Vietnam M&A Forum 2019 awards winners of 2018-2019

Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Vu Dai Thang and VIR's editor-in-chief Le Trong Minh granted awards to companies with the most notable M&A deals in 2018 and 2019

After a decade of strong growth with thousands of deals of a total value of $55 billion, Vietnam’s M&A market is entering a new phase with new opportunities, helping the economy move forward. The total value of M&A deals in Vietnam reached $5.43 billion in the first seven months of 2019. It is forecasted that this can reach $7.6 billion in 2019.

M&A transactions took place with great vigour in many sectors, such as retail, consumer goods, real estate, banking-finance, and industrials.

The following list of the most notable deals and advisory firms will provide businesses and investors with a summary of the M&A activities that took place in Vietnam.

Speaking at the opening of Vietnam M&A Forum 2019 held in Ho Chi Minh City, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Vu Dai Thang said that in the coming time, based on the review of 30 years of FDI attraction, the Politburo will issue a resolution on the new orientation to improve institutions and policies to enhance the quality and effectiveness of attracting foreign investment by 2030.

Foreign investment continues to be an important component on equal footing with other economic sectors for long-term development and healthy competition. A plethora of positive factors are opening a new era for M&A activities in Vietnam with many opportunities to create a breakthrough, making M&A an important investment attraction channel in the future.

However, in order to truly bring about a breakthrough, Vietnam's M&A market needs strong changes from the process of promulgating and enforcing policies to connecting activities, deal implementation, and innovation between buyers and sellers.

THE MOST NOTABLE M&A DEALS OF 2018-2019:

1. Vingroup and SK Group
2. SK Group and Vingroup, Masan
3. Saigon Co.op and Auchan
4. THACO and HAGL
5. Minh Phu and Mitsui
6. Hau Giang Pharmaceutical JSC and Taisho
7. Vinamilk and GTN Foods
8. The Pan Group and Sojitz
9. SonKim Land's capital mobilisation from strategic partners
10. Gelex and Viglacera

THE MOST NOTABLE M&A ADVISORY FIRMS OF 2018-2019:

1. KPMG Vietnam
2. Bae, Kim & Lee Vietnam
3. Baker McKenzie
4. VILAF
5. YKVN
6. Viet Capital Securities
7. RSM Vietnam
8. Bao Viet Securities
9. Saigon Securities Inc. (SSI)
10. VPBank Securities (VPS)
11. Rong Viet Securities
12. Saigon-Hanoi Securities (SHS)