ASIA 2008 - VIETNAM

After a series of delays due to the Tet holiday (lunar new year) I landed in Hanoi in early March and will be focused there on two different Capital Markets projects.

The first Vietnam project is the automation of the State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC). Vietnam is a communist country and for many years all businesses were owned by the Government. The Government created the SCIC to be their "holding company" and investment arm. We are charged with doing a Business Process Analysis and preparing them to go out for bids on a comprehensive system project.

Vietnam is a fascinating place and friendly to westerners. I am staying in a small hotel in the old sector where the hustle and bustle is mixed with the color and noise of a country where the old and new coexist.

The Vietnam Securities Depository (VSD) provides the Clearing & Settlement and Depository funtions for the Vietnam stock market. We are technically working for the State Securities Commission (SSC) which is the equivilant of our SEC and the primary regulator for the Vietnam market. This is the same organization I worked for here three years ago.

Last year I went to work in December and January when it was typically -25° F and this year I am looking at 100+° F.