Standard Chartered Bank to hold media briefing on “Vietnam’s economy and the growing importance of the country’s trade relationships with its ASEAN neighbours” in Hanoi
Hanoi, 7 March, 2013 – On the occasion of the ASEAN – EU business summit in Hanoi from 8 to 9 March in Hanoi, Standard Chartered bank has held media briefing today on “Vietnam’s economy and the growing importance of the country’s trade relationships with its ASEAN neighbours” at the Hilton Hanoi Opera Hotel.
Standard Chartered Bank’s Regional Chief Executive Officer, South East Asia (ex-Singapore) Neeraj Swaroop, SCBVL CEO Louis Taylor, Standard Chartered Bank Indonesia CEO Tom Aaker, Standard Chartered Bank Philippines CEO Mahendra Gursahani, Standard Chartered Bank Brunei CEO Lai Pei Si participated in the briefing with the attendance of over 40 local and international reporters.
At the briefing, all speakers presented the growing importance of intra-ASEAN trade to Vietnam and how the country can benefit from the 2015 ASEAN Economic Community initiative.
Louis Taylor, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank (Vietnam) Limited, said: “As a bank that has operated in the ASEAN region for over 150 years, and the only international bank with a presence in all ten ASEAN markets, we believe that we are in the best position to assist ASEAN and EU based companies to access opportunities in both regions more easily.”
Vietnam’s trade with ASEAN and the EU has grown significantly over the last three years. In 2012 Vietnam’s total exports grew by 20 percent, outpacing other South East Asian countries. ASEAN is now one of Vietnam’s top three trading partners. In 2011, Vietnam’s exports to ASEAN reached USD13.6 billion while imports from ASEAN amounted to USD20.7 billion.
Standard Chartered believes that international financial institutions can play a key role in supporting Vietnam and other ASEAN countries in their efforts to strengthen intra-ASEAN and ASEAN-EU trade flows by acting as a catalyst for cross border business.