Weekly eNewsletter
17th Week of 2021 - April 30, 2021
AmCham Vietnam’s Vision:

The most influential, strategic, and dynamic business association in Vietnam, that drives innovation and sustainable growth, and helps our members succeed. AmCham is a diverse, inclusive, business association and welcomes American, Vietnamese, and international companies that share our interest in enabling a fair, transparent, predictable, and efficient regulatory environment that values innovation. A community you want to join.
Dear ,
We hope you are enjoying the long holiday weekend! I started mine with a leisurely breakfast – and a fresh pot of my favorite coffee – butter-roasted robusta beans from the Central Highlands!

Please make sure you are being safe, especially with the new community-spread COVID cases. Vietnam had experienced 35 days without any reported community spread, but now, as of Friday evening, April 30, has six cases originating from the individual who returned from Japan and then tested positive in Ha Nam province, after completing a mandatory quarantine in Da Nang. In addition, Vietnam has detected four cases on arrival of a new COVID variant believed to be contributing to the current deadly surge in India. With outbreaks now in many countries in Southeast Asia, including bordering Cambodia and Laos, Vietnam is on high alert, especially given all the travel during the long weekend. HCMC People’s Committee had already canceled celebratory fireworks earlier this week, but this afternoon, closed all bars, discos, and karaoke clubs as of 6PM on April 30 as an effort to control the outbreak. Earlier today, we canceled our Cinco de Mayo Fiesta, scheduled for Saturday, May 8th at District Federal. We hope you will all find ways to support your local restaurants (particularly our AmCham members and discount partners!!), either in person or via delivery.

Next week, please join our Member-only Committee Meetings: Capital Markets and Financial Services Tuesday afternoon, May 4th at 4PM, with an interview about “What is Fintech?” with TIMO COO Hai Bui An by Committee Co-Chair and VinaCapital Head of Business Development Eric Levinson, followed by updates by subsector experts on Insurance, Securities, and Banking; and Education & Training on Wednesday, May 5th at 9AM, focused on plans for a late May “Developing a Globally Competitive Workforce” event.
 
AmCham Vietnam members also are welcome to join on a complimentary basis a May 5th Digital Economy Policy Roundtable: Focus Vietnam event organized by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The session will feature both U.S. government and private sector speakers discussing Vietnam’s digital economy and opportunities for U.S. companies, as well as how certain Vietnamese draft cyber and digital economy legislation can affect all sectors. Register at the link below.

AmCham Vietnam members are also welcome to join on a complimentary basis (thanks to Citibank sponsorship) an event organized by AmCham Singapore entitled APAC Investment Outlook on Thursday, May 6 from 9-10AM ICT. Register at the link and use the discount code CITI2021.
 
We were delighted to see Top Leaders’ Insights on Hard and Soft Leadership Skills provided valuable insights from the psychological, diplomatic, corporate, and entrepreneurial sectors. And started plenty of conversations... Many thanks to chamber co-hosts and speakers Dr. Astrid Matarrita, Irene Öhler, Consul General Dr. Josefine Wallat, Winnie Wong, and Trinh Tieu Yen, and AmCham’s Women in Leadership Committee!
I was honored to join an April 28th event on Strengthening the U.S-Vietnam Trade and Investment Partnership after COVID-19, organized by the HCMC People’s Committee Investment and Trade Promotion Committee, together with ITPC Director Nguyen Huu Tin, Consulate Econ Chief Alex Tatsis, Mazar’s Partner Jack Nguyen, and Duong Global Business Consulting VP for Legal Ken Đạt Dương!
Wonderful to see many AmCham members and friends at our April 28th Connect & Cocktails professional networking event at Hotel Des Arts! Hope the current COVID outbreak will be controlled so we can hold our next C&C on May 26 - location TBD.
AmCham Vietnam's Member-only Committee meetings, led by our volunteer Committee leaders, are one of our key Member benefits. They provide opportunities for professional networking, business intelligence, and advocacy, and are held in a hybrid in-person and virtual format to be accessible wherever you are located.

Last week, we held several extremely informative Committee meetings. On Tuesday morning, April 27, the Tourism and Hospitality Committee, led by Committee Co-Chair, Da Nang Board Liaison, & Indochina Riverside Commercial Center Chris Vanloon, with HCMC Board Liaison, IHG Vietnam and Laos GM Colin McCandless, and Vice Chair for Advocacy Grant Thornton Sr. Advisor Ken Atkinson, discussed follow-up from our National Conference Strategy session, including key recommendations in the Enabling a Safe Reopening joint letter to PM Chinh. AstraZeneca Vietnam Chairman Nitin Kapoor provided an informative update on vaccines, while Lufthansa Vietnam Country Manager Anlee Do briefed on aviation industry trends and prospects. Note that with former Co-Chair Lodgis Ho Tram Grand COO Craig Douglas stepping down, there is an opening for a Co-chair position to be elected at the May meeting. Interested candidates can contact tourism@amchamvietnam.com

The Food & Beverage Committee, led by Co-Chairs Vinh Le from Dupont and Huong Bui from FrieslandCampina, held an insightful webinar briefing on Tuesday afternoon on the Economic Impact of the Food Industry in Vietnam, with a report by Oxford Economics commissioned by Food Industry Asia. On Wednesday, the F&B Committee held a meeting to elect new leadership and approve its strategic plan for the year, to include regular Committee meetings, in addition to many ongoing core group meetings to coordinate advocacy on specific regulatory issues. Vinh Le and Herbalife's Trang Nguyen were elected as the new Co-Chairs.

On Wednesday, April 28th, the Logistics and Supply Chain Committee, led by Co Chairs DTK Logistics Geert van Doorslaer and FedEx Tang Nguyen, held its regular monthly meeting, featuring Guest Speaker with LOGIVAN Founder & CEO Linh Pham to discuss innovation in digital trucking and logistics, with more than 60 participants (in-person and virtual combined). Later on Wednesday, the Healthcare Committee, led by Co-Chairs Pharmacity Founder and CEO Chris Blank and KPMG Managing Director Strategy Group & National Head of Healthcare and Life Science Luke Treloar, discussed priority advocacy issues, plans for this year's White Book, and updates to Committee Guidelines.

If you missed the live events earlier this week, you can watch the recordings now of AmCham Singapore Board Member Steve Okun’s interview of Ryan Haas about his new book, “Stronger: Adapting America’s China Strategy in an Age of Competitive Interdependence” at LINK

And a Video recording is now available here for the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ April 27 webinar “The Future of the U.S. Vietnam Partnership, Part one (the Economic Partnership) featuring Vietnam’s Ambassador to the US Ha Kim Ngoc, former US Ambassador to Vietnam and Google AP VP Ted Osius, FUV Lecturer Xuan Nguyen Thanh, and AmCham Vietnam Executive Director Mary Tarnowka.
 
Please note the AmCham Office is closed on April 30-May 3 for the Vietnam's Victory Day and International Labor Day. 
 
We welcome your feedback at team@amchamvietnam.com to let us know how we can serve you better. We wish you a safe and restful holiday weekend! Mary
Greetings from Da Nang! Special thanks this week to Mr. Lee & his team from our new member G-Saram. Our Board Secretary Craig Meadows and I were honored to attend the opening of their new office in Da Nang. For those who don’t know G-Saram, it is a new FOREX trading company based in Da Nang which is developing rapidly in the area of currency trading. We look forward to working with G-Saram in the future and following its exponential growth!
 
On another special note, I am advised that many of our members will be traveling over the long weekend break. Please do take care when traveling or going out. We seem to have contained the COVID situation in Vietnam so far thanks to the Government and the people of Vietnam. Let’s not be too risky during the holidays and stay vigilant! That said, have a great weekend!
Advocacy
On April 26th, representatives from the Vietnam Business Forum (VBF) Board, including AmCham 2021 VBF Rep and AmCham Hanoi Board Member and Freshfields Senior Associate Eric Johnson, met with MPI Minister Nguyen Chi Dung to discuss plans for the 2021 VBF, led by this year’s VBF Co-Chair, JCCI Chairman Tetsu Funayama. The group decided to focus the year’s theme on “Private Sector Joins Hands with the Government in the Implementation of Resolution 13”. For those of you not familiar, that was the resolution passed at this year’s 13th Party Congress targeting GDP/capita of $5000 by 2025, and Developed Country Status by 2045. Minister Dung suggested VBF focus on a five-year vs annual goal, including focus on infrastructure, green growth, and the digital economy. The group also decided to hold only one VBF Forum this year, at year-end.
 
In an April 27th joint letter to Prime Minister Chinh, AmCham Vietnam (including our Da Nang branch), EuroCham, and BritCham expressed our gratitude for Vietnam’s effective management of the COVID pandemic to date, as well as some suggestions which could help Enable a Safe Reopening to Foreign Travel and Tourism. This letter followed from discussions with U.S. Mission leadership at our March 27 AmCham National Weekend and Strategy Session, and leadership from our Healthcare and Tourism and Hospitality Committees. We welcome the opportunity to partner with Vietnam on these issues. 
 
Also this week, the Vietnam Business Forum sent a joint letter to MOLISA expressing concerns of many chambers regarding Work Permits for Foreigners. If you are interested in a copy of that letter, please contact advocacyaction@amchamvietnam.com
 
If you have any other advocacy matters that require AmCham support, please contact raise it to the relevant Committee leaders and/or advocacyaction@amchamvietnam.com 
Committee Meetings & Activities (For AmCham Members Only)
Upcoming Events
This event will be off-the-record. Please register by Tuesday, May 4. Registrants will receive a Microsoft Teams video conference link prior to the meeting. Please contact Javiera Gallardo with any questions.
Venue: New World Saigon Hotel, 76 Le Lai, Dist. 1
Venue: Riverside Apartments, 53 Vo Truong Toan, An Phu, Dist. 2
Offers to AmCham Members
AmCham Membership
If you want to become an AmCham member, register here. If you have already renewed for 2021, you should have received your membership card already. If you haven’t, please let us know. If you haven’t yet renewed or settled your payment, please do so soonest so you can keep enjoying the benefits of AmCham membership! 
AmCham’s Member Discount Program supports local businesses that contribute to our quality of life, and also offer benefits to you, our members. For more information on participating businesses, or if you want to become an AmCham Member Discount Partner, click here.
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The American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam
New World Hotel Suite 323
76 Le Lai Street, District 1
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Phone: +84 28 3824 3562