AusCham Vietnam

The Australian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (AusCham) represents and promotes the interests of Australian businesses operating in Vietnam. We are proud to have a pivotal function in providing invaluable business and cultural support to our members and sponsors activities in this country.

AusCham provides all its members with a voice to express their views on the business environment in Vietnam, directly within the business community and via our liaison with the Vietnamese Government. We actively co-ordinate a regular programme of business seminars, networking and social functions, in addition to hosting a number of the highest profile charity events in Vietnam.

AusCham is a licensed foreign business group and operates on a chapter basis, with chapters in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). Each chapter has its own committee with a national executive (consisting of the President, Vice President, National Secretary and National Treasurer) representing the overall interests of AusCham. While AusCham maintains one chapter in each city, further to our recent national alignment we now operate as a united body on issues of national focus under the united AusCham Vietnam.

Membership of AusCham is open to Australian citizens, individuals working in Australian businesses or on Australian projects in Vietnam, or with organisations that have a link to Australia.

Our broad-ranging corporate membership encompasses a cross-section of companies, from the largest of international firms to small and medium-scale enterprises across all industries. AusCham members are market leaders in Vietnam in fields such as banking, construction, manufacturing, human resources, legal and accounting services and telecommunications.

History & Legal status

Australian Business Groups were originally established in 1995 in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as independent initiatives of the then Australian Ambassador and Consul General. Until 1998, the two groups developed separately. With the passage in Vietnam of legislation on foreign business groups, the two groups developed separately although consulted with one another to present a common approach when dealing with both the Vietnamese and Australian governments.

•With the passage of legislation on foreign business groups - Decree No. 08/1998/ND-CP, dated 22 January 1998 Promulgating the Regulations on the Establishment of Foreign Business Associations in Vietnam, the two groups formally combined to create the Australian Business Group of Vietnam (ABGV).

•The Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee issued ABGV's license on 19th September 1998, No 01/GP-HHDN/HCM. This was one of the first business group licenses issued. Following registration of the initial charter, it was amended in January 1999 to provide for the Chapter structure, which was approved and registered in mid 1999.
•On 23rd October 2003, ABGV received an Extension of License for the Establishment of a Foreign Business Association in Vietnam, No. 18/GP-HHDN/HCM, valid for a period of three years.
•On the second of October 2006, it received another Extension of License No. 42/GP-HHDN/HCM, valid until the 19th September 2009.

The first elections of Chapter Committees under the new structure were held in June 1999. The first National Executive was appointed in July 1999, with John Dick of Freehills, Ho Chi Minh City elected President and Jon Ackerman of ANzoil, Hanoi, elected Vice President. The second President of ABGV, elected for the 2000/2001 year was Andrew Hilton from the Hanoi Chapter and Nigel Russell of Phillips Fox elected Vice President.

In 1998 John Gourlay of BHP Steel Products, was elected as a life member for his services in the establishment of ABGV, Ho Chi Minh City and in 1999, Peter Allan of Telstra, was elected as a life member for services in establishment of ABGV Hanoi.

Whilst maintaining events on a chapter basis, as a national group, ABGV is extremely active in participating in both the World Bank sponsored Private Sector Forum and Vietnamese Government meeting initiatives.