Vietnam, software development, skills impress UK business

The last weeks have been manic.

Flew to Vietnam on the 11th October to chair a Mission of Chief Information Officers on a week long visit to investigate the software industry in Vietnam. The Mission was organised by Harvey Nash with the support of UK Trade and Investment.

Three hard but exciting days introducing the software industry with help from UKTI and the British Embassy. Great commercial updates were given by PWC and HSBC. I hosted a networking event in the evening to put Vietnamese businesses together with the UK visitors. Discussions and feed back indicate that a number of partnerships will be agreed in coming months.

The key messages to delegates were: Vietnam’s skills base is young but very clever and ambitious. The people are loyal, have good English skills and above all know how to deliver quality software that meets client expectations. The delegation were not just impressed with the technology skills but thought the country clean, safe and an exciting place to do business. The facilities and conversations with Vietnamese developers really reinforced the maturity of the ICT industry. Overall marks 9 out of 10.

Then off to Hanoi for meetings with the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce. They of course are preparing for leadership of the ASEAN congress as they take over the Presidency in January 2010.

Next year will be extraordinarily busy for Vietnam with the most important leaders in Asia descending for a conference. VCCI arrange many of the events for overseas visits by the Vietnamese leadership as well as doing a fantastic job of welcoming foreign businesses to Vietnam. Harvey Nash work with them to maximise business exposure and opportunity for Vietnam.

Then home to UK for Monday 19th October, I spoke at the London Chamber of Commerce with HE Deputy Prime Minister Mr Hoang Trung Hai to a large audience of British businessmen. Mr Hai has commanding English skills, a real affinity for the UK and a close relationship with Ireland (he was educated in Dublin) .Then onto Buckingham Palace where the HRH Duke of York hosted a business lunch for the Deputy Prime Minister. Frankly, why do the press hound him about his travel costs? Anyone who saw him in action engaging with UK and Vietnamese businessmen, helping to win export business for the UK, would understand the massive value he brings through his influence generating £billions in revenue for UK business. I was lucky enough to host the Duke of York at our Vietnamese software facility in 2006. He was fantastic.

Harvey Nash continues to forge close links with Vietnam. In 2007 we hosted Prime Minister Dung (pronounced Zung) in London and in September Anna Frazzetto who is responsible for Harvey Nash Software Development business in the USA met with HE President Triet

You can read about that meeting here.

November 5, 2009 03:43 PM | Permalink