HANOI, June 17th, 2011 - VietNam Holding Limited (VNH) and the Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD-VCCI) will co-sponsor a forum on “Strategic Management: Short term view vs. Sustainability” as part of their joint commitment to assist the development of strategic direction and corporate governance in Vietnam.
The event will take place at the Melia Hotel in Hanoi with over 120 representatives and senior officials from VNH investee companies and VBCSD-VCCI members attending. The featured speakers are Professor Rolf Dubs and Mr. Benjamin McCarron. Professor Dubs has been involved for many years in numerous Swiss government projects in Vietnam’s education sector, as well as in technical assistance to the country’s financial markets. He is the former president of the HSG University of St. Gallen, one of the Europe’s leading German-speaking economics universities. He has also taught at Harvard and Stanford as well as several other leading universities. Professor Dubs has also served on the corporate boards of many major Swiss and international corporations and in 2010 his book “Normative Management: Values for Strategic Planning” was published. And Mr. Benjamin McCarron is Head of Research at Responsible Research a leading provider of quality, independent Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) research in Asia. His forum presentation will include interesting and useful ESG insights derived from the Company’s recent field study of responsible investing in Vietnam.
Speaking about the forum, Dr. Doan Duy Khuong, the Vice Executive President of VCCI cum Co-Chairman of Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD): “Profit maximization and sustainable development are objectives many companies, especially VBCSD-VCCI members, are trying to gain. I believe the forum will help executives address the key strategic views they can apply to day-to-day management as well as long-term planning”.
Mrs. Min Hwa Hu Kupfer, Chairperson of VietNam Holding Ltd. remarked that” Four years after the global financial crisis, there still remains some uncertainties here in Vietnam and abroad and it is tougher for companies to stay successful and competitive without a well-considered long-term view. Mr. Nguyen Quoc Khanh, a VietNam Holding Ltd. Board Member also commented that, “It is ever more pertinent for investors around the globe, including VNH, to be able to identify and invest in these long term winners. He suggests that such long term winners will be those who have integrated in their Strategic Management the fact that Sustainability requires financial performances but also a proper management of the long term ESG risks.
VietNam Holding Ltd. is an investment company concentrated on Vietnam equities, and was established in the Cayman Islands in early 2006. The majority of VNH’s shareholders are Swiss institutional investors. VNH has been listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange since June 2006. It is also an Entry Standard listing on the Frankfurt Exchange Its primary investment targets are former Vietnamese SOEs equatized through IPOs or private placements. Investee companies combine measurable value with strong growth potential.
VietNam Holding Asset Management Ltd. has been appointed to manage the assets of VNH. It has offices in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Zurich. The company has a strong team of Vietnamese professionals with hands-on support from its board members and those of VNH. The members of both boards include seasoned and successful business executives with extensive global experience.
