HKBAV WEBINAR: M&A TRANSACTIONS DURING COVID-19 WITH A FOCUS ON HOSPITALITY

Please click the link below for presentations:

M&A Transactions in Covid-19 Times: A Focus on Vietnam’s Hospitality Sector
by Mr. Giovanni Marino, Managing Director, KPMG Legal Hanoi, Vietnam & Mr. Binh Tran, Director, KPMG Legal, Vietnam

Investing in Vietnam’s Hospitality Sector – Pre and post Covid-19 considerations
by Mr. Govinda Singh, Executive Director, Colliers International Asia

The impact of Covid-19 will reverberate through Vietnam’s economy and across its sectors, affecting how M&A transactions are designed, negotiated, and completed. This webinar will examine how the current market situation will change M&A transactions, with particular focus on one of its most dynamic sectors: hospitality. We will also highlight the elements of an M&A most likely to be affected, and propose measures to address the new environment.  

Investing in Vietnam’s hospitality sector is an attractive prospect. Since the easing of visa restrictions, Vietnam has witnessed a tourism boom in recent years, albeit this was abruptly halted by Covid-19. How can investors capitalise on this? Looking at key dynamics underpinning investment returns in the hospitality sector, we will identify key trends and opportunities, and what this means for hospitality M&A in a post COVID-19 world.

Agenda (GMT +7):

2:00 – 2:10PM [10’]:
Webinar introduction by Winnie Lam, General Secretary of HKBAV

2:10 – 2:42PM [32’]: Presentations:   
1. M&A Transactions in Covid-19 Times: A Focus on Vietnam’s Hospitality Sector
- Mr. Binh Tran, Director, KPMG Legal, Vietnam
- Mr. Giovanni Marino, Managing Director, KPMG Legal Hanoi, Vietnam  
2. Investing in Vietnam’s Hospitality Sector – Pre and post Covid-19 considerations
- Mr. Govinda Singh, Executive Director, Colliers International Asia

2:42 – 2:57PM [15’]: Panel discussion:
Speakers:    
- Mr. Binh Tran, Director, KPMG Legal, Vietnam
- Mr. Giovanni Marino, Managing Director, KPMG Legal Hanoi, Vietnam
- Mr. Govinda Singh, Executive Director, Colliers International Asia
Moderator:     
Mr. David Jackson, CEO, Colliers International, Vietnam

2:57 – 3:00PM [03’]:
Closing & Goodbye

SPEAKERS :

Giovanni is admitted in Italy and has been based in Asia for over 20 years. His practice concentrates on corporate, M&A and commercial matters. He has extensive experience in advising European and Asian corporations, financial institutions and funds on a wide range of cross border transactions, including the structuring and financing of foreign direct investments (inbound and outbound), M&A and commercial arrangements. In his 20 years of activity in the region, Giovanni has advised on transactions in Asian jurisdictions including Vietnam, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia and Thailand as well as cross border from Asia to Europe and the US.

Some of the key M&A projects that he has been engaged in include:

- Assisted a leading logistics group listed in Hong Kong on a number of acquisitions in Europe, Asia and Latin America (Mexico, Sweden, Italy, Venezuela, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore)
- Advising a European group in the acquisition of a five rolling mill steel plants and steel guide rails manufacturer in China and South East Asia
- Advising a leading European pharmaceutical manufacturer in the acquisition of a significant participation in a company listed on the HKSE
- Assisted an American fashion brand in structuring and negotiating acquisition agreements related to the buy back and take-over of 100+ retail stores in China and the Asia Pacific, employees and fixed assets
- Advising a Taiwanese cosmetic and skincare distributor, in connection with the acquisition of minority stakes in EU and US cosmetic brands and on the structuring of distribution agreements with several leading skin care brands.
- Advising an Italian high fashion brand on the structuring of joint venture and acquisitions arrangements with a China based counterpart.
- Assisting one of the largest Chinese PE funds, on the proposed acquisitions of a (i) European sportswear group, (ii) a minority stake in a luxury car manufacturer in the UK and (iii) a leading jewelry brand in Italy.

Binh has over 13 years of professional experience in legal services with a leading international law firm in Vietnam with a concentration on M&A, Corporate and Commercial Services, Dispute Resolution and Intellectual Property.

Binh’s past M&A experience and client portfolio include:

- A Vietnamese retail business in its joint venture with a leading South Korean conglomerate
- A real estate and financial services company in its majority acquisition of an intermediary payment company
- Representing the vendor in the sale of majority equity in a paper products manufacturing company to a leading Japanese conglomerate
- A Japanese media company in its joint venture with a domestic player in the sector
- A Canadian plastics manufacturer in its acquisition of a similar business in Vietnam
- A Vietnamese real estate developer in its acquisition of various high-end commercial and hospitality projects
- An American animal feed and commodities company in its acquisition of a foreign-invested aqua feed manufacturer in Vietnam
- A Malaysian company in its acquisition on a foreign-invested livestock breeding company
- A pharmaceutical company in its acquisition of a domestic pharmaceutical company
- A French PR company in its acquisition of a domestic advertising firm
- An investment fund in its acquisition of a domestic aquaculture business
- An American company in its acquisition of a domestic plastics company
- A leading American software and hardware manufacturer in its global acquisition of a mobile phone manufacturer
- A Taiwanese securities company in its acquisition of a domestic securities company

Binh earned his BA from Brandeis University and JD from the University of Georgia School of Law. Binh is admitted to the New York Bar and is a registered foreign lawyer in Vietnam.

Binh speaks fluent Vietnamese in addition to his native English.

Area of Expertise

Real estate consulting and valuation. Specialist experience in urban master planning, mixed-use developments, tourism strategy, hotels, gaming, retail, infrastructure and transport related projects, leisure, specialty assets, MICE, wellness, golf, theme parks, primary and secondary residential destinations.

Professional Accomplishments

- Govinda has extensive experience in real estate consulting and valuation, which includes 17 years of specialist experience in the urban regeneration, mixed-use, hotels, gaming, tourism, and hospitality and leisure industries in particular. Over this time, he has undertaken numerous assignments including financial and commercial due diligence assignments, dispute resolution, operating company /property company structuring, financial modelling, market demand and feasibility studies, property and business valuations, strategic and internal business reviews, operator searches, asset management, tourism studies, economic impact and needs assessments.
- He has also worked on projects in the logistics, integrated resort, entertainment, theme park, MICE, private clubs, second homes, wellness, and wider residential and commercial real estate across the UK, EMEA, Asia-Pac and Americas regions.
- He has appeared as an expert witness, and prepared reports in relation to disputes in national courts and for international arbitrations.
- He has also written a number of published articles, and is a frequent speaker and commentator at a number of conferences.

Business and Educational Background

Govinda, a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and registered valuer, is a chartered certified accountant with a postgraduate diploma in economics, who began his career at Pricewaterhouse in audit and assurance.
Having worked as an Operations Manager for Hilton, he was the Financial Controller at the luxury Lanesborough Hotel, at which time he worked closely with the Rosewood and Starwood hotel groups at both the local and corporate level in internal audit and brand development.

Govinda joined PKF in London in 2005 where he was a Managing Consultant. With PKF’s merger with BDO, he joined the Management Consulting team in 2012, where he was a Director responsible for the EMEA, Caribbean and Asia-Pac regions specifically focusing on real estate, tourism and hospitality consulting and valuation.

Govinda joined Cushman & Wakefield Singapore in 2015 where he was a Director leading the Asia-Pac Hotels & Leisure Valuation and Advisory team.

He is now an Executive Director at Colliers International having led the Singapore Valuation and Consulting teams and the specialist Asia Hotels and Leisure and Plant & Machinery teams. He advises on, and values land and property investments involving specialist and alternative asset classes across Asia.

He is also one of Colliers’ dedicated specialist portfolio advisors and valuers in the region, and globally.

His clients include operators, developers, sovereign wealth funds, private equity, REITS, banks, high net worth individuals, governments and institutional investors.

MODERATOR : 

David Jackson is currently Chief Executive Officer for Colliers International in Vietnam.

David manages the operational aspects along with setting its strategic vision and goals. He maintains a rich portfolio of major clients through his high level of service, attention to detail and multi-disciplinary consulting experience.

He has a broad and diverse level of expertise in managing business, capital markets, transactional management, valuations and advisory.

David has a master’s degree in Surveying and a further Degree in Applied Biological Sciences. He is a Fellow of the RICS; a LEED Green Associate; a Certified Member of the British Institute of Facilities Management and also a Fellow of the Institute of Continuing Professional Development.

Prior to Vietnam David was the founding and operating partner of an award-winning business in the Hospitality Sector in the UK.
 
Experience
General Director, Colliers International Vietnam
Apr 2014 – Present
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Deputy General Director, Colliers International Vietnam
Jun 2013 – Apr 2014
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Director/ Chief Information Officer, Colliers International Vietnam
Jun 2012 – Jun 2013
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Property Associate Director, Colliers International Vietnam
Sep 2008 – Jun 2012
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Founder – Equity Partner – Director, LGR Taverns Ltd
Jan 2003 – Jan 2008
London, United Kingdom

Sale Executive, Abbott Laboratories
Aug 2001 – Sep 2003
London, United Kingdom

European Branch Proofing Officer, Citibank
May 2000 – Aug 2001
London and Europe

Global Agency Trust Services, Citibank
Apr 1998 – May 2000
London and Europe

Manager, Allied Domecq
Jul 1993 – Feb 1998
London and Manchester, United Kingdom

Chemical Field Trials Officer, Oxford Agricultural Trials
Mar 1997 – Dec 1997
Oxford, United Kingdom