Nikkei Asia Prize for FPT chief

Nikkei Inc. has just announced that Truong Gia Binh is one of three Asians awarded 2013 Nikkei Asia Prizes for his contribution to regional growth.

Truong Gia Binh, 56, the chairman and CEO of FPT Corp - the largest information technology company in Vietnam, received the award in the regional growth category. He not only contributed to the development of his own company, but also to the development of the IT business in Vietnam. He has set up a software industry organisation and a university to foster IT experts.

Awarded annually, the prize recognises the achievements of people and organisations that have improved the lives of people throughout Asia.

Binh is the youngest among three award receivers this year. The others are Tejraj Aminabhavi, 66, the professor emeritus at Soniya Education Trust's College of Pharmacy, who received the award for his contributions in the area of applied polymer science in the science, technology and innovation category and Vann Molyvann, 86, a Cambodian architect, won the culture prize.

It was the first time during the past 18 years, a Vietnamese entrepreneur was chosen for the award. Previously, Vietnam had three other Nikkei Asia Prize winners, including Bao Ninh, a writer (2001), Dang Nhat Minh, a director (1999), and Professor Vo Tong Xuan (2002) for regional growth.

The ceremony will be held in Tokyo, Japan on May 22. Each individual will receive the award more than $30,000 and participate the Nikkei's conference "The Future of Asia”.

"It is the big honour to me as well as FPT. Japan is Vietnam's strategic partner and I believe that with cooperating with Japan, the leading technical country in the world, is an opportunity for Vietnam's software technology industry to walk abreast with other countries such as India and China," said Binh.