Whew – you have a little bit more time!  Deadline extended for Call for Applications for 2021 AmCham CARES Awards - COVID Relief and Recovery. To honor and recognize AmCham members who made significant contributions, AmCham Vietnam is seeking applications from member companies/organizations interested in being considered for the 2021 AmCham CARES Awards for COVID Relief & Recovery. All interested AmCham member companies and organizations are encouraged to apply. To apply, please review the Awards Information and Entry Brief and fill out the Application form in full by Monday, November 22, 2021. LINK

Register now for the 2^nd annual AmCham Vietnam Giving Thanks Dinner on Thursday, December 2, 2021, at The Reverie Saigon, where AmCham Vietnam will present the awards. The Giving Thanks Dinner will take place as a Level III** event, subject to capacity limits in effect at that time (which we expect to be expanded). Senior U.S. and Vietnamese government officials and members of the media will also be invited. LINK

As HCMC and Vietnam reopen, the number of new COVID cases keep increasing.  How serious a concern is this as we adjust to “living safely with the virus”?  Join our webinar on Wednesday, November 17 at 2PM, COVID-19: Virus, Variants, and Vaccines Update, with a panel of experts to gain critical business intelligence to inform your professional and personal decisions. Share your questions in advance!

Please complete our flash member survey which will be sent out on Monday, November 15 and due on Wednesday, November 17.  And register now for “Meet the USA: Partnering to Promote Reopening, Economic Recovery, and Rebound in the Southern Economic Region” on Tuesday afternoon, November 23rd, co-hosted by AmCham Vietnam, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the U.S. Mission in Vietnam. The event will take place in-person in Ho Chi Minh City’s elegant Intercontinental Saigon Hotel, as well as virtually with simultaneous interpretation provided. AmCham Vietnam Chairman Chad Ovel will welcome Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Marie Damour, who will join virtually from Hanoi to provide keynote remarks, while People’s Committee Chairmen from Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Long An, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau have been invited as honored guests in-person. Other provincial leaders from throughout the country have been invited to join the event virtually. You are welcome to join either in-person or virtually, with in-person attendees invited to join a follow-on networking reception. The event is designed to highlight the joint commitment of the U.S. and Vietnamese Governments and AmCham Vietnam and our member companies to partner to enable a safe reopening, economic recovery, and rebound in Vietnam, especially in the Southern Economic Region. And consider being a sponsor for this high-profile event!

2021 Board of Governor Elections. It’s time to vote for AmCham Vietnam's Board of Governors in HCMC! We heard great campaign speeches at our Meet the Candidates event on November 11. If you are an AmCham Vietnam voting member, you already should have received your online ballots. Please click the LINK to see our impressive slate of candidates for the 2022-23 term, together with their biographic information and “Vision for AmCham.” Nine governors will be elected in on-line secure voting ending at 11:59PM Sunday, December 5. Election results will be announced at our Annual General Meeting on Thursday, December 9, starting at 6PM at the New World Hotel.

If you are a new member or want a refresh on how to make the most of your AmCham membership, please join our hybrid AmCham 101 - New Member Orientation at 4:30PM on Tuesday, November 16.

Committee Meetings. Committee meetings are now open to both in-person (for fully vaxed) and virtual participation. Please register in advance. All AmCham members are welcome to join;

Digital Economy and Technology Committee Meeting on Tuesday, November 16 at 9AM, with updates from the U.S. Mission on recent events, including the visit of AUSTR Dawn Shackleford;

Healthcare Committee Meeting on Wednesday, November 17 at 4:15PM;

HR Committee Meeting on Thursday, November 18 at 9AM, with a presentation on Lean & Design Thinking by Ms. Ha Dang, Founder of Respect Vietnam & Weatwork.co; and

Agriculture Committee Meeting on Friday, November 19 at 9AM, with guest speaker USDA Agricultural Cooperator Francis Lee.

AmCham Vietnam is proud of and grateful for our volunteer leaders! A core strength of AmCham Vietnam is our network of more than 15 active sectoral and cross-cutting committees, where members can connect in-person and virtually for professional networking, sharing of best practices and industry and regulatory updates, and opportunities to collaborate on advocacy or event planning.  On November 9, more than 60 of our volunteer leaders joined AmCham Vietnam Chair and Mekong Capital Partner Chad Ovel at our “Fall 2021 Joint Board of Governors and Committee Leaders Virtual Meeting: Sharing Best Practices and Preparing for Leadership Transitions”. The meeting featured AmCham Vietnam Governor, Committee Advisor/Coach, and Diversatek Vietnam General Director Jonathan Moreno on “Committee Leadership Best Practices and Leadership Transitions”; Education & Training Committee Co-Chair and Head of School Kim Green on Running an Effective and Inclusive Meeting”; Healthcare Committee Co-Chair and Pharmacity Founder, Chairman, and CEO Chris Blank on “Building a Coalition Around a Common Mission”; and ESG Committee Co-Chair and Testerman Advisory Chairman Greg Testerman on “Launching a New Committee”. Committee links and best practice documents at LINK

We raised $5200 from selling our special eBook “RECIPES FOR REVIVAL, Inspired by Vietnam's Top Tastemakers". We will present the proceeds, divided equally, to Vietnam Food Bank and Saigon Children's Charity this week. Thanks again to you all who joined hands with AmCham CARES, to support those in need. And many thanks to the top tastemakers who contributed their time and talent; to Epicure Vietnam's Contributing Editor and man-about-town Chris Thompson, who amazing creativity, energy, and incredible knowledge and support the local F&B players made this project success; to Jade Huynh, Managing Director of Oriental Media and Epicure Vietnam Magazine, who brought the idea to reality; and our partner business chambers, AusCham and EuroCham!

Although Vietnam’s impressive vaccine rollout has resulted in a significant drop in hospitalizations and deaths, COVID and related lockdowns caused extreme hardship for many Vietnamese people, especially disadvantaged groups such as migrants and informal workers. We know many of AmCham’s members and friends want to help, but don’t know how best to do so. In addition to contributing directly via AmCham CARES to donate critically-needed medical equipment to support the Vietnamese government, we provide information about various AmCham INGO members’ COVID-19 relief programs in Vietnam, as well as links to some local NGOs vetted and supported by LIN. LINK. We are happy to highlight COVID-or other CSR-related contributions from our member companies on our social media. Please email details, including photos, to Cindy Tran. 

AmCham Membership Renewal. It’s that time of year to renew your AmCham membership for 2022! We have begun sending out our renewal notices. Our AmCham team has been working harder than ever this year to deliver value and support you, our members, during these challenging times, particularly through our Committees, Business Intelligence events, and Advocacy. We also have a number of important, high-prolife events coming up before the end of the calendar year! We look forward to your continued support, and welcome new members. As you join or renew your membership, please consider becoming a Premium Member. 

MASTERCARD a New Premium Corporate Member: We are delighted to welcome MasterCard as a Premium Member at the Bronze-level and value its support. Premium Membership offers the opportunity for qualified companies to highlight your status as business leaders and your strategic support for AmCham Vietnam’s mission and programs. Premium Membership offers a range of discounts, benefits, and exclusive VIP access. Customized packages are available. To learn more, see LINK or contact Office Manager Cindy Tran at cindy.tran@amchamvietnam.com.

We welcome your feedback at team@amchamvietnam.com to let us know how we can serve you better. We wish you a safe and healthy week ahead! Mary

Would also like to thank Mr. Andrew Smith who has been hired as a consultant for the Da Nang Department of Foreign Affairs to increase the speed and regularity of communications in English from our city leaders. We had a very insightful conversation about communication and transparency this week and we really appreciate the city’s initiative about this issue. Stay safe, stay vigilant, stay healthy!

The Greater Good.

For more information, LINK (to COVID page).

Current advocacy is focused on Enabling a Safe Reopening and Recovery, and the Digital Economy.  See Advocacy Report for more details. LINK. Please send your feedback on what is working, what issues remain, and recommended solutions to relevant Committee Chairs, advocacyaction@amchamvietnam.com, and our Manufacturing Task Force, at MFGTF@amchamvietnam.com. This week’s flash member survey will provide us critical feedback and data – please make sure you participate!

November 16: Digital Economy & Technology Committee Meeting

November 17: Healthcare Committee Meeting

November 18: HR Committee Meeting

November 19: Agriculture Committee Meeting

Stay informed about key developments affecting your business by checking frequently – updated regularly on weekdays. On weekends, stay informed and connected through AmCham’s Facebook, Linked IN, and Instagram. LINK to our Key Media Updates.