Standard Chartered Bank Shows Optimism about Vietnam (27/10)
27/10/2011 - 6 Lượt xem
Would you share some of Standard Chartered Bank's outstanding achievements for the past two years of operation in Vietnam?
August 2009 marked a milestone for Standard Chartered as we officially began operating as a locally-incorporated entity, Standard Chartered Bank (Vietnam) Limited. Since then, Standard Chartered Bank has developed strongly, and we have fully affirmed our long-term commitment to Vietnam - we are, as our brand promise says, here for good.
In Wholesale Banking, Standard Chartered Bank has led a range of innovative and value enhancing financial products that demonstrate the increasing sophistication of the banking market in Vietnam. We lead the international syndicated loan markets for Vietnamese borrowers, including for example Petro Vietnam Exploration Production Corporation Ltd. We are leading in lending to projects that are environmentally responsible, such as lending the funding for Holcim's new waste heat recovery power plant which will save 25,300 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year. We have developed funding and transaction banking products to serve the needs of corporate clients, whether SMEs or the largest multinational corporations.
Standard Chartered Bank was ranked as the top bookrunner of USD syndicated loans for Vietnamese borrowers (a position we have held for three consecutive years), and also top Bookrunner for VND bonds. These achievements emphasize the bank's world-class service, capability, deep understanding of the market and strong relationships with clients. Transactions were closed successfully despite market turmoil caused by the global financial crisis and an uncertain macroeconomic environment.
For Consumer Banking we have also introduced innovations. Recently, Standard Chartered Bank was proud to be the first international bank to join the Smartlink network, giving clients' access to over 5,000 ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) nationwide. To better serve the growing demands of our retail customers, in November 2010, Standard Chartered Bank launched its flagship Priority Banking branch located at 25 Le Dai Hanh Street in Hanoi. This Priority Banking Center has extended working hours, dedicated Relationship Managers to look after both business and personal accounts, and experienced Personal Financial Consultants to customize financial solutions according to individual needs. Being recognized for our consistent performance, Standard Chartered Bank has won the Golden Dragon Award for the category "Most Favorite International Bank" for four consecutive years, from 2007 to 2010.
And along with all this, Standard Chartered Bank takes pride in what we are able to contribute to the community. The bank has organized several campaigns and projects to give something back to the local community where we operate. For example, "Seeing is Believing" is a global program to help tackle preventable and curable blindness. In Vietnam, the fourth phase of Seeing is Believing, focused on urban child eye-care, is currently running and will last until 2012. In Hanoi alone, 174,245 children have been provided with free eye screen and 1,581 pairs of spectacles were given to children in need.
All of this goes beyond profit, and into building a sustainable business within our sustainable communities, and following our brand promise to be "Here for good" - Here for people, Here for progress, Here for the long term.
What is your prediction for the macroeconomic situation in Vietnam later this year?
First of all, I am quite optimistic about Vietnam's outlook in the medium and long term despite the obvious short term uncertainties such as inflation, trade deficit, and volatility in the local currency market.
However, Vietnam's authorities have recently taken a number of measures to curb inflation and improve confidence in the currency which are appropriate and which seem to be working. We will wait for the changes in the economy that result from these measures in the coming months. Maybe, they will not have a profound effect within this year; but they ought to help create a more stable growth platform for the longer term.
Would you share some of the future plans of Standard Chartered Bank in Vietnam?
Standard Chartered Bank is working to build a profitable but sustainable franchise in Vietnam. By sustainable we mean not only being able to lend money to customers and to offer them other products and services, but also being able to raise the deposit funding locally. In other words, we need to balance our business, between loans and deposits.
For Consumer Banking, our customers remain our key priority. As we look to deepen and broaden customer relationships, we constantly challenge ourselves to offer innovative products and better service quality. In 2011, the bank remains committed to investing in and developing a variety of customized business and consumer financial solutions to provide greater transactional convenience and objective advice, in line with the evolving needs of both local and foreign customers in Vietnam. In short, our goal is to be the bank that our customers recommend to their friends and colleagues by our friendly, fast and accurate service; our solutions to customers' financial needs; and recognition of customers' overall banking relationship.
SMEs will continue to be a key pillar of most economies, and in Vietnam that is no different. With the expanding trade and infrastructure development in Vietnam, the outlook for SMEs remain positive, and we plan to increase our focus on SME customers and to partner with them. Many SMEs have growing international business, and Standard Chartered has the capability to enable that business to be done most efficiently.
In Wholesale Banking, we continue to develop our Transaction Banking and Capital Markets capabilities, and to bring our expertise in areas such as Project Finance, Commodities, Trade Finance and derivatives for the benefit of our clients. As their needs become more sophisticated, we will have the products to meet those needs, and in doing so we will serve our customers better.
Standard Chartered Bank with its established international footprint is well-positioned to work with SMEs, larger local corporations, and also the global corporations that we bring from our international network./.
Source: VEN.
Source: VEN.
