Muong Thanh’s spirit carried forward by successor

Le Thi Hoang Yen, CEO of Muong Thanh Group

Belonging to the second generation of leaders, Le Thi Hoang Yen is the oldest among the three children of chairman Le Thanh Than and is now trusted to take the responsibility of leading the group. Although she has made great contributions to the rapid development of the group, contributing to earning Muong Thanh recognition as the largest private hotel chain in Indochina, Yen rarely shares what she has accomplished. Instead, she talks more about her father who always inspired and motivated her.

“I feel great but also a bit pressured to be guided by my father. I have great opportunities to learn from his endless experience, not only in business management and administration but also in how to treat people. I put pressure on myself to preserve, inherit, and develop the corporate brand values that he has built over the past 30 years,” Yen shared.

Unlike many second-generation successors in private corporations in Vietnam, Yen has not inherited millions of dollars from her father but a brand full of human values. She is now the bridge connecting the generations of leaders and employees of Muong Thanh, helping them to come up with unified orientations as well as determination to work together towards common goals, even though sometimes there are differences in thinking and perspectives.

“The soldier’s spirit has been strongly demonstrated by my father in building and orienting social activities. This is also one of the directions that we always strive to maintain and develop further,” Yen added.

Whether it was in the initial stage of founding the group or when it was already established in the hotel and resort real estate industry in Vietnam, social contribution activities have become a tradition and an important part of Muong Thanh Group.

Although the pandemic paralysed the hotel segment of Muong Thanh Group, it has never denied its responsibility to the community and the country. Under the direction of the chairman Le Thanh Than and CEO Le Thi Hoang Yen, Muong Thanh Group has shared difficulties with the country, continuing to spread the spirit of solidarity during the past two years.

Muong Thanh has carried out many practical activities, such as supporting the purchase of medical equipment, contributing 100 tonnes of rice to the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front and localities in need, providing rooms for the staff and doctors working at Bach Mai Hospital, and supporting meals and other services during their stay. Moreover, the group has voluntarily converted hotels and resorts into quarantine centres, contributed $86,000 to the national COVID-19 vaccine fund, and supported more than 1,000 free meals for quarantine centres in Phu Nhuan district in Ho Chi Minh City.

“We always receive the consensus of all employees when carrying out community activities. This is also a reason for me and the group to continue these great activities,” Yen said.

During the Lunar New Year, Muong Thanh Group will continue to carry out its annual charity activities through the programme Full and Happy Tet in many localities. The programme promises to bring both material and spiritual gifts for a full and happy Lunar New Year.

Along with social activities, Yen and her associates also focus on building a united work environment and promoting the closeness and willingness of members to help each other.

The CEO of Muong Thanh Group once shared, no matter if she’s contributing to the country, customers, partners, colleagues, or superiors, her business is focused on the six core values sincerity, commitment, balance, respect, adaptability, and unity.

Yen said that the application of Vietnamese values to the group’s service activities in the accommodation segment and many other activities alike has created Muong Thanh’s own brand identity.

“I hope customers will also feel the unique cultural values of Muong Thanh when using our services,” she said.

At the same time, Muong Thanh Group will continue to participate in social responsibility work in parallel with implementing plans for business recovery and development in the new normal, with the hope that Vietnam’s tourism will be vibrant again in the new year.

“Currently, we are paying much attention to local tourists. Vietnamese tourists will become a strong factor promoting domestic tourism development. They will be the most persistent and most patient in requiring the country’s tourism to innovate. This is the pressure, but it is also our desire, to be able to accommodate domestic tourists with Vietnamese brands”, Yen explained.

Le Thi Hoang Yen spent seven years living and studying in the United Kingdom. After returning to Vietnam, she decided to connect her father’s business with the first job of management practice at Muong Thanh Hanoi, the first 4-star hotel of the group at that time.