Playing cupid between local firms and investors

Investment roadshows gave investors an in-dept look at a market of robust growth

Global banking giant, HSBC, was the latest to organise promotions in London, New York and Boston which introduced the development of Vietnam’s capital markets, equity investment and government policies to more than 50 investment houses. The Vietnamese delegation attending the conferences included officials from the National Steering Committee for Enterprise Reform and Development, the Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City stock exchanges, banks and businesses.

HSBC Vietnam’s president and CEO Thomas Tobin said the positive feedback from investors and Vietnamese companies after a conference in Singapore in late November, which attracted more than 30 overseas financial institutions, encouraged the bank to run seminars in the US and Europe.

“Through the conferences, we provided international investors with an in-depth look into a market of high growth, showing them both direct and indirect investment opportunities in Vietnam,” said Tobin.
Nguyen Khac Son, general director of Pha Lai Thermal Power Plant, said the company held sessions with around 30 international investors on upcoming projects. Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange chief executive officer Tran Dac Sinh said that around 60 international investment houses have been provided with updated information on Vietnam’s stock market including new regulations on taxation and the establishment of wholly foreign-owned securities companies.
“There are a number of funds looking for opportunities in Vietnam and they showed great interest in initial public offerings (IPO) of large enterprises such as Vietcombank,” said Sinh.

At the forum, HSBC senior securities and investment banking executives from the US and the UK also shared their experience and expertise in supporting enterprises in raising funds from international capital markets.
“We are glad to leverage HSBC’s global financial strength and expertise in international financial markets to support local enterprises in particular and the development of Vietnam’s capital markets in general,” said Tobin.
Over the past few years, HSBC has organised many conferences, forums and workshops overseas to promote Vietnam’s investment environment in countries and territories with the largest investments in Vietnam such as Taiwan, Korea and Singapore.
This year HSBC extends the “ HSBC Vietnam Forum” to the UK and the US, the two countries listed in top 20 foreign direct investors in Vietnam.