Guest speakers

Mr Lai Tien Manh

Country Representative, Vietnam

Brand Finance International Consulting Group

Manh provides strategic brand & communication strategy and research services. His extensive consulting experience vary in various fields, from fast-moving consumer goods, retail services, real estate, to technology, finance, and banking. Manh holds a Master of Business in Marketing from Victoria University of Technology and was a chief marketer for some of the largest international corporations like Coca-Cola and Shell Royal Dutch. With an extensive knowledge of Brand Strategy and Brand Communications, Manh leaves no stone unturned to provide the most effective brand and communication solutions to clients.

Dr Lindsey M. Bier 

Assistant Professor 

USC Marshall School of Business 

Lindsey M. Bier is Assistant Professor of Business Communication in the USC Marshall School of Business. Her work focuses on the role of non-state actors in public diplomacy, the relationship between country image and corporate image, and methodology for international empirical analysis. She regularly presents at conferences and publishes in peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Communication, Public Relations Review, Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, International Communication Gazette, and Journalism History. Media frequently interview her about corporate reputation and cross-national business issues. Lindsey’s professional experiences encompass reputation management, media relations, and visual communication. She has worked as a research analyst and consulted for multinational corporations as well as media, educational, healthcare, and non-profit organizations. She has designed courses in image and reputation management and intercultural communication plus taught courses in international commerce, business communication strategy, public relations, mass media, organizational communication, and oral presentations. Lindsey is an international adventurer who has traveled to 40+ countries for professional and humanitarian purposes, including fellowships in Vietnam and Korea. She currently leads a USC study abroad program to Japan. Before joining USC faculty, Lindsey earned a Ph.D. in the College of Communication and Information at the University of Tennessee. She enjoys learning to surf and watching collegiate football and basketball. She can often be found with coffee in hand as she and her dog Charley walk around campus.

Mr Vu Ba Phu  

Director General of VIETRADE, Ministry of Industry and Trade

Head of Secretariat Board of the Vietnam Value Programme 

From September 2012 to December 2015: Director - Minister Counsellor, in charge of the Vietnam Trade Office in the EU - Belgium.

From December 2015 to June 2016: Director of the Planning Department at the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

From June 2016: Member of the Board of Directors, Deputy General Director of Vietnam National Petroleum Group.

From July 2017: Director General of VIETRADE, Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Ms Vo Thi Lien Huong  

Vice General Director, in charge of International Business 

Secoin Corporation

Huong Vo is in charge of international market of Secoin Corporation – a Vietnamese company with over 33 years of experience and recognized as Vietnam National Brand for 3 times in a row (from 2016 to 2022). Secoin has got a system of 9 factories and 3 showrooms across Vietnam and Secoin’s products have been exported to 60 countries over 6 continents.

Huong Vo has Master's degree in Business Administration and Management from Vietnam National Economics University and Digital Marketing Certificate from Concordia University (Canada). With an extensive knowledge and experience in international business and marketing, Huong Vo has managed the international distribution network of Secoin Artistic Tile products and brought Secoin brand to high-end markets in Europe, North America, Australia, Japan,… and contributed to the reputation of Vietnamese brand in the global market.