Skip to content
Finance

UOB celebrates 30th anniversary in Vietnam

By Maria Santos
4 min read
UOB Wealth Banking2
UOB Wealth Banking2
In this article (5)

UOB Vietnam, a subsidiary of UOB, is proud to mark three decades of unrelenting support for Vietnam and its people.

The bank held a gala dinner on Wednesday for clients and partners to thank them for their support and trust.

To commemorate the 30th anniversary, it also announced a partnership with Saigon Children’s Charity to power a project to set up computer rooms at five schools in the Mekong Delta over the next five years.

This is expected to help more than 2,000 young students gain access to digital learning and improve their computer skills. The bank has also been supporting the Saigon Children’s Charity this past year to support children in need.

This project is part of the UOB Heartbeat corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, which aims to create sustainable products for caring and inclusive societies.

To mark this momentous occasion, UOB Vietnam is also launching promotional campaigns for its customers.

From now until July 17 the first 300 UOB cardholders who meet certain requirements when spending on their cards will get the chance to win a pair of Apple AirPods 3rd generation (MagSafe) with a limited-edition Paul Smith AirPods Case worth more than VND11.3 million

UOB is the only Singapore bank to have had a subsidiary in Vietnam since 1993. Thirty years ago, it established a representative office with only three employees. In 1995 UOB became the first Singapore bank to set up a branch in HCMC.

Throughout its 30-year journey, UOB Vietnam has achieved significant milestones, reflecting its dedication to Vietnam’s growth and development.

The bank successfully transformed from a branch to a 100 percent foreign-owned subsidiary bank while maintaining steady growth even through the Covid-19 pandemic.

Since signing an MoU with Vietnam’s Foreign Investment Agency in 2015, UOB has helped over 250 companies invest more than S$5.8 billion in Vietnam, enabling the creation of more than 30,000 jobs.

This year marked another milestone for UOB Vietnam as the bank welcomed 575 colleagues from Citibank as part of its acquisition of Citigroup’s consumer banking business in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

With an expanded network, more ecosystem partners, and an enhanced suite of products and capabilities, UOB Vietnam is in a good position to serve the needs of its enlarged customer base.

The addition of new colleagues will help drive its ambition to be a truly regional bank that helps its customers achieve their financial aspirations.

As UOB celebrates its 30th anniversary in Vietnam, it is reaffirming its long-term commitment to Vietnam and its people.

Throughout its 30-year journey, UOB Vietnam has achieved significant milestones, reflecting its dedication to Vietnam’s growth and development.

Victor Ngo, CEO of UOB Vietnam, said Vietnam is an important pillar in UOB’s vision of becoming the number one bank in Southeast Asia.

Therefore, it would continue to encourage international investment and local businesses to facilitate the expansion of trade and investment flows into Vietnam, he said.

Besides, UOB would also strengthen its capabilities by investing in digitalization and collaborating with ecosystem partners, which would help meet the evolving needs of customers in Vietnam, he said.

“Our vision is to be among the top foreign and consumer banks in Vietnam, as well as an inclusive and forward-thinking organization that cares about its people and puts customers first.”

UOB Vietnam is dedicated to doing the right thing for its clients for 30 years and beyond. The bank is also committed to continuing support for the sustainable growth of enterprises in the digital economy through a wide range of activities.

It offers innovative financial solutions to SMEs and large enterprises through digital platforms such as Infinity, UOB BizMerchant, the UOB SME app, and UOB BizSmart.

UOB Vietnam also strives to enhance the customer experience by providing personalized products and services through multiple channels.

For its exceptional performance, it has been conferred a number of prestigious awards in Vietnam and elsewhere in the region.

UOB BizMerchant was named the Best Financial Inclusion Project by Asian Banking & Finance in 2019 and received the Best Financial Inclusion Project award from The Asian Banker in 2020 and the Best SME Bank in Asia Pacific Award for seven straight years from The Asian Banker.

Recently UOB Vietnam was named the Most Innovative Bank for SMEs by The Global Business.

These accolades point to UOB Vietnam’s dedication to delivering superior banking services, innovative solutions and outstanding customer experiences.

Besides, as a responsible corporate citizen, UOB Vietnam actively engages in CSR initiatives to keep the good going. These include the UOB Global Heartbeat Run/Walk and the UOB Painting of the Year.

Driven by a passion to encourage talented artists in their creative pursuits, a flagship regional art competition, UOB Painting of the Year, was launched in Vietnam this year.

Through this competition, the bank aims to uncover and nurture the region’s next generation of great artists.

In October UOB Vietnam will welcome the first eight winners in Vietnam who will go on to compete in the ASEAN competition.

Questions & Answers

Q.

What initiatives has UOB Vietnam launched to celebrate its 30th anniversary?

A.

To mark the anniversary, UOB Vietnam announced a partnership with Saigon Children’s Charity for a project to set up computer rooms in five schools in the Mekong Delta. The bank is also running promotional campaigns for customers until July 17.

Q.

How has UOB Vietnam's presence in the country evolved over 30 years?

A.

UOB started as a representative office with three employees in 1993, becoming the first Singapore bank with a branch in HCMC in 1995. It later transformed into a 100 percent foreign-owned subsidiary bank.

Q.

What impact has UOB had on foreign investment and job creation in Vietnam?

A.

Since signing an MoU in 2015, UOB has helped over 250 companies invest more than S$5.8 billion in Vietnam. This investment has led to the creation of over 30,000 jobs.

Q.

What significant expansion did UOB Vietnam undertake recently regarding its customer base and staff?

A.

This year, UOB Vietnam welcomed 575 colleagues from Citibank as part of its acquisition of Citigroup’s consumer banking business. This expansion aims to serve an enlarged customer base with an enhanced suite of products.

Reader pulse

Is UOB’s 30-year commitment a key differentiator?

20,762 votes so far

Weekly Briefing

Asia's retail intelligence, in your inbox

Tuesday, Thursday and a Saturday Weekly Wrap: the retail stories, numbers and moves that mattered across Asia. Nothing else, and you can unsubscribe in one click.

  • Top industry moves and market shifts
  • Weekly data-driven analysis from across Asia
  • Tuesday, Thursday and the Saturday Weekly Wrap

Read by retail operators, investors and brand teams across Asia.

Protected by a quick human check. No spam, ever. Unsubscribe in one click.

SecureGDPR ready