Binh Le Vandekerckove

🚀 **Southeast Asia: A Hotspot for FDI in 2024!** 🌏 In 2023, ASEAN countries experienced a surge in FDI inflows, reaching $236 billion, fueled by the diversification trend away from China. Vietnam, a standout performer, attracted investments in technology, renewable energy, healthcare, and real estate. Notably, Vietnam saw a remarkable 38.6% increase in FDI in the first two months of 2024, with significant contributions from Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, and China. Singapore is bolstering its digital economy and supply chain resilience by implementing measures like the Significant Interest and Review Board (SIRB) to ensure both security and economic growth. Meanwhile, Cambodia is leading FDI growth in the region, benefiting from economic diversification and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The strategic economic policies and cooperative initiatives in Southeast Asia are making it an appealing destination for US and Western private equity firms seeking sustainable growth opportunities. The region's growth showcases its potential and attractiveness for investors keen on exploring emerging markets. #FDI #SoutheastAsia #PrivateEquity #Vietnam #Singapore #Cambodia #Investment #GlobalEconomy #ChinaPlusOne #DigitalEconomy #RenewableEnergy #RealEstate #EconomicGrowth #ASEAN Read more: [Vietnam's 2024 FDI Landscape: Opportunities, Incentives, and Emerging Trends](https://lnkd.in/e53K8C-m)

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Great post, Benji! To answer your question - Vietnam has always been and will continue to be a strong market for foreign brands. Vietnamese love everything foreign, particularly strong western brands. Two major factors in Vietnam will drive this growth: 1) a growing middle class segment of the economy with increasing spending power, and 2) high use of e-commerce platforms will facilitate more purchases, especially consumer goods. Vietnam’s e-commerce average annual growth rate is at 16-30% over the past five years.

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Cap Table & ESOP 101 – Introduction to Cap Table Management and Equity Compensation Join us for a webinar hosted by Founder Institute Vietnam and InvestUp, titled "Cap Table & ESOP 101 – Introduction to Cap Table Management and Equity Compensation." This session will cover key aspects of managing your cap table and structuring effective Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOPs) to optimize talent acquisition and retention in your startup. In collaboration with Qapita, a leading provider of digital equity management solutions, this webinar will guide founders and leaders through the essential steps for cap table management, equity compensation planning, and ensuring compliance across all growth stages. 📌 Topics covered will include: - Cap Table formation and transaction management - Dilution modeling and its impact on equity distribution - ESOP creation and how it benefits both companies and employees - Leveraging equity as an incentive for long-term growth and retention 📌 Detail: - Speaker: Amit Majumder, CFA, Head of Equity Management at Qapita. - Time: 6:00pm, Tuesday, 17 Sep 2024. - Platform: Zoom Meeting - Register on LinkedIn event (due to the specialized nature of the event, we apologize for declining registrations not aligned with the subject matter): https://lnkd.in/gquG3xAC - Contact: [email protected] 🌱 Founder Institute Vietnam accelerator's next cohort is coming. Join us now at FI.co/vietnam.

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FINALLY, CEO CHANGES AT MAPLETREE REITS – IMPLICATIONS 2 out of 3 Mapletree Reits announced changes to their CEOs in the past week. MLT, where ex-CEO Ng Kiat, is stepping down, is down from $1.83 to $1.33 or 28% since interest rates started rising on 17 Mar 2022. Another long serving CEO, Mr Tham at MIT is also moving on to another position at Mapleteree. At the same time, MPAC announced its first asset sale of Mapletree Anson. We examine the implications on these 3 REITs over a series of Mapletree updates, beginning with MLT. Enjoy at https://lnkd.in/gaQEfGGW

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Banking for growth! With clear signs of economic recovery reported in growth drivers of pre-pandemic industry sectors such as tourism, GFT exports, agriculture and new opportunities for consolidation / revival being explored in the construction sector, Cambodian economy seems well poised for a turnaround in 2024 -2025. At Wing Bank, we strongly believe in a strong public - private partnership in collectively driving economic growth. With a vision that is focused on bringing convenient and relevant digital solutions that improve the life of every Cambodian, creating digital platforms that drive income generation and economic growth of the Cambodian people comes naturally to us. With B2B supply chain platforms like Wingmarket with built-in working capital solutions, agriculture platforms like Wingagri that provide not just access to capital, but also access to markets to farmers and agriculture communities, B2C platforms targeted at creating revenue for SMEs and MSMEs in Cambodia, a systematic savings plan for those planned expenses of individuals and companies, a 3 minute digital loan for those unplanned expenses and a Buy Now - Pay Later solution for those merchant partners who lose sales due to lack of purchasing power of interested customer, we try in our own humble ways to propel the economy forward. Ably supported by CBC, CGCC and many other similar minded parters. Bank on the bank of the future. Proud to be Wing! #proudtobewing #ppp #digitalbank #bankofthefuture

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VIETNAM's "MISSING PIECES" IN GREEN/ SUSTAINABLE FINANCE ECOSYSTEM: Question: As we talked about having an ‘ecosystem’ in the country for sustainable financing, do you see any ‘missing pieces’ on top of the stakeholders list ? In addition, as this forum kicks off more collaborative efforts in the future, how do you see yourself working with the various groups of stakeholders like those present in this room (for instance, potential collaboration opportunities, mutual projects, etc.)? Answer: Potential Missing Stakeholders: • More direct involvement from bond market regulators and policy makers is needed to create facilitating guidelines and frameworks; • Institutional investors like pension funds, insurance firms should play a bigger role as key demand drivers; • Independent ESG rating/data providers beyond credit rating agencies to enhance transparency; • There's a lack of academic and think-tank research houses providing empirical research evidences about the "greenium". Collaboration Opportunities: • Work closely with stock exchanges and regulatory authorities to develop robust taxonomies, listing rules and disclosure requirements for green/social/sustainability bonds; • Engage with issuers across corporates, banks and government to help structure and certify their labelled bond programs in line with global principles; • Partner with institutional investors and asset managers to build internal ESG integration capacities and sustainable investment strategies; • Collaborate with ESG rating/data providers like us at FiinGroup and FiinRatings to develop localized analytics tools evaluating use of proceeds, impact reporting and alignment with bond principles; • Participate in industry associations and working groups focusing on standardization and harmonization of labelled bond market practices; • Conduct joint research with think-tanks on market sizing, barriers to growth and policy interventions needed for market development; and • Deliver capacity building trainings alongside development agencies to upskill underwriters, lawyers and other transaction parties on labelled bonds. My knowledge sharing at the Climate Finance Workshop organised by Global Climate Partnership Fund with AUM US$4.6bn and their fund manager: responsAbility Investments AG on 13-14 May 2024 in HCMC! #impactinvestments #greenbonds #GSSBonds #sustainablefinance #greenbondratings #greenbondverification #greenexternalreview #ESGratings

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【Nurturing Innovation through the Key Role: The Intermediary】 It's more than simply brainstorming that might be needed to spark Innovation. The latest cover story of Harvard Business Review Global Traditional Chinese Edition points out that the key to success lies in having an "intermediary" who can guide long-term collaboration. HBR Taiwan interviewed Edgar Chiu (me) to share our perspectives on SparkLabs Taiwan's acceleration program experiences. ▎Establishing Connections: The intermediary's role isn't just about bringing people together, fostering trusting relationships, and creating a conducive structure for dialogue. ▎Developing Relationships: The intermediary must devise a collaboration roadmap, introduce external perspectives, act as a coach, create a safe environment, and ignite team motivation. ▎Maintaining Management: As collaboration scales up and organizational demands become more complex, the intermediary needs to focus on building strong relationships, providing opportunities for reflection, and assisting in managing stress and emotions. The rise of the intermediary helps startups overcome barriers, create open and transparent platforms, ensure consensus among all parties, encourage participants to speak up, and ultimately achieve shared success. SparkLabs Taiwan, an international venture capital and startup accelerator from Silicon Valley, serves as an intermediary. It deeply understands the needs of all parties, assists in solving internal and external business issues, and fosters mutual benefits. In a startup case study, Ting-Kuan Chen, Co-founder and CEO of FunNow, a real-time booking platform in Taiwan, shared its journey, highlighting the crucial role played by SparkLabs Taiwan, including providing "lessons from failure" to avoid pitfalls and increase success rates, building networks of professionals to assist with registration, trademarks, patents, etc., facilitating connections between external entrepreneurial partners, introducing suitable startup talent, and linking to the capital market.

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Happy 17th Birthday to Saigon Asset Management (SAM)! As we mark the milestone of Saigon Asset Management's 17th birthday, I am filled with gratitude. Our journey has been one of resilience and innovation. Allow me to extend my heartfelt appreciation to our exceptional senior management team and dedicated staff members. Together, we have achieved a track record that speaks volumes: 1. Investment Prowess: We have invested in 65 companies across diverse industries within Vietnam. Our vision extends beyond P&L and balance sheets; it encompasses the sustainable growth and transformation of these enterprises. 2. Capital Deployment: With proper due diligence and structuring, we have deployed over $500 million of capital to fuel Vietnam's economic progress. Our investments have catalyzed projects, empowered businesses, and partly contributed in the nation's future. 3. Outperformance: Our managed funds outperformed peer funds and relative indices. This achievement reflects our dedication to delivering superior results and accountability. 4. Sustainable Impact: We take pride in raising over $300 million in sustainable investments from esteemed Development Finance Institutions (DFIs). Our commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles drives positive change. As we celebrate this milestone, I extend my gratitude to our limited partners, loyal clients, and friends of SAM. Your unwavering support has been the bedrock of our success. Looking ahead, we eagerly anticipate the next chapter-a future where innovation, collaboration, and purpose converge. Thank you for being part of our journey and do stay in touch. Here's to the next 17 years of growth, impact, and shared success. Louis Nguyen CEO, Saigon Asset Management (SAM)

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Private equity is becoming increasingly important part of the M&A landscape in South Korea, and with the recent closings of several new funds, including the Hahn & Company's US$3.4 billion latest fund, private equity's influence will only increase. Meanwhile, rising Korean LP class continue to support the private markets with commitments to private equity, private credit and other private market asset classes focused on the domestic and international, the opportunities will get bigger with more capital to drive the market. Join us for this year's AVCJ Korea Forum to get actionable insights into the sentiments, strategies and thinking of these South Korea's top investors and their peers. AVCJ Korea Forum is scheduled for Sept 6 in Seoul. Details at: https://lnkd.in/g8j-JnAx #ionanalytics #mergermarket #koreanprivateequity, #privateequity, #koreanLPs, #avcj, #avcjforum

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I am looking forward to speaking at the 2024 Vietnam ESG Investor Conference, organized by Raise Partners and Vietnam Innovators by Vietcetera which will focus on building strong partnerships and resilient systems for sustainable finance and ESG investing in Vietnam. #vietnam #esginvesting #biodiversity #assetmanagement

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What has changed for medical investment in China during this “Capital Winter”? I was in Korea last week but didn’t miss out on the Gaorong Capital高榕资本’s Annual Healthcare CEO Conference & Demo Day in Shanghai. It’s a close-door event hosted by Gao Rong, a leading VC in China, attended by representatives from their healthcare portfolio companies, LPs, and other investment partners. It was a great opportunity to share my thoughts on why Chinese healthcare innovators need a mindset shift to achieve their Go Global aspirations. It was also a valuable learning experience for me. Here are a few takeaways from the event: 1️⃣ New Opportunities in the “Capital Winter”: While people are talking about the "capital winter" in China, funding is still available there, and it's still more substantial compared to many other parts of the world. However, new IPO regulations have made exits significantly harder, leading investors to become more cautious and selective. They are increasingly exploring alternative opportunities, such as overseas deals and acquisitions of corporate assets. 2️⃣ Survival of the Fittest: Biotech companies that once saw big investments in China are now facing tough times for the subsequent rounds due to IPO challenges. Only those with strong resilience and adaptation are likely to survive, while others may disappear. This may not be a bad thing, as it's a natural process to eliminate excess and encourage more rational competition. 3️⃣ Increased Focus on Commercial Viability: With IPOs becoming difficult, investors are paying more attention to the commercial growth of their companies. They’re helping with business development, fundraising, and even global expansion. No one knows how long this "winter" will last, but investors are finding creative ways to support their portfolio companies and each other.  🌍 It’s all about adapting and staying strong! To all the Chinese healthcare investors and innovators out there – 加油! #Healthcare #Investment #Biotech #BusinessGrowth #China

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Vietnam’s opportunities and challenges for climate/sustainability relative to other regional countries? And your focus as a premier data analytics, research and credit rating firm in Vietnam? Answer: OPPORTUNITIES: • Vietnam's robust economic growth provides significant opportunities for investment into new green infrastructure, renewable energy projects and sustainable urban development. • There is strong policy momentum from Vietnam's enhanced commitments under the Paris Agreement, updated Nationally Determined Contributions and National Green Growth Strategy creating an enabling environment. • The government has displayed clear political will to position Vietnam as a regional sustainable finance hub, opening up further green capital flows and investment. • Given the rapid pace of urbanization, Vietnam has the ability to leapfrog legacy systems directly to adopt cutting-edge green technologies and sustainable city solutions. CHALLENGES: • There is a lack of standardized technical expertise (taxonomy, for example) and consistent sustainability reporting frameworks being applied, especially among smaller companies. • While ambition is high, there is currently a limited pipeline of bankable, investment-ready green projects and climate investment opportunities. • More mechanisms are needed to crowd-in private capital at scale alongside public funds to meet Vietnam's large climate finance needs. • Many regions face heightened physical climate risks - from rising sea levels threatening coastal economic hubs to drought impacting agricultural areas. OUR FOCUS AT FIINGROUP and FIINRATINGS • Scaling our green finance advisory services to support banks, project developers and issuers in identifying, structuring and bringing green loans/bonds to market. • Offering independent second party opinion (SPO) and certification services to verify the ESG credentials and sustainability performance of funds, investment products and corporate strategies. • Building capacity through training financial institutions on integrating ESG into their risk management systems, portfolio analysis and product designs. • Developing cutting-edge climate risk analytics and data solutions tailored for analyzing physical risk exposures of banks' loan books and investments across various real asset classes and sectors. • Providing policy guidance based on global best practices to enable a robust regulatory environment conducive for sustainable finance to thrive in Vietnam. • Forging cross-border partnerships with other leading rating agencies/verifiers and knowledge centers across the region to integrate global and local perspectives. My Sharing at the Climate Finance Workshop organised by Global Climate Partnership Fund and its fund manager responsAbility Investment AG on 13-14 May 2024 in HCMC! Thanks Tung Anh Nguyen our Head of Sustainable Finance Service at FiinRatings - Vietnam Credit Rating Agency for the script. Happy Investing!

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We are excited to share an insightful article written by Mr Nguyen Chi Trung, CEO and Managing Partner of Grant Thornton Vietnam, published in the Vietnam Investment Review. The article sheds light on the deepening roots and flourishing partnerships between Apple and Vietnam, highlighting the country's growing significance in Apple's global supply chain. Gain valuable insights into Apple's commitment to Vietnam, the country's strategic importance, and the challenges it faces in the competitive manufacturing landscape. Explore the opportunities and future prospects that lie ahead in technology and manufacturing in Southeast Asia. Don't miss out! #Apple #Vietnam #Partnerships #Manufacturing #Sustainability #GrantThorntonVietnam #Insights

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📈 Southeast Asia to Outpace China in Economic Growth and FDI 🌏 🔆 A new study by Angsana Council, Bain & Company, and DBS Bank reveals Southeast Asia will likely surpass China's economic growth and foreign direct investment (FDI) over the next decade. The "Southeast Asia Outlook 2024-2034" report forecasts an average annual GDP growth of 5.1% for Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, outstripping China's expected 3.5%-4.5%. Here are a few key highlights of the report: 🚀 Vietnam and Philippines are set to lead with GDP growth rates of 6.6% and 6.1%, respectively. 💰 Southeast Asia attracted $206 billion in FDI last year, surpassing China's $42.7 billion. 💼 The shift includes increased Chinese investment in the region, to bypass tariff restrictions and security concerns. ⚡ Newer growth sectors in the region include electric vehicle supply chains, which Thailand and Indonesia are emerging as regional hubs for. Semiconductor production is also being expanded in Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, across different parts of the value chain, and the region is broadly benefiting from a boom in data center investments. 🌱 The report also underscored the importance of investing in emerging sectors, fostering a robust startup ecosystem, and embracing green energy to sustain growth. Charles Ormiston, an advisory partner at Bain, said this is one of the biggest growth opportunities for Southeast Asia. 🖋 Read the full article by Tsubasa Suruga, Nikkei Asia, here: https://lnkd.in/gqED7HXf 📲 Follow us Africa South East Asia Chamber of Commerce for more economic news on #Africa and #SoutheastAsia! #EconomicGrowth #FDI #GlobalBusiness #InvestmentOpportunities #GreenEnergy

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We have an impressive panel for this Friday in Ho Chi Minh City. How robust is Made-in-Vietnam? What can be done to make Vietnam a friendly shore for global manufacturers? What are the risks? Come and find out...! #vietnam #ESGInvestorConference2024 #emergingmarkets

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Excellent piece for a quick #Vietnam #FDI landscape and opportunities including #Semiconductor Will be in Hanoi and HCMC next week - but also #SemiconWest this Wed July 10th - if you would like to discuss. #SemiconductorIndustry #Manufacturing #ICdesign #Testing #Innovation #Investments

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