Mr Phong Tran > VILAF > Hanoi, Vietnam > Lawyer Profile

VILAF Offices

VILAF
6TH FLOOR, HCO BUILDING (MELIA)
44B LY THUONG KIET STREET, HOAN KIEM DISTRICT
HANOI
Vietnam
Visit website 84 24 3934 8530 84 24 3934 8531

Mr Phong Tran

Phong Tran photo
+84 24 3934 8530 phong@vilaf.com.vn View profile

Work Department

Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Corporate/M&A and Project & Infrastructure

Position

Founding Partner

Career

Phong is recommended  as  a  top-tier  lawyer  in  the  banking &  finance and  capital  market  practice  (Legal  500, IFLR 1000 and AsiaLaw) and the M&A practice (Legal 500, Chambers & Partners and ALB Asia).

Phong has been recognised as a market leader by IFLR 1000 in banking & finance, corporate and infrastructure & energy. Who’s Who Legal recognised him as an expert in Energy and Aviation sectors and IFLR1000 ranked him as an Asia Best Lawyer in 2019, 2020 and 2021 (Vietnam top 4 lawyers). Legal 500 honoured him in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific Hall of Fame, among top 7 foreign and Vietnamese lawyers in this elite lawyer group for Vietnam. Phong is listed in the Vietnam’s top 100 lawyers list of Asia Business Law Journal and ranked ALB Asia 2021’s Top 15 M&A Lawyers.

With 27 years’ board experience in law practice, Phong has represented numerous international sponsors and lenders in relation to foreign invested projects in oil & gas, power, chemical, automobile, aircraft, sea-port, highway, telecommunication, insurance, real estate development, retail and distribution, and consumer goods industries. He is reputable in advising international businesses and banks on corporate restructuring and financing, share subscriptions, mergers and acquisitions transactions, ECA and syndicated financing, asset financing, and project financing in Vietnam. He has been involved in most BOT and high-profile infrastructure projects in Vietnam including AES – Son My 2 LNG to Power Project, Marubeni Corporation and WTO – Omon II LNG to Power Project, the sponsors – Quang Ninh LNG to Power Project, ACWA Power (previously K-Exim and K-Sure as the potential ECAs) – Nam Dinh 1 Power Project, Marubeni Corporation/KEPCO – Nghi Son 2 Power Project, Sumitomo Corporation – Van Phong 1 Power Project, AES – Mong Duong 2 Power Project, VAPCO – Vung Ang 2 Power Project, OneEnergy/Mitsubishi – Vinh Tan 3 Power Project, Chinese sponsors – Vinh Tan 1 Power Project, ITACO – Kien Luong 1 Power Project, Chevron – gas pipeline project, Premier Oil – gas transportation, Shell downstream projects, Phu My 2.2 Power Project, Wartsila BOT Power Project, Binh An BOT Water Project. His banking clients include Citibank, Standard Chartered Bank, SMBC, BTMU, CBA, etc. He also assisted the issuers or the arrangers for the convertible and SGX listed bonds of Vingroup, Vinacomin’s international bonds, Vingroup’s series of M&A transactions with GIC, Credit Suisse, Hanwha, Warbus Pincus, SK and Masan, Vincom Retail’s and Vinhomes’ Rule 144A international placement/HOSE listing and some overseas IPO/listing transactions.

Languages

Vietnamese, English

Memberships

IBA, AmCham, VBF, VBLC, APLMA

Education

Hanoi Law University, LL.B., 1995

Tulane University (US), LL.M., 2002 with distinction, Fulbright Scholarship

Personal

Phong is a highly regarded attorney for his admirable capacity to provide practical solutions that well suit the clients’ needs.  The Legal 500, 2021 edition, commented “Tran Tuan Phong, the founding partner, with his broad, strategic, balanced view is the uniquely top lawyer in the field. Creative and deep experienced team led by the founding partner, Mr. Tran Tuan Phong, providing excellent advice from various angles to see the possible solutions to difficult subjects in the projects and energy sector in Vietnam, especially at the juncture of delicate development of various energy projects in the country”. “Tran Tuan Phong is a leading name in the market, regularly advising domestic and international companies on M&A transactions and joint venture investments. He is well versed in the finance, private equity and construction industries.” (Chambers & Partners 2019 Edition). The AsiaLaw, 2020 Edition, said about Phong “Very innovative and problem solving as well as understanding the client’s issue and providing excellent advice.” Phong is highly rated by market commentators, who say he “has a tremendous practice” (Chambers & Partners 2021 Edition) and he has “very positive and problem-solving” with “deep knowledge of the power sector and project finance deals.” (IFLR 1000 2021 Edition). Phong is “profound and versatile knowledge; high ethics” (IFLR 1000 2022 Edition) and widely recognised as “a specialist in infrastructure and power project financing and acquisitions.” (Chambers and Partners 2022 Edition)

Lawyer Rankings

Vietnam > Capital markets

(Leading individuals)

Phong Tran – VILAF

Handling a high volume of international capital markets mandates, VILAF has demonstrated stellar activity overseeing IPOs in the real estate sector, as well as benefitting from Vietnam’s healthy start-up environment, to which the firm has been a key adviser. Furthermore, leading work regarding green bonds alongside continued excellence in the debt financing space showcases the firm’s wide engagement in this space. Duyen Ha Vo and Hung Nguyen co-head the group, with both individuals possessing a strong international practice that concentrates on the various issues surrounding IPOs. Phong Tran is revered for his banking and financing work in the energy and aviation sectors, and has been active working with multinational investment banks and financial services corporations on a wide array of mandates.

Vietnam > Corporate and M&A

(Leading individuals)

Phong Tran – VILAF

VILAF exhibits a strong corporate offering, acting across a wide array of sectors on multi-billion dollar deals from both the buyer and seller side, landmark joint venture partnerships, and restructurings in the wake of investments from both regional and international capitalists. Over the past twelve months the firm has been able to add a stellar list of clients to an already impressive portfolio, including Vietnamese Pharmaceutical giants, leading continental energy players, and multinational private equity firms. Team head Duyen Vo Ha is singled out for her work regarding financial services and energy clients, with recent matter highlights including vast cross-border acquisitions and mergers. The similar skill set of fellow co-head Anh Dang ensures he is frequently sought out by a host of clients for his expertise pertaining to a number of strategically-significant deals. Phong Tran is another practitioner of note, possessing strong banking and capital market acumen to competently advise on complex regional and international transactions.

Vietnam > Projects and energy

Frequently sought out by foreign investors due to its reputation as a leading player in the LNG and gas sectors, VILAF act on an impressive display of joint ventures, acquisitions, divestments and financing mandates, both domestic and international, showing further expertise regarding regulatory, environmental, contractual and due diligence work. The practice is regularly engaged in high-value transactions pertaining to a wide range of traditional and renewable energy sources, with an increased flow of mandates regarding wind, solar and hydropower. The group is led by three individuals, the first being Phong Tran who also sits in the banking and finance and capital markets practice, leveraging this financing proficiency to advise international lenders on first-of-its-kind funding structures for gas and LNG projects. The other two team heads are Duyen Vo and Anh Dang, who have both been highly active over the past twelve months, with the former demonstrating competence handling the development and construction piece within a strong volume of renewable energy deals, and the latter recognised for his broad expertise spanning both financing and M&A. Lam Nguyen, who has previous experience in a governmental advisory role, has overseen a number of joint ventures, acquisitions and financings.

Vietnam > Banking and finance

(Hall of Fame)

Phong Tran  – VILAF

With extensive experience in cross-border transactions, VILAF regularly advises high-profile clients across a wide range of industries, including financial institutions, aviation, construction, and renewable energy. The team is led by Hung Nguyen and Duyen Vo, who are located in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City respectively and handle a diverse array of complexly structured syndicated financing arrangements. As an expert in the field, partner Phong Tran is highly sought after to advise on infrastructure project financings. Partner Trung Vu and associate Tung Nguyen  also come highly recommended.

Lawyer Rankings

Top Tier Firm Rankings

Firm Rankings