In 1991, from a teacher of music, she switched to work in the area of advertisement, event and exhibition organization and she now has become a successful entrepreneur. Since 1995, the name of Doan Thi Kim Hong has been attached with the brand name of CIAT and accompanied festivals, market fairs, exhibitions and beauty contests.
Entering the advertisement area at a quite early stage in Vietnam, Ms Hong spent lots of time on studying all the jobs related to advertisement and event organization. Successful stories as well as challenges faced by national and international advertising enterprises, etc. in reality and in newspapers provided Hong with more valuable experience and knowledge. Working days at Vietnam National Trade Fairs and Advertising Company (Vinaxad) were those she practiced and learnt from senior staff and made tiredless efforts for better performance. In 1995, Ms Hong got promoted to be Director of International Advertising and Trade Fair Joint Stock Company (CIAT) which is under direct management of Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) after a period of making endeavours and contributions to the success of the company and the community.
At CIAT, she was offered opportunities to learn and gain experience from large advertising companies in Japan, the United States and Singapore. In 1997, CIAT was privatized and Hong was appointed as the Chairwoman. At this time, Ms Hong developed and ran five other companies, including Viet My Trade Fair, Advertising and Real Estate Joint Stock Company (Vinatafs), Quoc Khanh Communications and Advertising Limited Company, Quoc Hoang Advertising Company, International Advertising and Trading Promotion Joint Stock Company (IATP) and Anh Loc Commerce and Advertising Service Limited Company working with 300 staff.
CIAT offers a range of services from advertising consultancy, organization of events, festivals, beauty contests, market fairs, exhibitions in and outside Vietnam, real estate trading, investment consultancy, trade promotion, outdoor advertising, film production and communications service, etc., of which organizing national and international events to promote culture and tourism is the most significant activity of the company. During the past 15 years, CIAT has co-operated with central Ministries, Ministerial-level agencies and local authorities nationwide to successfully organize many festivals and exhibitions, such as: Hue festival, Dalat flower festival, Buon Me Thuot coffee festival, Central Highlands festival, Vietnam – Japan festival in Tokyo to celebrate 35 years of diplomatic relationship establishment between the two nations; International women’s beach volleyball competition, “50 years – Legend of a road” festival, Ooc Om Boc festival in Soc Trang province, World Youth Chess Championship, Vung Tau beach festival and beach festivals, etc.
Ms Hong has become more and more famous after winning the noble title Mrs Congeniality in the Mrs World Pageant 2005 held in India. Together with CIAT, she has organized national beauty contests and is aiming at international ones in Vietnam. She realized her dream when organizing the first Miss Ethnic Vietnamese Pageant 2007 in Dalat city, Lam Dong province. With this success, she set forth the proposal to organize Miss Universe 2008 which was then another success in Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa province.
Ms Hong continued to co-operate with Ba Ria – Vung Tau province’s relevant agencies and Central Vietnamese Women Association to successfully organize Mrs Vietnam 2009 and Mrs World 2009. These events helped promote the image of Vietnam, its culture and people, in general and economic and tourism potentials of Vung Tau city, in particular to the entire world.
From a constestant, Ms Hong was then invited to act as a member in the jury panel of Mrs. World held in the USSR in 2008 and Mrs. American held in Virginia, the USA in 2010 and recently she got invitation from the Mrs. World Organisation to be the first Vietnamese to chair the jury panel of the Mrs. World 2011 to be held in Orlando, Florida state, the USA in December. She is the first Vietnamese to 12. Also in 2011, Dr. Doan Thi Kim Hong has been re-elected as the Deputy Head of Vietnam Advertising Association for the second time. CIAT is one of three large advertising enterprises of Vietnam to receive the delegation of National Assembly (NA) members to come for consultation to incorporate into the draft Adverting Law which is going to be approved by the NA.
Further to the success of the first Miss Ethnic Vietnamese Pageant organized in 2007, CIAT co-operated with the Government’s Ethnic Committee to organize the second Miss Ethnic Vietnamese Pageant. In this event, Ms Hong kept the leading role. The event fell on the occasion of CIAT’s celebration of 15 years of foundation. CIAT and Dr. Doan Thi Kim Hong could pride themselves on receiving Certificates of Merit from the Prime Minister, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Information and Communications, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, National Administration of Security – Ministry of Public Security and VCCI.
Ms Hong and CIAT’s staff have always taken great interest in social and community’s activities. Anywhere she goes, she calls for donation from enterprises, artists, singers, fashion models, beauty queens and sponsors, etc. to give to disadvantaged people.
After 15 years of establishment and development, CIAT’s and Ms Hong’s success today is attributed to enthusiastic support from the Government, Ministries, Ministerial-level agencies, provincial authorities, associations, enterprises, families, friends and respectful teachers, etc. Such success is also attributed to CIAT staff’s own efforts and team spirit.
Successes gained during the last 15 years by entrepreneur Doan Thi Kim Hong are results from her tireless endeavours but they are not so great without her family’s encouragement and motivation. They are her mothers, brothers and sisters, her son and her soulmate– Mr. Le Hoang Chau who is the Chairman of Ho Chi Minh city’s Real Estate Association.
With gained efforts and achievements, Dr. Doan Thi Kim Hong and CIAT have contributed to introducing and advertising Vietnam’s image to international friends. CIAT is acting as a bridge connecting provinces and cities in Vietnam together and Vietnam with the world. It, thereby, has helped call for investment and trade promotion.
Thu Hong
Vietnamese
