Five CEOs of Vietnamese descent praised by world media

1. Thong Nguyen, strategy chief for Bank of America

Thong Nguyen was nominated for this position in November 2011 after his predecessor Mike Lyons left abruptly the same month.

Nguyen had held numerous positions in many other companies before joining Bank of America.

Thong Nguyen (middle)

2. Jack Truong, Head of Electrolux Major Appliances North America.

The Swedish group Electrolux AB named Jack Truong as the new President and CEO of Electrolux Major Appliances North America on August 1, 2011.

Truong, a member of the management group. previously held the position of Vice President and General Manager of the Global Construction and Home Improvement Division of the 3M Company, a global leader active in a wide range of markets from health care and personal safety to office products and electronics.

“We are pleased to welcome Jack Truong to Electrolux,” said CEO Keith McLoughlin. “At 3M he demonstrated the ability to accelerate growth by applying innovative technologies and marketing to meet ever-changing consumer needs. His experience and track record will be crucial in helping to ensure our long-term growth with an intense focus on strong brands, high-impact new products and cost efficiency – all of which are key elements of the Electrolux strategy.”

Truong, born in 1962, holds a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.

3. Dzung T. Bui (Bui Tien Dung), IBM

Bui Tien Dung is considered one of the most successful people in the IBM information technology corporation.

He was born in Thai Binh province, Vietnam, and moved to the US to study at the age of 17 with only $150 in his pocket.

After graduating from the University of Minnesota, he applied for a position in the Rochester laboratory where he proved his abilities in the field of marketing and sales. He has been elevated to various senior business posts within IBM and is now Vice President in charge of corporate global business operations.

Dzung T. Bui becomes a successful executive from scratch

4. Mitchell Pham, CEO of Augen group

Pham was born in Vietnam and later settled in New Zealand at the age of 12. He put great effort into his high school and university studies there, while working in the evenings and at weekends to make ends meet.

Pham founded the Augen software company with four of his friends in 1993 and the company's annual revenue now stands at around $10 million.

Pham was honoured by the World Economic Forum as a young global leader on March 9, 2011.

Mitchell Pham (right) in a business talk with his colleague

5. Executive Director of the non-profit KOTO organization

The World Economic Forum also honoured Jimmy Pham, the executive director of KOTO, as a young global leader.

Pham was born in Hanoi and grew up in Australia. With his kind heart and excellent leadership skills, he has helped hundreds of Vietnamese street children acquire skills to become high quality chefs and professional restaurant staff.

KOTO (Know One, Teach One) is a charitable organization specializing in providing free training in the restaurant profession for street children in Vietnam.

Jimmy Pham (centre) is surrounded by young KOTO staff