The Vietnamese economy, key industries, human resources and the recruitment and retention of executive-level talent were among the key points of focus at a roundtable discussion involving a number of important companies operating in Vietnam. Hosted by executive recruitment company Monroe Consulting Group Vietnam, the luncheon featured a presentation by a respected law firm on proposed changes to the 2012 Labour Code. The proposals impact such areas as wages, overtime, social insurance, labour disputes, the retirement age, maternity leave, boosting the number of women in the workforce and streamlining work permit applications for foreigners.
Ngan Huynh, Managing Director of Monroe Vietnam, an international award-winning recruitment agency that specialises in emerging markets across the Asia-Pacific, said the roundtable luncheon at the upmarket Sorae Restaurant & Lounge in Ho Chi Minh City, brought together a number of leading executives working for leading national or multinational companies.
Ngan said a number of Monroe clients were in attendance, including Vietnam Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP), technology company Hewlett-Packard (HP), retailer MM Mega Market, medical device company Medtronic, multinational electronics company Ricoh, online marketplace Shopee, cosmetics company L'Oréal and consumer brand Beko. In addition, banks Standard Chartered and Deutsche were represented, along with logistics company Embassy Freight Services, she added.
“The companies that attended our roundtable were an excellent cross section of some of the strongest sectors of the Vietnamese economy and areas that retain excellent growth potential in the coming years,” Ngan said. “And as an executive recruitment company that specialises in Technology, Consumer Goods, Health, Industry and Professional Services, Monroe has the local and regional expertise to help these companies meet their manpower needs.”
Ngan, a business-management professional with more than a decade’s experience in client service, operations and human resources, including talent acquisition, development and training, said that companies were interested in a number of Monroe Vietnam’s unique selling points, including the recruitment company’s experience in emerging markets, its superior industry-specific knowledge and record of building lasting long-term relationships with its many client companies.
“Monroe Vietnam is not just an expert on the recruitment industry, but our company and individual recruitment consultants are experts on the wider labour market and the implications for companies looking to source the perfect candidate for executive-level or highly technical job openings.”
Also presenting at the roundtable was specialist labour and employment lawyer Van Trung Khuat, an associate with prominent law firm Baker & McKenzie (Vietnam).
Ngan said Mr Van Trung Khuat, who coordinates Baker & McKenzie’s Employment Law Practise Group in Vietnam and the wider Asia-Pacific region, spoke about the proposed changes to the 2012 Labour Code, which has wide and far-reaching implications for employers and employees in Vietnam.
“The changes are expected to be put in place by 2018, and participants of the roundtable were interested to hear how the changes were progressing, particularly in regards to the implications for established or new businesses operating in Vietnam, and the longer term impacts,” Ngan said. “Monroe Vietnam is here to partner with and assist our clients prepare for change, which is expected to further increase Vietnam’s competitiveness globally.”