Vietnam 2024 – GC Powerlist
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Vietnam 2024

Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel

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  • Industries

  • Powerlist

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Anh Pham

Legal director | Son Kim Land

Industrials and real estate

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Anh Pham

Head of legal | Kusto Home

Industrials and real estate

Arita Huynh

Legal affairs manager | Cathay United Bank

Financials

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Rising Star

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Bui Duc Thao

Head of Legal | Heineken Vietnam

Food, beverages and tobacco

Chau Ho

Head of legal and compliance | Sony Electronics

Consumer products

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Cung Hoang Thao

Deputy general director of legal department | VinaCapital Group

Financials

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Dang Dieu Phuong

General counsel | Growth Technologies

Information technology

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Danh Nguyen

Head of legal and public affairs | Galaxy Entertainment and Education

Sports and media

Dau Thi Quynh Giang

Head of legal and secretariat | United Overseas Bank (Vietnam)

Financials

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Dinh Thanh Tu

Indochina Biopharma legal head | Sanofi

Healthcare

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Do Hoang Anh

Head of legal and external affairs, Vietnam cluster | British American Tobacco

Food

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Doan Thi Huong Thanh

Legal director | WinCommerce and The Supra Corporation

Consumer products

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Dong Nam

Head of legal | FrieslandCampina

Food, beverages and tobacco

Duc Tuan Nguyen

Senior legal counsel | Hoi An South Development

Industrials and real estate

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Han Le

Legal director (Vietnam & Indochina) | Pfizer

Healthcare

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Hang-Nga Nguyen

Country head of legal | Citibank

Financials

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Hans Sevenants

Head of legal | Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical

Energy and utilities

Hao Tran

Head of legal | BW Industrial Development

Industrials and real estate

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Hien Vu

Head of legal and compliance | GreenYellow Asia

Energy and utilities

Hoai Nguyen

Regional general counsel | POPs Worldwide

Sports and media

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Hoang Dinh

Legal and compliance manager | Chubb Vietnam

Insurance

Hoang Nguyen

Legal director | PepsiCo Foods Vietnam

Food, beverages and tobacco

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Hong Tran

Legal director | Procter & Gamble

Consumer products

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Hong Le

Country legal director | GSK Pharma

Healthcare

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Huan Duc Nguyen

Head of legal and compliance | WHA Vietnam

Industrials and real estate

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Huong Lan Nguyen

General counsel | DKSH

Commercial and professional services

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Huyen Thi Thanh

Legal department | Truong Thanh Viet Nam

Energy and utilities

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Huyen Thi Thanh La

Legal director | Abbott

Healthcare

Huynh Vu Yen Thao

Associate director, legal and compliance | CBRE

Industrials and real estate

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John Harris

General counsel | VINFAST

Consumer products

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Kevin Ma

Senior vice president, head of legal | Lazada Vietnam

Consumer products

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Lâm Vũ Thao

General counsel | Unilever Vietnam

Consumer products

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Lan Anh Thi Tran

General counsel | Mercedes Benz Vietnam

Consumer products

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Lan Le

General counsel head of legal, compliance and public affairs | Marsh Vietnam

Insurance

Le Nguyen Quoc Sy

Legal director | Sovico Group

Financials

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Le Nguyen Thuy Dung

Head of legal - Vietnam and Asia Area frontier markets / director of legal affairs and organisational capacity development | AstraZeneca

Healthcare

Le Thi Bich Huyen

Head of legal and compliance | GS 25 Vietnam

Consumer products

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Le Thi Van Anh

Associate director, legal | NAB Innovation Centre Vietnam 

Financials

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Lewis Truong

General counsel | Manulife Vietnam

Insurance

Long Ho

General counsel | HSBC Vietnam

Financials

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Luis Nuno Mesquita de Melo

Chief legal officer | Hoi An South Development

Industrials and real estate

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Mai Phuong Thao

Manager, legal and compliance | Roche Diagnostics Vietnam

Healthcare

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Mai Anh Doan

Head of legal, DCEO of legal and compliance division | VINFAST

Energy and utilities

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Mai Uyen Thi Vo

Senior legal counsel | British American Tobacco

Food, beverages and tobacco

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Michelle Thuy-Ngoc Thai

General counsel | INSEE Vietnam

Materials and mining

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Minh Vu

Legal director, Thailand and Indochina | Haleon

Healthcare

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Motohiko Sano

General manager of legal Department | Sojitz Vietnam

Industrials and real estate

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Nam Nguyen

Senior counsel Indochina | Philip Morris International

Food, beverages and tobacco

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Ngo Viet Hoa

Indochina general counsel | Kimberly-Clark

Materials and mining

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Ngoc Loan Ly

Associate vice president, legal and compliance | DBS Bank

Financials

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Nguyen Duc Anh

General counsel and head of legal, compliance, and corporate affairs | Pharmacity

Healthcare

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Nguyen Hoang Anh

Legal manager | Harbour Energy Vietnam

Energy and utilities

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Nguyen Hoang Minh Hai

Head of legal | Go Viet Technology Trading

Information technology

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Nguyen Hong Lieu

Head of legal affairs | DatvietVAC Group Holding

Sports and media

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Nguyen Kim Dung

Legal director | British University Vietnam

Education

Nguyen Manh Dzung

Deputy head of legal department | GELEX Group

Industrials and real estate

Nguyen Ngoc Ha

Country head of legal | Appletree Service Group

Industrials and real estate

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Nguyen Ngoc Phuc Dang

Contract manager | EVNPECC3

Energy and utilities

Nguyen Quynh Trang

Deputy director of legal department | T&T Group

Industrials and real estate

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Nguyen Thanh

Head of legal and compliance | GoPay

Information technology

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Nguyen Thi Minh Xuan

Head of legal | Hong Leong Bank

Financials

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Nguyen Thi Hong Diep

Legal director | SCommerce Investment Corporation

Financials

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Nguyen Thi Tu Trinh

Senior legal manager | Sembcorp Vietnam

Energy and utilities

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Nguyen Tran Van Quynh

Deputy general director of legal | AIA Vietnam

Insurance

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Nha Phan

Head of legal and compliance | Galaxy Joy Co

Sports and media

Phat Nguyen

Head of legal, compliance and government affairs | Asia Clean Capital Vietnam

Energy and utilities

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Phuoc Doan

Senior director, legal and corporate affairs | M_Service (MoMo)

Information technology

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Phuong Lan

Legal specialist and in-house counsel | Tai Tam Group

Industrials and real estate

Quang Le

Acting head of legal | SEA Logistic Partners

Transport and infrastructure

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Quang Tuong Tran

Legal director | Techtronic Industries

Industrials and real estate

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Sa Huynh

Chief legal officer | Thanh Cong Textile Garment Investment

Consumer products

Son Duc Nguyen

Director of legal and compliance division | MB Shinsei Finance (Mcredit)

Information technology

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Tam Nguyen

Head of legal | DFI Vietnam

Consumer products

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Tam Nguyen

Head of legal and compliance | The Dairy Farm Group

Consumer products

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Thi Cam Ninh Nguyen

Legal director | Nestlé

Food, beverages and tobacco

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Thu Nguyen

Legal senior manager | Mercedes-Benz Vietnam

Consumer products

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Thuy Dung Nguyen

Head of legal | Bamboo Airways

Transport and infrastructure

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Thuy Tran

Legal affairs head | Cathay United Bank

Financials

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Tong Thanh Huyen Tran

Head of legal and compliance | Stada - Pymepharco

Healthcare

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Tong Thi Thu Thao

Head of legal and contract manager | Ricons Construction Investment

Industrials and real estate

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Tran Bui

Vice president legal | Coca Cola Beverages Vietnam

Food, beverages and tobacco

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Tran Long Ha

Legal and compliance director | AES (Vietnam)

Energy and utilities

Tran Manh Duc

Chief legal and compliance officer | Home Credit Vietnam

Financials

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Tran Ngoc Thich

Head of legal | Talentnet Corporation

Commercial and professional services

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Tran Phuong Bac

General counsel | Masan Group

Food, beverages and tobacco

Tran Van Nhien

Head of legal and compliance | Eximbank

Financials

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Tran Vo Quoc Son

Chief legal officer | TTC Group

Industrials and real estate

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Trang Nguyen

Head of Legal | Tetra Pak

Materials and mining

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Tuan Le

General counsel | FWD Vietnam

Insurance

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Van Anh Trinh

Head of legal | Maybank Vietnam

Financials

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Vinh Tran

Head of legal | UPC Renewables

Energy and utilities

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Vo Hue My

Senior vice president - head of legal | Emergent Property Services Vietnam

Industrials and real estate

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Vu Minh Hai

Head of Legal and Compliance | Santomas Vietnam

Industrials and real estate

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Vu Phan H T

General counsel - Vietnam | AIG

Financials

We are beyond thrilled to announce the second edition of the GC Powerlist: Vietnam, building on the success of last year’s inaugural publication. This edition highlights a whole new plethora of accomplished in-house lawyers in one of the world’s foremost high-growth and high-potential economies. As well as celebrating their exceptional achievements and innovative approaches as they navigate the complexities of the legal landscape, we delve into what creative strategies they have used to navigate the unique challenges they face in the Vietnamese business context.

The in-house legal community in Vietnam expands its knowledge base every day, with local lawyers increasingly taking on prominent roles internationally. The GC Powerlist Team is proud to foster connections within this vibrant and positive in-house legal community.

Inside this edition, you will find in-depth profiles and exclusive interviews with influential general counsel from a variety of industries. These professionals have consistently demonstrated their capacity to shape legal strategies, mitigate risks, and provide invaluable guidance to their organisations. Their accomplishments inspire the legal community, showcasing the significant impact that in-house lawyers can have on business strategies and overall success.

As in-house counsel play a more active role in decision-making, they are well-positioned to advise on building strong partnerships. Tong Thi Thu Thao, head of legal and contract manager at Ricons Construction Investment, shares insights on collaboration: “The key to successful partnerships is being proactive, maintaining effective communication, and engaging early to align legal and business objectives. This means considering commercial factors, rather than focusing solely on legal issues. In-house legal counsel should actively understand their company’s operations and strategic goals, regularly update on relevant regulations, and provide timely support, even without specific requests from management. By adopting a proactive approach and ensuring transparency in all communications, the legal team builds trust and fosters a shared goal of mutual growth. Legal leaders should position their function as facilitators, helping the business achieve its objectives within the legal framework.”

This publication addresses various topics and challenges unique to the in-house legal sector. We invite you to explore the GC Powerlist: Vietnam 2024 and discover the remarkable stories of these exceptional professionals. Through their experiences and insights, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of Vietnam’s in-house legal landscape, highlighting the invaluable contributions of the nation’s top corporate lawyers.

On behalf of The Legal 500, I extend my deepest gratitude to all the featured in-house lawyers for their valuable contributions and for sharing their journeys with us. It is my pleasure to present this distinguished collection, showcasing Vietnam’s most exceptional and dedicated in-house legal talent.

Joe Boswell
Global editor – GC Powerlist
The Legal 500

GC Powerlist: East Africa 2025

Legal 500 was proud to host the second edition of the GC Powerlist: East Africa 2025 in Nairobi, honouring the top General Counsel, Chief Legal Officers, Legal Directors, and senior in-house legal professionals across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda. This year’s reception brought together over 100 of the most influential and innovative corporate counsel from the region, and was an unrivalled success, cementing Legal 500’s role as the leading voice in recognising in-house legal excellence across Africa.

The evening was opened by Joe Boswell, lead editor of the GC Powerlist publication at Legal 500, who highlighted the growing prestige of the East Africa edition and the increasing challenge of selecting honourees from such a deep (and rapidly growing) pool of talent.

Guests were then treated to some particularly relevant insights from distinguished speakers. Rachel Musoke, Head of ENS Uganda, delivered a thoughtful welcome that reflected on the importance of collaboration between private practice and in-house teams. This was followed by a powerful keynote from Habil Waswani, Company Secretary & Director Legal Services and Regulatory Compliance at Kenya Airways, who shared reflections on leadership, regulatory stewardship, and the evolving role of corporate counsel in East Africa.

The highlight of the evening was the certificate ceremony, where this year’s honourees were formally recognised. Certificates were presented by senior representatives of ENS, including Désiré Kamanzi (head of ENS Rwanda), Rachel Musoke, Nigel Shaw (head of ENS Kenya), Donald Nyakairu (Partner, ENS Uganda), Dieudonne Nzafashwanayo (partner, ENS Rwanda) and Binti Shah (Partner, ENS Kenya) whose participation underlined the depth of the firm’s support for the GC Powerlist initiative.

The GC Powerlist: East Africa 2025 reaffirmed The Legal 500’s commitment to shining a spotlight on the region’s most talented in-house lawyers. With an even stronger field of candidates, this year’s edition stands as a powerful testament to the influence and expertise of East Africa’s legal leaders. Habil Waswani’s excellent speech, which got a raucous reception from those in the room, is reproduced below with his permission:

‘My name is Habil Waswani, and I have been an inhouse legal practitioner for the past 21 years in different sectors (having done law-firm practice for 2 years before that). Tt is indeed a true privilege and honour for me to be here tonight, surrounded by the sharpest legal minds and calmest crisis-handlers the East African corporate world has to offer.

First, let me thank the Legal 500 and ENSAfrica teams, for organising such a fantastic event and for bringing us together in such style. Congratulations to each of tonight’s honourees. You represent the very best of general counsel in this very dynamic corporate space the businesses we support operate in. Strategic, ethical, resilient, and, let’s be honest, often underappreciated leaders of industry.

I am so happy that this evening is not about contracts, or compliance checklists, or board packs. Tonight is about celebrating you, the people behind all of that. The steady hands guiding companies through complexities, uncertainties, and ensuring that the opportunities that lie within those difficult circumstances are lawfully realized.

We all know the role of GCs has evolved. We are no longer tucked away at the end of a corridor marked “Legal” or labelled the proverbial “cost centres”. These days, the GCs sit at the big table – helping drive corporate strategy, shaping desired culture, providing leadership and safeguarding business reputations. We have become indispensable partners to businesses, interpreters, navigators, protectors… and on some (many) days, therapists with law degrees. And yet, we mostly do it all so quietly. No victory laps, no press releases. Often, success for us means the expected disaster didn’t happen.

But tonight, we break that rule. Tonight, we raise a glass to the GCs who’ve blazed the trail courageously, with clarity, conviction, and tremendous resilience that only matches the expectations of the Leadership Guru John Maxwell when he said, “resilient leaders don’t wait for the storm to past — they learn to dance in the rain”. You have managed to balance growth and governance, risk and reward regularly. And, of course, always managed to deal with those 10pm messages: “Hey, just a quick question…Are you able to talk right now…?”

Let this evening serve as a reminder that you are not just experienced legal advisors. You are leaders — spear heads and enablers of execution — and without a doubt critical pillars of business strategy.

To all the honourees, congratulations once again for the well-deserved recognition. This is for the heavy lifting that you do, the standards you uphold, and the impact you make – quietly, consistently, and brilliantly so. You’ve earned this spotlight.

And now, let’s gather and celebrate this milestone. And while we’re at it I plead with you to stay away from your phones …you might just spot a message that says, “please quickly review this and we can discuss your views in the morning?”