Ho Chi Minh City, 22. November 2022
Dear valued GBA Members,
The year-end of 2022 is approaching and on behalf of the GBA Board I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for your valued contribution to the German Business Association, to our events and activities throughout the year. As a result of reduced Covid restrictions we were able to return our regular event schedule, introduce new formats and look back on a very successful year.
Starting into 2022, we have been highly motivated and full of energy with 3 key priorities for our work this year: (1) high engagement of the GBA community, (2) enhanced collaborations with stakeholders and (3) sustainability – driven through a holistic approach across all our activities.
Acting as the center point of German business life, culture, and values in Vietnam, we have developed an extensive network offering an abundance of business, advocacy, and marketing opportunities to ensure the German community’s continued prosperity through events, resources, and networks.
In fact, the GBA Board participated in several high-level dialogues with the government, conducted surveys, published press releases and sent letters directly to the relevant authorities to ensure favourable conditions for the trade and investment flows between Germany and Vietnam. For example: the issue of work permits for foreigners and visa exemption policy.
On behalf of the GBA Board, we would like to express our gratitude to all 360 members and 10 corporate partners: Deutsche Bank, Deutsches Haus Ho Chi Minh City, DURR, Mercedes-Benz Vietnam, OfficeHaus, Rieckermann, Rödl & Partner, Schaeffler, Spectos and Wurth for your strong and continuous support in 2022.
At the end of the year, I would like to use this opportunity to express our special thanks to the German Embassy in Hanoi and the German Consulate General in HCMC and their teams for their close cooperation throughout the year. We are incredibly grateful to collaborate with the German Missions to Vietnam and their comprehensive updates on the latest developments, which we regularly shared with our GBA members.
With your support we have arranged, organized, and co-hosted nearly 50 business, sports, social and cultural events so far this year with around 15,000 participants both in HCMC and in Hanoi.
⌘ Here are just a few of the highlights of the GBA this year:
- In January, we kicked off our first event of the year, the Members for Members workshops with more than fifteen members; and organized another 3 sessions with a wide range of topics.
- Following the successful 2022 GBA Annual General Meeting on 24 January 2022 in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, we organized in total 7 Business Meetings in 2022 – our regular back-bone event – where we offered a valuable facts and insights from various topics.
- This year’s 30th edition of GBA Oktoberfest attracted more than 10,000 participants to 6 evenings in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, with a record-breaking number of 26 corporate sponsors and our long-term partners: Hotel Nikko Saigon and JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi.
- As one of the exclusive benefits for GBA members, 3 successful GBA Excursion trips to Long Hau Industrial Park, Qatar Airways’ Kitchen tour & Bosch Powertrain Solutions Plant brought lots of good outcomes and feedbacks. The three trips were fully booked after few days of publishing.
- Our popular networking events, 9 DeutschenTreff-events in HCMC and 2 in Hanoi attracted around 80 participants each time.
- Our 2nd GBA Badminton Tournament and 5th GBA Football Tournament successfully happened in Ho Chi Minh City and attracted more than 100 players together with their family and members.
- We launched our new event concept – GBA Industry Connect – It allows members from specific industries to get together and exchange on some hot topics in their field.
- The 3rd GBA Business Challenge 2022 finally found the three talented winners out of 70 submissions with diverse business ideas targeting social, environmental, and sustainable issues. They fulfilled this year’s condition and presented convincing concepts to the business community with nearly 90 participants.
⌘ To highlight our cooperation with the EuroCham:
- We held the first networking event “Danang Meets Europe” for our members and business community in Danang – co-hosted with EuroCham, CCIFV, CEEC, DBAV, ICHAM and SCCV - attracted over 50 participants.
- To mark the 40th anniversary of the Franco-German Day, together with CCIFV, we organized the networking event “Feierabend Rendez-vous” in Hanoi and HCMC with more than 200 participants.
- Together with the DBAV, the GBA successfully co-hosted the networking event called “Feierabend Woemibo” in HCMC with more than 100 participants.
Also, GBA successfully led the September edition of Business Thursday in Hanoi with more than 80 participants. - Our participation in GEFE 2022 at the German National Pavilion organized by AHK Vietnam to support Vietnam in achieving its COP26 commitments and the socio-economic development goals specified in its National Green Growth Strategy for 2021-2030.
- GBA members Nestlé and Bosch Vietnam became the Champions of EuroCham Business Sustainability Awards 2022.
Besides, to enhance our communication with highly increased number of events and activities throughout the year, we have launched successfully the GBA WhatsApp & Zalo Announcements Group, as new communication channels with ~400 followers.
I would like to emphasize that all our activities have been primarily made possible through the inputs, suggestions, participation and efforts from you as our valued members. Of course, I also would like to take the opportunity to thank the entire GBA Board for their dedication and passion in terms of contribution, work, time, and efforts throughout the entire year, and let us not forget, all on a voluntary basis. A big thank you to our GBA Office team for their dedication and commitment to the GBA’s success.
In 2023, we will continue to be your voice and advocate in Vietnam, fostering bilateral socio-economic relations between Vietnam and Germany as well as supporting you as our members in developing and protecting your business activities as integral part of the local community. We will also continue to make our critical but constructive contribution in the board of the EuroCham and its bodies. The GBA is by far the biggest financial net contributor to EuroCham’s member budget and will position itself accordingly.
Finally, we would like to inform you that on Monday, 16. January 2023 the GBA Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place at Deutsches Haus Ho Chi Minh City and at InterContinental Hanoi Westlake. The GBA Board will report on the activities and the accounts for their period of governance at the AGM and the new GBA Board will be elected. Your candidacy and presence at the AGM are highly appreciated!
The invoice for the 2023 membership with GBA and EUROCHAM is sending to your office. Should you have any queries, suggestions or need more information please don’t hesitate to contact us anytime.
On behalf of the GBA-team, we wish you and your families a festive holiday season, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year 2023!
Yours faithfully,
Alexander Götz
Chairman of the Board
German Business Association
- How to renew your membership in 2023
Receive a Membership Renewal package by post (including a letter from GBA Chairman and the membership fee 2023 invoice) in end of November 2022.
Process Payment (following the information provided on the invoice) by 31 January 2022.
Update your Company Profile: by downloading Company Profile – GBA Membership 2022 and returning the completed file to mai@gba-vietnam.org
(In our 2020 GBA & EuroCham membership survey, a majority of our members wishes digital copies in the future. Going digital will also enable our chamber to be greener and more sustainable in the future, while retaining the value of this important directory. So, from 2021, the Membership Directory will be digital only and available on the GBA & EuroCham website with member login access. - Membership fee 2023:
Annual membership fee for a Large Enterprise (LE): 28,300,000 VND
Annual membership fee for a Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME): 14,000,000 VND
Individual membership fee: 7,500,000 VND
Mini membership fee: 7,500,000 VND
For further information regarding Membership Renewal please contact our Membership Manager
Mai | 028 3823 9772 – Ext 113 | +84 903 906 181| E: mai@gba-vietnam.org - Important notice: Payment settlement also affects your voting rights during the ensuing EuroCham Annual General Meeting in March 2022