas do you expect to see the strongest demand from Vietnamese organisations in the next two to three years as digital transformation deepens?

We think the demand will be strongest in four key IT solutions. First, a unified IT management platform will be in high demand. Organisations will seek tools that centralise infrastructure monitoring, service desk operations and performance analytics to manage increasingly hybrid environments effectively.

Second, identity and access management (IAM) solutions will gain prominence as businesses prioritise more secure user access across cloud and remote systems, helping reduce risk and improve governance.

Third, endpoint security and unified endpoint management (UEM) will be essential as more devices connect to corporate networks, driving demand for solutions that protect, monitor and control a diverse range of endpoints.

Finally, compliance and risk management tools, including automated reporting and audit support, will be increasingly important as regulatory requirements evolve and organisations aim to maintain trust while scaling digital services.

As ManageEngine continues to commit to supporting digital transformation in Việt Nam, how does the company aim to position itself within the country’s IT ecosystem in the medium term?

ManageEngine aims to strengthen its role as a trusted partner within the country’s IT ecosystem by focusing on relevance, accessibility and long-term value. We currently service over 300 customers in Việt Nam and are achieving 25 per cent year-on-year growth within the region. We plan to expand collaboration with Vietnamese channel partners, system integrators and technology communities to ensure solutions are tailored to the needs of local enterprises.

ManageEngine also intends to invest in talent development and education by offering training programmes, workshops and certification pathways, helping Vietnamese IT professionals build core skills in IT operations and cybersecurity.

From a technology standpoint, ManageEngine will continue to emphasise integrated, cost-effective platforms that simplify IT management, strengthen security and support compliance with evolving regulations. VNS