DFDL Legal & Tax > Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam > Firm Profile

DFDL Legal & Tax
UNIT 2, 19TH FLOOR, GREEN POWER BUILDING
35 TON DUC THANG STREET, DISTRICT 1
HO CHI MINH CITY
Vietnam

Vietnam > Tax Tier 1

DFDL Legal & Tax has a well-established practice with experienced lawyers offering clients a range of tax services across the region, from day-to-day operations and strategic planning to assisting on tax-related M&A and compliance matters. It is also active in international tax matters and customs advisory work across a broad scope of sectors. Jack Sheehan heads the regional team with expertise in structuring inbound and outbound investments in Asia, while tax director Lan Hua advises both local and international clients on tax and financial regulations. Senior tax manager Phan Thi Lieu is another active member of the group with experience in general tax advice and compliance, cross-border tax planning, in addition to tax on financial services and customs procedures.

Practice head(s):

Jack Sheehan

Other key lawyers:

Key clients

I4F Licensing N.V.

Herbalife Nutrition Ltd

Expeditors

Work highlights

  • Advised Expeditors on assessment covering risk probability on the potential tax exposures on international freight.
  • Assisted Herbalife Nutrition on review and assessment of its potential international tax and transfer pricing risks and prepared the local country defence file to provide the framework for the defence of these risks in Vietnam.
  • Advised a French architecture group company in relation to the acquisition of businesses in Asia Pacific jurisdictions.

Vietnam > Corporate and M&A Tier 2

DFDL Legal & Tax acts for clients across the telecoms, finance services, real estate, manufacturing, energy, mining, infrastructure and retail industries on public and private M&A transactions. The team’s workload also includes joint ventures, investments, and private equity transactions. Due to its strong presences across Southeast Asia, including in Vietnam, its client roster includes Chinese, Japanese and Indian investors. Managing director Jérôme Buzenet chairs the practice and advises on M&A, private equity and investment formation and restructuring mandates, while deputy managing director Hanh Tran and head of the firm’s Ho Chi Minh City office is also a key contact, as is head of the Hanoi office Thang Huynh.

Practice head(s):

Jérôme Buzenet

Other key lawyers:

Hanh Tran; Martin Desautels; Thang Huynh; Phong Anh Hoang; Kevin Hawkins; Dave Seibert; Cuong Nguyen

Key clients

MSD Partners

REA Group

Banpu Public Company Limited

B. Grimm Power Public Company Limited

Savills Vietnam

Work highlights

  • Assisted REA Group in the allotment of $147m stake on an undiluted basis, equivalent to an 18% equity interest, in PropertyGuru.
  • Assisted BGE on an acquisition of solar power projects in the South-Central of Vietnam.
  • Assisted Savills Vietnam on an acquisition of 30% share of RealPlus.

Vietnam > Projects and energy Tier 2

DFDL Legal & Tax’s energy, mining and infrastructure group advises foreign and local investors operating in Vietnam across a broad range of mandates. The team has been increasingly active in offshore wind and LNG-to-power projects, in addition to acquisitions, project development and project financing work. Phong Anh Hoang and senior adviser Dave Seibert jointly chair the group; Hoang has worked on several BOT power plant projects for both the sponsor and the Vietnamese government, and Seibert advises clients on a wide variety of matters, concerning gas, solar, hydropower, and national infrastructure. Kevin Hawkins is another key member of the team.

Practice head(s):

Phong Anh Hoang; Dave Seibert

Other key lawyers:

Key clients

Standard Chartered Bank

Banpu Public Company Limited

B. Grimm Power Public Company Limited

Work highlights

  • Assisted BGE on an acquisition of solar power projects
  • Assisted Savills Vietnam on an acquisition of 30% share of RealPlus.

Vietnam > Real estate and construction Tier 3

DFDL Legal & Tax’s real estate and construction team advises developers, financiers, and contractors on the development and construction of residential, commercial, industrial and mixed-use properties, in addition to handling large infrastructure projects. This includes advising on land acquisitions, construction contracts, joint ventures, leases, sales, and EPC contracts. Hanoi-based Dai Thang Huynh leads the team alongside Paul Volodarsky in Ho Chi Minh City, and managing director Jérôme Buzenet is another name of note regarding real estate-related M&A transactions.

Practice head(s):

Dai Thang Huynh; Paul Volodarsky

Other key lawyers:

Martin Desautels; Jérôme Buzenet; Hanh Tran; Kevin Hawkins

Key clients

REA Group

Savills Vietnam

Zannier Hotels Bai San Ho Ltd.

Work highlights

  • Advised Sea Logistics Partners in relation to the acquisition and development of an industrial estate and supporting facilities in northern Vietnam.
  • Assisted Radisson Hotel Group on the feasibility of conducting sales of villa residences under the Radisson brand based upon the current land use rights provided by the developer.
  • Assisted Intercontinental Hotel Group on legal advice in relation hotel management agreements and residential management agreements for multiple projects in Vietnam, including negotiating management terms with the hotel developer.

Vietnam > Banking and finance Tier 4

DFDL Legal & Tax acts for both lenders and borrowers, including domestic banks, international financial institutions, governments and state-owned entities. Its strong capabilities cover a broad range of services, including institutional lending, acquisition and leveraged finance, project finance, and regulatory compliance advice. Managing director Jérôme Buzenet leads the group, which also includes senior partner Martin Desautels, who has expertise in the energy sector, and Phong Anh Hoang, who has advised on power plant projects on both the government and sponsor side.

Practice head(s):

Jérôme Buzenet

Key clients

Goodwater Capital

Standard Chartered Bank

UBS Group

Work highlights

  • Assisted Standard Chartered Bank on financing of a waste-to-energy plant and waste treatment facility.
  • Assisted Goodwater Capital in relation to its participation of a series D and series E financing rounds of M-services.
  • Advised a Thai investor on the acquisition of 70% shares each in two solar power plant developers in central of Vietnam.

The firm: With its regional legal and tax expertise, DFDL has assisted clients in Vietnam since 1995, advising on both local and international legal and tax matters from its offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

Drawing on more than 20 years of in-depth experience in the country and the Mekong Region, DFDL has built a reputation as the preferred choice of legal and tax services provider in Vietnam, advising on all aspects of investments from general regulatory matters to commercially robust, complex, and bespoke sophisticated transactions.

Providing international quality, seamlessly integrated, and relentlessly solution-oriented legal and tax services to establish, structure and protect our clients’ business interests, are key cornerstones of DFDL’s culture, approach, and strategy worldwide. Positioned as the preeminent full-service, legal and tax integrated law firm in Vietnam, DFDL has developed a reputation for technical excellence, creativity, and integrity coupled with in-depth knowledge of the local environment.

Areas of practice: Our advisers have represented leading international and Asian investors in Vietnam, including leading international and Asian financial institutions. Our involvement in major projects in Vietnam includes major power projects, large real estate projects, and mergers and acquisitions.

DepartmentNameEmailTelephone
Aviation, Banking, Finance & Technology, Corporate & Commercial, Employment & Labour, Mergers & Acquisitions, Real Estate & Construction Jerome Buzenetjerome.buzenet@dfdl.com
Compliance & Investigations, Restructuring & Insolvency Hanh Tranhanh.tran@dfdl.com
Taxation & Accounting Lan Hualan.hua@dfdl.com
Energy, Mining & Infrastructure Kevin Hawkinskevin.hawkins@dfdl.com
PhotoNamePositionProfile
Jérôme Buzenet photo Jérôme BuzenetPartner & Vietnam Managing Director
Partner : 6
Advisor : 23
English (fluent)
Vietnamese
French
European Chamber of Commerce
French Chamber of Commerce
IAG International Advisory Group
World Services Group (WSG)
Marcalliance
Official Website : https://www.dfdl.com/locations/vietnam/

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