After 16 years of working for many international financial organisations, Mr Han Ngoc Vu, General Director of Vietnam International Bank (VIBank) said one of the urgent works to be done in VIBank is the construction of the corporate culture.
Experts say the success or failure of an enterprise is attached to the corporate culture. What do you think about this, after holding the VIBank general director position for more than six months?
I think that the value of an enterprise is built from its own corporate culture. Culture is not abstract or intangible. It is the value chain to create sustained development for an enterprise, from the business conduct to product, product quality, service, website, bulletin and internal digests. Any director always thinks of the top priority of the company, the profit. But where does the profit come from? It is not a godsend, but the trust of customers and partners. To this end, the enterprise has built a foundation for corporate culture.
Before working for VIBank, I used to say to the press that I had intended to work for a domestic bank for several years. The growth and professionalism of domestic banks were grounds for my decision. I wanted to bring my experience and knowledge to serve VIBank and I believed that I had a suitable environment to devote myself. We continue increasing the professionalism of VIBank to turn it into a leading joint stock bank in Vietnam.
In your viewpoint, which level of professionalism has VIBank reached?
Currently there are a lot of different banks. Thus, to survive and develop VIBank has to create the difference. I think the most effective difference is professionalism, from the banking structure and work handling to corporate culture. For example, when the New Year comes, employees usually discuss the ways to visit their “Boss.” However, it is different in VIBank culture, because the “Boss” has to visit his/her employees. So, where is the professionalism in this culture? The visit of a junior staff to his superior means that he is lobbying to “take the seat” and his value is lower than his benefits. On the other hand, devoted and talented staff need attention because their devotion is much bigger than their profit.
Our orientation toward professionalism extends to every position and activity, to standardise the apparatus, lessening the reliance of the apparatus on the humans. That apparatus will ensure smooth operation when a person is off work.
As general director, will you ever take off work?
I don’t think so. However, even the absence of the general director will have no impact on the apparatus. This is the goal of high professionalism. I repeatedly tell VIBank staff that I do not want to work in order to improve my own importance. Luckily, the importance of a general director is good leadership; thus, the apparatus will still keep going on even he is absent.
Vietnamese
