[Announcement] NordCham’s Chairmanship Transition

Dear NordCham Members and Friends,

About 5 years ago in a small meeting room at the Press Club in Hanoi, I was persuaded by the founding members of NordCham to take over the chairmanship. NordCham at the time was a small limited social club in Hanoi with about 10 members and very limited funds. So, I started on a journey, with a clear strategy to get seats at the EuroCham ExCo, expand NordCham to all of Vietnam and bring significant value to our members.

Today we have achieved this and much more. We have now nearly 80 members, a solid financial situation, multiple seats at the EuroCham ExCo, a license to cover all of Vietnam plus offices and employees in both Hanoi and HCMC. We have very good partnerships with the 4 Nordic Embassies here in Hanoi, and we recently launched our successful “Work The Nordic Way” activating the Nordic Alumni’s and our great Nordic businesses in Vietnam. We have a great website, a powerful new logo and identity launched on our 20th anniversary and a good foundation on both Facebook and LinkedIn. 2020 brought us to a new level with the global pandemic and NordCham moved to successful webinars and coordinated with our German friends to bring our members back to Vietnam during the lockdown when things looked most difficult.

The 2021 NordCham Vietnam is in good shape and in good hands. Over the years there have been amazing contributions from all the volunteering board members, Nordcham members and Nordic friends supporting our case and goals. For this I cannot thank you enough. The volunteer board members have sacrificed their free time with family and kids, evenings with their loved ones, spending their own money on attending board meetings and travels all in the greater good of NordCham.

And for these reasons, I feel it is time for me to take a step back and focus on my family and my own business and let new energy take NordCham to the next level of our journey. I will however remain active as a board member at least in the year to come to ensure a smooth transition.

Our current vice chair Mr. Thue Thomasen has been a significant contributor and difference maker in all of the beforementioned, and I am very pleased that he will take the chairmanship and lead NordCham the next period with full support and trust from all current board members.

Please remember that you, the members, play a huge role and are the key to us continuing to work and improve, you spend your money on memberships, events and in some cases generous sponsorships and put your trust in us to work on your behalf. The partnership and integration between us and our members are the most important driver for NordCham. If we do not actively participate and support we have limited success.
I want you all to know that I am very humbled for all the support and cannot thank the board and our members enough for the past 5 years of trust, respect and support in my leadership as chairman.

Thank you,
Søren Roed Pedersen