VIR remains a business companion

September 25, 2012 | 10:56

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On the occasion of VIR’s 21st anniversary on September 27, high-profile corporate leaders offer their candid views on how VIR can continue as an indispensable companion of the foreign and local business communities.

Preben Hjortlund Chairman of European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham)

I have lived in Vietnam more than 20 years and I always read VIR to obtain information on investment and business in Vietnam. With more than 20 years in business, VIR has consistently brought up to date information to local and foreign investors, which makes VIR a popular newspaper within the foreign community in Vietnam.

EuroCham represents more than 750 European member companies doing business in Vietnam. Established in 1998, EuroCham has 14 years operational experience supporting EuroCham’s members, working as a link between Vietnam and European enterprises and between European private sector and the Vietnamese government.

EuroCham has supported members a lot in advocacy to the government and through various public and private dialogues. And of course we actively promote Vietnam as an attractive destination for foreign investors. Therefore, we need to get accurate and timely information across a wide spectrum in order to correctly evaluate the business environment in Vietnam and to brief our members effectively regarding access to the Vietnamese market.

At present, VIR is one of the more effective and useful information channels for us to get updated information and useful analysis. However, we would suggest VIR should include more analysis from foreign experts to provide more objective and deeper analysis for VIR’s readers to have an even more analytical and comprehensive picture of Vietnam’s economy.

Chris Freund Managing Partner of Mekong Capital

Back in the mid-90’s VIR used to host a networking event called “VIR Friday Review” once per month. At the time, that was the premier networking event in Ho Chi Minh City. I think it would be great to bring those back, but perhaps on a quarterly basis. Regarding content of VIR, I would find it to be interesting if there was a regular column that each week profiled the development of a different company that received significant investment from funds – kind of like cases studies of investments by funds in Vietnam.

Some weeks it would profile success stories, some weeks it would profile investments that didn’t work out well, and some weeks it would profile cases in which the outcome is still undetermined. I also think it would be interesting if VIR could regularly publish track record data of funds focused on Vietnam such as the IRRs and year-to-date performance of Vietnam-focused funds, both onshore and offshore funds, perhaps even creating an annual award for the best performing fund in Vietnam each year.

Peter Smidt-Nielsen General Director – Maersk Vietnam Limited

I read VIR every week to keep myself updated on business and economic news in Vietnam. I think VIR is a good source of business and macroeconomic information in the country. The articles are diverse and generally well written and they seem to be giving a somewhat objective view of the situation in the country. We also use the paper to get an idea of some big new projects which are starting up, as such projects typically have transportation needs. If I should point to two areas of potential improvement, one would be to be challenging the status quo even more and bringing even more diverse views in the paper.

The other would be to improve the clarity when reporting economic figures and again, challenge the figures and what they mean, what is behind them, that is to say we need better and clearer and more challenging analysis. The more differing views and the more challenges of the existing, the better for the reader and the higher credibility of the paper. Congratulations from Maersk Vietnam with the first 21 years. We look forward to continue reading you every week.

Scott Burnett Managing Director, Towers Watson- South East Asia

I visit Vietnam regularly on business and the first publication I read on landing is VIR. It’s a key source of business intelligence and helps me to make informed decisions about Towers Watson’s business in relations to Vietnam. I find it thought-provoking and incisive and provides me with rich insights about the business environment in Vietnam. It also updates me with important corporate and financial news in general. In my view it is definitely required reading for opinion leaders. I also refer its online edition and find the business section very useful.

To Hai CEO of Viet Capital Securities Company

VIR is truly a bridge between foreign investors and the investment opportunities in Vietnam. Features and the investing pages are pretty good and suitable, and timely reflect the investment conditions and investment environment in Vietnam.

As for business reporting, VIR should focus more on aspects that can help foreign investors be able to be more timely updated with the situations and understand the reality in Vietnam more accurately.

How Kam Chiong General Director of Amway Vietnam

VIR is one of the leading newspapers for readers, especially for FDI companies operating in Vietnam. Your articles always reflect the real economic/business life and provide good outlook/insights for key economic issues.

As a multi-level marketing, or direct selling, company with long-term commitment in Vietnam, strict compliance to the local laws and regulations as well as business ethics, bringing benefits to the community, Amway Vietnam wishes to continue our partnership with VIR in the years to come in order to promote the sustainable development of the Vietnamese economy, in general and the multi-level marketing (MLM) industry, in particular. We will also keep working closely with VIR in providing updated information and feedback.

We sincerely wish VIR to be a true companion for legitimate MLM companies, reporting on good examples and interesting stories about the industry, helping differentiate true MLM from pyramid schemes, in order to protect participants and consumers. We wish VIR great success ahead, may you receive greater interest from readers.

Marc Cagnard Commercial Counselor and Director of the French Embassy to Vietnam’s UBIFRANCE

VIR is for us at UBIFRANCE, the French Agency for international business development, one of the very best references in terms of economic information in Vietnam. We appreciate the quality of its analyses and the reliability of the information. It helps us in a better understanding of the macroeconomic situation in Vietnam and enables us to keep updated in the various industrial, commercial and technological sectors of the Vietnamese economy. VIR has to keep up in bringing special attention in providing reliable figures.

France is one of Vietnam’s closest economic and trade partners and we are pleased to read in VIR information presenting this business relation between the two countries and also the numerous activities of French and European firms based in Vietnam. We also appreciate the reinforcement of the partnership between UBIFRANCE and VIR this year with the release of regular information on our events, press conferences and the French business delegations UBIFRANCE attracts to Vietnam to develop partnerships with Vietnamese companies. We will be pleased to reinforce this relation in the framework of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of Vietnam-France relations which will be held in 2013. UBIFRANCE Vietnam wishes VIR a happy birthday.

Shimon Tokuyama General Manager for Vietnam, Mitsubishi Corporation

I am delighted to extend my warmest congratulations on the 21st anniversary of VIR publication. I have been deeply impressed with the continued efforts VIR has made in these two decades to improve the coverage and accuracy of the news as one of the most established economic news sources in Vietnam.

While we in Vietnam have been engaged in many trading businesses since we established offices in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in 1991, Mitsubishi Corporation and our group companies are more and more focused on investment activities which include power plants, auto manufacturing, steel processing and distributing, developing industrial parks and handling marine and agricultural products.

In this regard, I really appreciate VIR especially covers wide range of investment activities of domestic and foreign companies, which allows me to get grasp the broad investment trend in Vietnam and gives us a guide for our businesses. Another point I like about VIR is that it provides us financial information from the standpoint of real business, which I would like VIR to dig into more in the near future. Lastly, I wish and firmly believe VIR can enjoy further success in the next decade and can contribute to the development of Vietnam.

Chris Brown General Director of Cushman & Wakefield Vietnam

I think the continued success of VIR as the number one business publication speaks for itself. It’s one of the very few business publications that consistently has its finger on the pulse of the market in Vietnam and has proved an essential business research tool for many people like me in terms of market trends, business opportunities, deals and developments.

The real estate section is informative from a local and regional perspective and it’s also a good medium for marketing and advertising on behalf of clients or our own business.

We have run an advertisement with the VIR early this year for an industrial project and had very good results almost immediately, where we found your reporter closely followed up the event and collaborated in a timely manner. Thanks a lot VIR and I look forward to working with you in the future.

John Gallander Director of Savills Hanoi

On behalf of Savills Vietnam, I would like to congratulate VIR on the occasion of your 21st anniversary.

It is an honour for Savills to be a close partner with VIR over the years. Your publication is a trusted resource of information for the business and real estate communities in Vietnam. I have been a long time reader of VIR, both online as well as your printed editions.

VIR gives Savills an irreplaceable perspective about market situations, finance, economics, banking, commerce and important policies. Since real estate industry has been booming in Vietnam, I would encourage VIR to develop this section to provide reader with up-to-date information at all time. I strongly believe that, VIR is a trusted source of reliable information for foreign and domestic readers alike.

Once again, I would like to thank VIR so much for standing side by side with the business community and supporting Savills over the years. I congratulate VIR Tu on your 21st anniversary and wish you the best for many years to come.

Craig Smith General Manager of Moevenpick Hotel Saigon

VIR should continue to create a link between local and international investment into and around Vietnam by providing VIR readers with information pertaining to methods and practices targeting the local and international business community.

This is particularly for investors regarding government incentives, rebates and grants to invest into Vietnam and how to apply for and obtain the same.

VIR needs to continue to report and share important information on Vietnam’s corporate, business and industrial intellectual future by providing stories pertaining to the higher education industry of the country including reporting on information concerning strategic and collaborative partnerships between international and locally-based universities.

Whilst sections relating to the thoughts, comments and recommendations from industry leaders and experts do appear in VIR columns, I believe an opportunity exists for the VIR to implement a permanent section/column into the publication whereby a forum targeting industry leaders and experts from all business sectors could openly share their experiences, opinions and views in a manner which adds positive value. Provide further information on stories relating to outbound international investment from Vietnam-owned and based companies.

In this day and age as long-term sustainable practices becomes more and more prevalent and important to the industrial and business sectors, VIR should consider creating a column where best practice good news stories from companies and organisations can be shared and applauded.

VIR could also consider creating an annual award where VIR independently recognises industry leaders in the various fields of sustainability, i.e. companies and industries leading the sustainable way in areas such as the environment, community, growth and industrial relations.

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