Nguyen Duc Thach Diem, permanent vice chairwoman of the board of directors cum CEO of Sacombank. — Photo courtesy of Sacombank Nguyen Duc Thach Diem has been re-appointed as CEO of Sai Gon Thuong Tin Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Sacombank) for five years. Her new term began June 30, 2022. Diem is now permanent vice chairwoman of the board of directors cum CEO of Sacombank. She was appointed CEO in 2017 when the bank began a post-merger restructuring process in the face of numerous difficulties and challenges in terms of personnel, operational efficiency and bad debts. Diem and her team managed to put a restructuring plan on the right track to achieve growth and improve operational efficiency over the years, making Sacombank an example of success in restructuring in Viet Nam’s banking industry. In the five years since restructuring, Sacombank has recovered and handled nearly VND72 trillion (US$3.09 billion) worth of bad debts and outstanding assets, meeting 67.9 per cent of … [Read more...] about Sacombank re-appoints Nguyen Duc Thach Diem as CEO for five years
Lunar new year
Venture capital into local startups reached record high of $1.4 billion
The report reveals that venture capital going into Vietnamese startups reached a record high in 2021 amidst market uncertainties and upheaval caused by COVID-19. The total funding amount reached a new high of $1.4 billion, a 1.6x growth compared to the prior record of $874 million set in 2019. Accordingly, the total number of funds invested in Vietnamese startups climbed by 60 per cent, equally distributed among countries. Singapore was the most active investor in 2021, followed by Vietnam and the US. Japanese investors have also gradually resumed their activities in Vietnam after a two-year slowdown. Investor appetite has been accelerated by an increased interest in sectors that have benefited from the pandemic. Moreover, the ease of video conferencing has made travel restrictions no longer a barrier to the investment decision-making process. Riding the acceleration of digital adoption, Vietnam celebrated the emergence of two unicorns, MoMo and Sky Mavis, in 2021. Their … [Read more...] about Venture capital into local startups reached record high of $1.4 billion
Three major Vietnamese cities among leading destinations in Southeast Asia
Vietnam's Da Nang, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City were recently included in Travel + Leisure magazine's list of the top 10 cities in Southeast Asia under the Asia's Best Awards 2022. According to the U.S. magazine's ranking, Da Nang, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City were ranked third, fifth, and eighth, respectively, based on votes submitted by readers worldwide this year. Thailand's capital city, Bangkok, is the best city in Southeast Asia in this category in 2022. According to Travel + Leisure magazine, this is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. The Sheraton Saigon Hotel was named the top city hotel in Vietnam in 2022. The following two hotels in the top ten are Capella Hanoi Hotel and Park Hyatt Saigon. In the category of the best islands in Southeast Asia, Phu Quoc and Con Dao are the leading resort destinations in Vietnam. Phuket Island in Thailand was named the best island in Southeast Asia for the first time in 2022. Bali Island in Indonesia as well … [Read more...] about Three major Vietnamese cities among leading destinations in Southeast Asia
Vietnam Airlines resumes serving Bac Giang lychees
Lychees are served to business class passengers on the airline’s domestic and international routes from Ha Noi from July 1-15. — Photo courtesy of VNA Bac Giang Province's signature fruit lychees returned to serve as in-flight meals on Vietnam Airlines (VNA) flights after a two-year pandemic, said the national flag carrier. According to Vietnam Airlines, the fruit is served to business class passengers on domestic and international routes from July 1-15. The move aims to introduce the speciality to domestic and foreign passengers and expand cooperation with businesses and localities to promote Vietnamese agricultural products to the world, said VNA. Since June 24, the airline has coordinated with Bac Giang Province to promote lychees on the e-commerce platform VNAMall. Vice Chairman of the Bac Giang People’s Committee, Phan The Tuan, said: “The province is home to the country’s largest lychee-growing area of more than 28,000ha. Bac Giang lychee was the first Vietnamese … [Read more...] about Vietnam Airlines resumes serving Bac Giang lychees
Lam Dong lures FDI in hi-tech agriculture
Lam Dong Province leaders visit the farm of Sunfood Da Lat CO.OP recently. — Photo courtesy of the Sunfood Da Lat CO.OP The Central Highland province of Lam Dong will need to train a highly skilled workforce, expand international cooperation and lure foreign investment in hi-tech agriculture in an effort to become a national agriculture hub. According to Nguyen Van Chau, deputy director of the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Lam Dong, blessed with a mild climate and fertile soil suitable for agriculture, aims to attract FDI in hi-tech agriculture to add value and meet market demand, especially for exports. It plans to focus on restructuring crops and building concentrated production areas. It will invest in equipment and machinery, upgrading factories, supporting human resource training and building processes that meet international standards. Priority will be given to large-scale FDI enterprises with high capability in terms of capital, … [Read more...] about Lam Dong lures FDI in hi-tech agriculture