Auscham Board Members

Minh Duong is a partner of the law firm Asia Counsel Vietnam Law Company Limited.  He has been a director and secretary of Auscham Vietnam for the last four years.  He has practised law in Vietnam for over 12 years and is a qualified Australian lawyer. Minh is interested to pursue more training initiatives for members and ensure that members will have greater value for being an Auscham member.  Minh is fluent in English and Vietnamese.

I am admitted to the NSW Supreme Court and hold a WA legal practicing certificate. I am also a chartered accountant and an Associate of CA ANZ. I am a partner at EY and lead the tax practice in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Prior to that I was a corporate tax partner in EY Sydney, Perth and Croatia. I have lived in Vietnam with my family since July 2015. I joined the AusCham Board in 2017 and hope to be reappointed this year.

Brian has been a member of AusCham for 19 years and has served on the AusCham Board for over 11 years. He has worked in a variety of roles on the Board and was formerly AusCham’s President. He is the current Chairperson of the Education and Training Working Group of the Vietnam Business Forum (VBF) that represents all Chambers of Commerce in Vietnam.

In addition to his work with the VBF, Brian also helped organise AusCham’s Education Symposiums and the new breakfast event AusCham Chats. In 2020 Brian intends to continue to work to improve AusCham’s service to its members. He will also continue to represent AusCham in his role in the VBF, help run business related events, and help organise another Education Symposium in 2020.

Having resided in Vietnam for the past decade and South East Asia for the last 18 years it is a pleasure to be joining the AusCham community and serving members as a Board of Director over the coming year.

Originating from Brisbane my career for the most part has been related to Hospitality and Tourism. Recently I joined The Grand Ho Tram Resort and Casino as Chief Operating Officer transferring from the new majority shareholder Lodgis Hospitality Holdings where I have been Executive Vice President – Head of Asset Management for the past four years. Prior to my recent roles I have held similar positions in Vietnam with Vinacapital and BRG Group.

Serving on other boards and committees relating to Hospitality and Tourism in Vietnam I look forward to assisting AusCham link with other like-minded organizations to the benefit of the chamber and its members.

In the current climate, it is more important than ever to encourage communication, open dialogue and joining AusCham as a Director I look forward to doing my part and providing support to members through what are challenging times for most.

Again, it is indeed a pleasure and honor to be joining AusCham and I believe my extensive Vietnam business experience and network will be of benefit to the organization and you, its members. I look forward to meeting, conversing with everyone in due course.

Mario Mendis is currently based at the Sofitel Saigon Plaza as a Hotel Manager. With over 20 years as a Passionate International Hotelier. He is an outgoing, dynamic and sales focused professional, who has a relentless drive to deliver more than just results, having a track record of effectively leading and managing all aspects of the hotel operations, and of making guests genuinely feel cared for, valued, and respected.

As a true hand on leader, having strengths of an analytical and expedient approach to problem solving which always results in a win/win resolution for all parties. Not to mention a self-assurance which enables goals to be achieved, and constantly looking to introduce new product and services that will meet the needs of tomorrow’s savvy global travelers.

Xin chào! My name is Patrick Chang and I work as Head of Corporate Development for Blackstone Minerals, a nickel focused mining and exploration company. I am privileged and delighted to be joining a group of like-minded business people with a common vision to connect Australian businesses in Vietnam.

2020 brought unprecedented challenges to businesses and individuals alike. I am grateful to RMIT and AusCham who brought me from Australia back to Vietnam, so that I was able to commence work in Hanoi. Whilst relatively new to Vietnam, I am genuinely excited about the journey and opportunities ahead. Blackstone is a young, energetic and dynamic company which has an ambitious target of delivering battery material to the electric vehicles market by 2023. In my role here in Hanoi, I will be looking after business development activities and external relations for my company.

Professionally, I would describe myself as a passionate, well-rounded and diligent business person who enjoys creating win-win scenarios, being rewarded for taking appropriate risks and overcoming challenges. I have worked across multiple industries including IT, mining and investment banking. My personal background is equally diverse, having lived in China, Singapore, USA and Australia prior to arriving in Vietnam. I am looking forward to speaking Vietnamese fluently in the near future.

Despite being a new AusCham member, Blackstone has already benefitted significantly from the membership. In addition to getting instantly connected to the Australian community, we are able to meet key policy makers in the Vietnamese government, provide direct feedback and learn about incentives available for foreign direct investments. Looking ahead, in my new role with AusCham, I look forward to bringing complementary skill set to the current Board and continue adding value to our sponsors and members.