VPBank Securities honoured Advisory Firm of the Year 2014 Award

The M&A Forum Vietnam 2014, held at Ho Chi Minh City’s White Palace Convention Centre on August 7, is an annual event on mergers & acquisitions and strategic business alliances in Vietnam, co-organised by Vietnam Investment Review and AVM Vietnam under the patronage of the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Established in 2006, VPBS is now one of the largest securities firms in Vietnam with owners’ equity of VND972 billion (approximately $46 million) and total assets of VND3.2 trillion (approximately $153 million) as of June 30, 2014.

In partnership with the parent company VPBank, VPBS strives to serve domestic and international clients as a solid partner, providing diversified product portfolio and professional services.

Placing investment banking services at the heart of the firm’s operating model, VPBS offers a vast array of professional advisory services on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), equity and bond markets, securities brokerage and research.

With nearly 280 professionals boasting extensive experience in consulting and investment, VPBS has great capacity to provide diversified products across different asset types, geographical locations and all levels of risk.

One of last year’s most remarkable deals of VPBS was the transfer of six hydropower plants under the control of Hoang Anh Gia Lai Hydro Power – under Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group (HAG) – to a domestic investor.

The deal was valued at VND2.1 trillion ($99 million), one of the largest in the M&A market in 2013.

VPBS’s exceptional M&A sector growth marked a turning point when it became the sole exclusive member from Vietnam of International M&A Partners (IMAP) in 2014.

IMAP is a network of members, spanning 40 countries, founded in 1973 by M&A consultants in the United States in the spirit of voluntary cooperation.

IMAP has grown into a coalition of reputable consulting firms in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, focusing on M&A advisory service for medium-sized enterprises with values under $500 million.

Currently, IMAP is among the top three most reputable M&A consultants for medium-sized enterprises valued under $500 million in the world, surpassing many large consulting firms and global investment banks.

In 2013, the total value of successful IMAP transactions was $6.2 billion, with an average transaction size of $32 million across 200 deals completed per year. VPBS is proud to be the fourth Asian member of IMAP after those from Japan, China and India.

VPBS can now look back on eight years of successful operations and development which have earned it a glowing reputation through its sterling track record of performance.

Indeed, with more than VND8 trillion ($377 million) worth of M&A consulting deals and private issuance of VND31 trillion ($1.5 billion) worth of domestic and international advisory deals, VPBS has grown into a globally recognised leading M&A advisor.

Achievements & Awards

* Becoming a member of IMAP – Global M&A advisor network in 2014;

* Receiving the Best Bond House in Vietnam Award from Alpha Southeast Asia magazine in 2014;

* Receiving the Best Dept Capital Market House in Vietnam Award in 2013 and 2014 from FinanceAsia magazine;

* Receiving the Outstanding Securities Firm Award from Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX) in 2013;

* Receiving the Advisory Firm of the Year Award by M&A Forum Vietnam 2014 and also received the award for Vietnam Best Deal in both 2010 and 2011 as a bond issuance advisor.