Heads roll in wave of bank woes

The banking industry has experienced a roller-coaster year, with concerns over the sector's liquidity and pressure on high interest rates adding to a long list of woes. Chief Executive Officers at banks did not escape the turbulence in the sector, with many CEOs losing their jobs.

The past year saw increased efforts among banks to restructure their organisations, and changing CEOs presented an opportunity to inject new leadership talent at some banks.

Last December, Nguyen Duc Vinh left his job as CEO at the Technology and Commerce Joint Stock Bank (Techcombank), a position he had held for the past 12 years, and becoming a deputy chairman of the bank's management board.

Englishman Simon Morris is the new CEO, with Techcombank becoming the first Vietnamese bank to appoint a foreigner as CEO.

Also in December, the Viet Nam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (Vietinbank) appointed Nguyen Van Thang as CEO position, replacing Pham Xuan Lap, who has retired before he had come to the end of his contract.

Thang has worked at Vietinbank for more than 15 years, starting out as a sales person at a branch office. Born in 1973, he is the youngest CEO among the State-owned commercial banks.

Pham Huy Hung, the chairman of the bank's management board, said the new CEO would help bolster the bank's development and integration into the global banking and financial market.

Last September, the Viet Nam International Bank (VIB) assigned Duong Thi Mai Hoa as its CEO. She has more than 18 years' experience in financing and accounts management and is a member of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA) in the UK.

Last July, the State Bank decided to replace CEO Pham Thanh Tan with Kieu Trong Tuyen for the Viet Nam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.

Early last year, Vu Tu was assigned as the new CEO of TienPhong Bank, replacing Dao Trong Khanh. Tu has more than 20 years' experience in the banking industry and was a director of a branch at Agribank and then CEO of the Oceanbank.

vietnamnews

>   Tax on plastic bags sends prices soaring (31/01/2012)

>   Local insurers must improve as foreign firms set up in VN (31/01/2012)

>   Banks to reduce interest rates to 10 percent (31/01/2012)

>   Economists say dollar price may make new records in 2012 (31/01/2012)

>   High export taxes slow rubber production (30/01/2012)

>   IFC raises trade finance limit in LienVietPostBank (30/01/2012)

>   Banking and finance pay highest salaries in 2011 (28/01/2012)

>   Money gets frozen at family’s coffers (26/01/2012)

>   Local banks to march to overseas markets (24/01/2012)

>   Financial reform gathers pace (23/01/2012)