Lighting the Way for Young Entrepreneurs

Lighting the Way for Young Entrepreneurs

A sponsorship contract signing ceremony between the organisers of the 'Lighting up Young Business Talents' contest and the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) and the TNT-Vietrans joint venture company - two out of eight sponsors for the contest - was held at the Hanoi School of Business (HSB) under the Hanoi National University on July 14. After the success of the 'Lighting up Young Business Talents' contest in 2003, Vietnam Television and HSB under the guideline of the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the Vietnam Youth League organised the 2004 contest nationwide with the participation of more than 500 contestants in the primery round . On the occasion, VIB Forum held an interview with Le Dao Nguyen, deputy general director of BIDV,a representative of the sponsor for the Final Round and a Golden Scholarship with the total value of US$20,000 .

Why did BIDV decide to sponsor the 'Lighting up Young Business Talents' 2004 contest?

The 'Lighting up Young Business Talents 2004' contest is an interesting initiative, which has produced great impacts on young people, and especially students who have just graduated from universities and are preparing to join business activities. The contest encourages young people to consider business activities as meaningful contributions to society and themselves. Vietnam needs talented entrepreneurs who have knowledge and spirit to join business activities. We consider that the training and fostering of generations of excellent entrepreneurs for the country should become a concrete activity of each individual, enterprise and agency. This is also a strategic solution to increase competitiveness of Vietnamese enterprises.

Furthermore, through the sponsorship of the contest's content, we want to send a message that BIDV cadres always encourage young business talents.

Over the past years, BIDV has joined in many social activities. Can you highlight some of these activities?

BIDV has donated funds to Vietnamese children and school strengthening programmes, Dien Bien and Lai Chau provinces. We have presented ten localities with one school each for local disadvantaged pupils. We have also donated study encouragement funds in localities and joined exchange meetings as well as created favourable conditions for students to study at the bank to familiarise themselves with business activities, so that they will have a good grounding for their future life. We have considered contribution to the community as a major task of entrepreneurs. This is also a cultural feature in business activities of BIDV cadres.

With a 47-year history of building and development, BIDV has become a financial corporation. What are the future strategies of BIDV?

So far, BIDV has a system of 140 branches nationwide, three independent companies, including the BIDV Leasing Company, the BIDV Securities Company (BSC) and the BIDV Asset Management Company (BAMC), three joint ventures, including VID Public Bank, the Lao-Vietnam Bank and the Vietnam-Australia Insurance Company, and some administrative units. The key to the success of BIDV is the quality of its human resources. Now, BIDV is implementing a 10-year development strategy until 2010 and is implementing a project on restructuring the bank with an aim at becoming a leading commercial bank in Vietnam and reaching the standard of banks in the region by 2010. To that end, apart from measures to increase financial capability, technology modernisation and product and service diversification, BIDV has identified reorganisation and human resources development as its top task. Therefore, apart from mechanisms and policies on income and spiritual life, we have created and are creating a competitive environment and promotional opportunities for all qualified cadres and staff members.

'Lighting up Young Business Talents' is an annual contest. Do you think BIDV will continue to sponsor the programme in the coming years?

We are certainly happy to contribute to this cause. Apart from sponsoring the programme, we welcome young business talents to come to us for exchanging and collecting information and experience or seeking cooperation opportunities as start-up entrepreneurs. We wish and strive to continue to sponsor the contest in the coming years. We will also get involved in other social activities to contribute to human resources development for the country.

• Reported by H.Chi