Imprint of Vietnam M&A Forum

More than 15 years ago, M&A activities between enterprises were still very new and little known, but faced with the opportunity to develop strongly. At that time, the Editorial Board of Dau Tu Newspaper had the idea of ​​organizing a conference so that enterprises with deals could meet, exchange experiences, needs and share information.

Under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, in June 2009, the first M&A Forum was successfully held in Hanoi, opening a prestigious annual event, attracting the attention of many domestic and foreign businesses and investors.

Over the past 15 years, there have been hundreds of speakers and thousands of senior leaders of domestic and international enterprises, investment funds, and consulting organizations attending. Along with the development of the Vietnamese M&A market, over the past 15 years, the Forum has been organized with different topics. The careful selection of the right topics and keynote speakers for the Forum, depending on the market developments, the domestic and international context each year, as well as the needs of the business community and investors, has made the Forum always fresh and attractive to attendees.

It is rare to find a forum or conference where until 6-7 pm, the attendees still sit, listen attentively and discuss enthusiastically like the Vietnam M&A Forum. It can also be said that the Forum is a rare event that pioneered ticket sales at that time, opening up the way for other events to be exploited later, not only by Dau Tu Newspaper, but also by other units.

In addition to the conference, practical activities serving investors are also organized such as MAF Expo to introduce businesses and projects, M&A Outlook Special Edition, and Annual voting for outstanding M&A deals and consultants. The Forum's activities have truly become a practical investment connection channel, where businesses and investors can share information and seek investment and M&A opportunities.

The global Covid-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented impacts to many fields and changed many ways of social communication, including the organization of events. The M&A Forum is no exception. However, in years that were most affected by the pandemic such as 2020 - 2021, the Organizing Committee still made efforts to organize the Forum with the richest and most contextual content possible, gathering the most prestigious businesses. The themes "Rising in the new normal" in 2020 and "Opportunities in the booming market" in 2021 speak for themselves.

Looking back over the 15 years of organization, it can be said that the Vietnam M&A Forum has made an important contribution to perfecting laws and policies on M&A, sharing information and experience, as well as connecting investments in the form of M&A. As assessed by Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, the annual Vietnam M&A Forum organized by Investment Newspaper has made an important contribution to promoting the healthy development of M&A activities. For Investment Newspaper, the Forum has contributed to enhancing its reputation and brand, closely connecting with the community of investors and businesses.

This year, the Forum will be held on Wednesday, November 27, 2024 at JW Marriott Saigon Hotel - one of the most luxurious 5-star hotels in Ho Chi Minh City, which has just been renamed from InterContinental Hotel. Hopefully, with the experience and prestige of the organization over the past 15 years, the 16th Vietnam M&A Forum will continue to receive the support of businesses, experts, consulting organizations and the domestic and international investor community.

Mr. Masataka “Sam” Yoshida .

Contribute to promoting domestic M&A activities.

– Mr. Masataka “Sam” Yoshida, Global Director of Cross-border M&A Services, RECOF Corporation, General Director of RECOF Vietnam

For many years, the Vietnam M&A Forum has been an annual forum that brings together investors, leading business executives, senior advisors, private equity experts, journalists and government officials from across Vietnam and the region. It can be said that there are few forums better than the M&A Forum in effectively connecting with a large number of customers, experts and decision-makers in businesses.

With numerous discussions, presentations and case studies, we believe that the M&A Forum has been very successful in developing investment ideas and promoting domestic M&A activities. Investors explore new investment opportunities, while Vietnamese companies gain a better understanding of domestic and international transaction activities. Private equity investment experts present the latest investment trends and strategies for different industries.

Meanwhile, M&A experts share the M&A transaction process to avoid disruption and make a successful deal. The M&A Forum is welcomed by creating a playground for participants with a wealth of useful information, people can connect, share business information, make transactions and learn practical experiences.

The annual M&A Forum not only receives extensive media coverage, but also attracts government officials and policy makers to discuss regulations on M&A activities. Through the discussions, we are pleased to learn that the Vietnamese Government is always trying to create an environment that promotes foreign investment and promotes innovative methods for cross-border M&A transactions. Discussions from the Forum also include debates on policies and proposed amendments.

For me, the M&A Forum left many beautiful memories, of which the most memorable moment that I still cannot forget was the time we were honored to receive the award from the Ministry of Planning and Investment for “The M&A Enterprise with the Most Contributions between Japan and Vietnam”. We were invited to the stage at the dinner party at GEM Center to receive the award from Mr. Vu Dai Thang, then Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, along with the compliment “RECOF is the only M&A consulting company, irreplaceable in connecting Vietnam and Japan”.

It was a moment that I felt truly happy after many years of operating in Vietnam. We are very grateful to the Forum Organizing Committee for their appreciation of us, as well as to our Vietnamese and Japanese clients, legal experts, accountants and other professionals who were very involved in our unforgettable transaction.

Mr. Seck Yee Chung .

Affirming the reputation and brand of Investment Newspaper – VIR.

  – Mr. Seck Yee Chung, Managing Partner of Baker & McKenzie Law Firm

Foreign investors are an important and inseparable part of the Vietnamese economy. Since the early days of Vietnam’s economic reform initiative in the late 1980s, the majority of investment flows have been foreign direct investment and joint ventures, concentrated in the manufacturing and real estate sectors. With the Vietnam-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) coming into effect in 2001 and Vietnam joining the WTO in 2007, foreign investors have increasingly shown interest and invested in Vietnam, opening the door to many other sectors, especially around the service sector.

Over time, domestic companies have grown and created value in their market segments. This has attracted interest and opened up many opportunities for M&A activities. Participation in various trade agreements in recent years has shown that Vietnam is opening up its market.
The legal framework must also be adjusted over time to accommodate both direct investment and M&A activities. So far, Vietnam has tried to strike a balance between building a modern, open market for investment, as well as setting certain conditions and restrictions for foreign investment in some areas.

Grasping the trends and growth in the M&A sector, the Vietnam M&A Forum organized by Investment Newspaper has become an annual forum gathering many businesses, investors, experts and service providers. This is an event to connect and listen to opinions from companies in the industry, major investors and successful businesses.

The Forum once again affirmed Vietnam’s commitment to developing a modern and open economy, welcoming investment, partnerships and cooperation between domestic and foreign enterprises. The success of the Forum affirmed the prestige and brand of Investment Newspaper – VIR.

Mrs. Binh Le Vandekerckove .

More speakers from regional and global markets should be invited.

– Ms. Binh Le Vandekerckove, Founder, General Director of ASART Business Consulting Company

  As a long-time participant and speaker at the annual M&A Forum (since 2009), I have seen the growth and increasing complexity of M&A transactions in Vietnam. M&A activities require a wide range of expertise and fields, making it difficult to synthesize and disseminate comprehensive information. In addition, the confidentiality of these transactions also adds to the complexity and difficulty in sharing.

Dau Tu Newspaper has established itself as one of the leading business news providers in Vietnam. The initiative to organize the annual Vietnam M&A Forum since 2009 has provided an important and leading platform for industry professionals to gather, share information and discuss the latest development trends. We are proud to have contributed a lot of practical and useful content to both the Forum and various publications of VIR.

To make this year’s Forum even more successful, I would like to see it cover the latest trends in the M&A market, emerging industries, changes in laws and regulations, the importance of sustainability and their economic impact. The Forum should also consider using live polls and an on-site Q&A platform to gather audience input and foster engagement. It would also be helpful to invite speakers from regional or global markets to share their perspectives and best practices.

To continue to lead the business news industry and provide exceptional value to readers, Dau Tu Newspaper could consider adopting digital platforms to make information more accessible and engaging, incorporating podcasts and live Q&A sessions/interviews with industry experts and providing exclusive content and in-depth reporting that no one else can provide.

Congratulations to the Editorial Board and the entire team on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the establishment of Investment Newspaper. I look forward to continuing to contribute to the development of your newspaper in general and the Vietnam Annual M&A Forum in particular for many years to come.

Mr. Nguyen Cong Ai .

Participation in the Forum is an annual event.

– Mr. Nguyen Cong Ai, Deputy General Director of KPMG Vietnam Company

One of the events that marked the cooperation between KPMG and Dau Tu Newspaper is the annual M&A Forum. KPMG is often “ordered” by Dau Tu Newspaper to report on the M&A market situation in Vietnam. Not only that, for many years, KPMG has also participated in the Forum as a keynote speaker, and participated in discussion sessions, either as a moderator or as a speaker.

Every time I attend the Forum, I am amazed by the professionalism of the speakers, attendees and the Organizing Committee. Even in the years affected by Covid-19, the Organizing Committee still strives to organize this annual event with the richest content possible, gathering the most prestigious businesses, and speakers who are truly "big trees" in the Vietnamese M&A community.

KPMG has been honored for many years with the “Typical M&A Consultant of the Year” Award from the Judging Council and the Forum Organizing Committee. This is a great source of encouragement and motivation for the M&A consulting team at KPMG, including legal consulting, financial due diligence consulting, commercial due diligence, as well as valuation and corporate finance support.

Now, we consider participating in the Forum as an annual event, where we can talk to our clients, receive the latest market information, and learn valuable lessons from the parties involved in the deal, both the seller and the buyer, and consulting firms that are partners or competitors of KPMG. Once again, we would like to thank Dau Tu Newspaper for accompanying the Vietnamese M&A market for the past 15 years and for always being a valuable source of information and effective support for us, the members of the market.

Mr. Angus Liew .

Integrate additional technology features.

– Mr. Angus Liew, Chairman of Gamuda Land Vietnam Company

Gamuda Land is proud to be the main partner of the Vietnam M&A Forum organized by Dau Tu Newspaper. The logistics and preparations for the event always leave a strong impression. The organizing team has ensured that every aspect, from the event setup to the seamless flow of the discussion sessions, is meticulously planned and executed.

The carefully chosen venue created an environment conducive to productive discussions, while the technical aspects were handled with the utmost professionalism. Additionally, the registration and coordination process was efficient, allowing delegates to focus on connecting and engaging with the event content.

In the future, Dau Tu Newspaper can enhance the quality of the Forum by integrating more technological features. Deploying an event application to update information in real time, connect online and interact with the audience during the discussion sessions will increase the participation of attendees. In addition, organizing discussion sessions by industry or meeting rooms by topic will provide more targeted networking opportunities, helping attendees get the most value from the event.

Mr. Edwin Tan .

To make the event more and more perfect…

– Mr. Edwin Tan, Deputy General Director of Frasers Property Vietnam

As a unit that has accompanied the Investment Newspaper's M&A Forum for many years, we highly appreciate the value that these events bring. To contribute to the further success of future events, we would like to propose some ideas.

Firstly, expanding the scale and organizing a key event in a large center in the North will create an attractive playground for businesses and investors. Cooperating with professional event organizers will also help improve the quality and effectiveness of the event.

In addition, increasing hands-on activities such as project visits, organizing in-depth discussion sessions and business networking activities will create more opportunities for cooperation and learning. Finally, inviting more large industry leaders and startups will help diversify the participants and create a vibrant M&A ecosystem.

I believe that the above suggestions will help M&A events become more and more complete and bring more value to the business community.