De Heus Vietnam CEO Gabor Fluit becomes new EuroCham chairman

The European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam has elected its new 17-member board of directors for 2023, with Gabor Fluit, CEO of Dutch agri-business giant De Heus in Asia and Vietnam, serving as new chairman.

EuroCham's newly-elected board, featuring both incoming and returning members, is poised to capitalize on the organization's accomplishments over the past year and lead its efforts to promote and enhance Europe-Vietnam economic relations, EuroCham said in a release.

The new board features nine directly-elected members and eight appointed from EuroCham's affiliated European business associations.

In addition to the new chairman from De Heus Group, the vice chairpersons are Claudia Anselmi from Hung Yen Knitting & Dyeing Co. and the Italian Chamber of Commerce; Dominik Meichle (Bosch); Jean-Jacques Bouflet from the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Torben Minko (B. Braun); and Minh Nguyen from Mazars and the Central and Eastern European Chamber of Commerce.

The treasurer is Olivier Rousselet (BNP Paribas), while the secretary-general is Erwin Debaere from Hoan My Medical Corp.

The other board members are Fanny Haniquaut (Sanofi); Javier Repiso from An Phat Holdings and the Spanish Chamber of Commerce; Tri-Mai Hoang (Airbus); Soren Pedersen from Julie Sandlau and the Nordic Chamber of Commerce; Stuart Livesey (Copenhagen Offshore Partners); Marieke van der Pijl from ACSV Legal and the Dutch Business Association Vietnam; Xuan Thang Nguyen (Schaeffler); Alexander Ziehe from Viessmann and the German Business Association; and Giandomenico Zappia (Enel Green Power).

Fluit, the newly-elected chairman, said: "Vietnam offers many opportunities, and I am eager to work with our members and partners to unlock its full potential. With EuroCham's strong foundation and network, I am confident we will continue to elevate and advance Vietnam's business environment.”

Alain Cany, the former, long-term chairman of EuroCham, said: "I am confident that chairman Gabor Fluit will lead EuroCham to new heights. With his extensive experience and understanding of the region, I can't wait to see how he'll keep building on the great work we've accomplished in recent years."

EuroCham executive director Delphine Rousselet said, “As Vietnam continues to emerge as a key player in the global economy, EuroCham remains committed to supporting our members and partners in navigating the dynamic business landscape and unlocking the full potential of this vibrant market."

The EuroCham annual general meeting last Thursday also underlined a keynote speech from Giorgio Aliberti, Ambassador of the European Union to Vietnam, who emphasized the crucial role played by EuroCham in enhancing economic ties between Europe and Vietnam.

He commended the organization's impressive achievements in the past year and stressed the significance of its ongoing endeavors to create a more sustainable and prosperous future for the region. His remarks underlined the significance of EuroCham's mission and its potential to foster greater cooperation and mutual growth.

“EU business, with EuroCham, is a key partner through its advocacy for the improvement of the regulatory and business environment in Vietnam to attract more high-quality FDI from Europe,” he said.

EuroCham has remained the unified voice of the European business community in Vietnam since 1998. It advocates on behalf of a plethora of sectors and companies ranging from SMEs to MNCs and has a robust business network in both Vietnam and Europe.

EuroCham’s membership of 1,300 makes it one of the biggest foreign chambers of commerce in Vietnam.