Vincent Tan, a Malaysian business tycoon, and his company have donated thousands of dollars to charities in Vietnam and committed investments of more than US$5 billion.
Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Vincent Tan Thee Yioun, as he is formally known, is the chief executive officer of Berjaya Corporation Berhad, a conglomerate with annual revenues in excess of $1 billion.
Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Berjaya was first known in Vietnam when it gave VND500 million ($30,000) to support victims of last year’s Can Tho Bridge collapse.
It also invested hundreds of millions of dollars in hotel and urban residential projects in Hanoi and the southern province of Dong Nai.
In 2008, Berjaya acquired a license for two projects in Ho Chi Minh City – a $930 million building complex known as the Vietnam Financial Center and the $3.5 billion Vietnam International University Township.
Berjaya accounted for $4.5 billion of the $7 billion foreign direct investment committed in HCMC so far this year.
Vincent Tan said Berjaya has invested more than $10 billion in projects in Vietnam, China, the Republic of Korea and Thailand.
But it committed its largest investment in Vietnam because the country has a young population with creative people, he said.
Berjaya will also be the main sponsor for a program initiated by Thanh Nien to help young people with business startups.
Berjaya’s history dates back to 1984 when Vincent Tan acquired a major controlling stake in Berjaya Kawat Berhad from the founders, Broken Hill Proprietary Ltd. of Australia and National Iron & Steel Mills of Singapore.
Expanding through a series of acquisitions, organic growth and the leadership of Vincent Tan, the corporation today has over 16,000 employees.
It is a diversified group with around 100 companies, active in investment and financial services, hospitality and tourism, real estate, food and beverages, textiles, marketing, retailing, gaming and lottery, communications, education and airports.
Reported by Huynh Ngoc Chenh
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