The advisory group brings together leading international experts with extensive experience in managing major financial centers and global financial institutions. It is headed by Associate Professor Dr. Tran Hoang Ngan, former Assistant to the Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee and Chairman of the Advisory Council for Breakthrough Development at Saigon University.
Among the notable members are Philip Rösler, former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany and former Managing Director of the World Economic Forum (WEF), and Marc Knapper, former U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam.
The advisory group will play a pivotal role in strengthening the Executive Board's strategic advisory capacity, fostering knowledge exchange, and supporting the development of the Vietnam International Financial Center in Ho Chi Minh City (VIFC-HCMC). It will provide independent, practice-oriented perspectives aligned with international best practices, helping the center define its development strategy, prioritize key financial products and services, and establish an effective operational framework.
The establishment of the advisory group further reinforces VIFC-HCMC's professional and institutional foundation while reflecting a prudent, systematic, and globally connected approach to developing a new-generation international financial center. It is expected to support Vietnam's efforts to attract international capital, foster innovation, and enhance the country's standing on the regional and global financial landscape.
The launch of the advisory group underscores VIFC-HCMC's commitment to building a development framework that actively engages experts, policymakers, and key stakeholders. By strengthening expert consultation, the center aims to foster a modern, transparent, and highly connected financial ecosystem aligned with the country's strategic economic priorities.
13 members of the advisory group include Associate Professor Dr. Tran Hoang Ngan, former Assistant to the Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, Chairman of the Advisory Council for Breakthrough Development at Saigon University, Head of the Advisory Group; Philip Rösler, former Vice Chancellor of Germany, former Managing Director of the World Economic Forum (WEF); Marc Knapper, former U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam; Jeff Singer, former Chief Executive Officer of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC); Stephen Glynn, former Chief Executive Officer of the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA), former Head of Enforcement at the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA); Dr. Jochen Biedermann, Managing Director of the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC); Don Lam, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of VinaCapital Group; Bhaskar Dasgupta, former Director of Market Infrastructure at Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM); Chia Hock Lai, Chairman of the Responsible Fintech Institute (RFI), Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Embed Financial Group Holdings (EFGH); Professor Dr. Nguyen Khac Quoc Bao, Vice Director of the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH); Associate Professor Dr. Hoang Cong Gia Khanh, President of the University of Economics and Law (UEL); Dr. Luu Ngoc Hiep, Dean of the Faculty of Finance and Banking, University of Economics and Business (UEB), Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Sam Van, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SRO Partners, Member of the Board of Directors of Picard Medical, Inc.
