Duc Tran
Senior Partner, Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City
Duc Tran
Senior Partner, Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City
Contact details
Duc advises both multinational and domestic clients in a variety of areas of project finance, banking and corporate law. He has led numerous landmark project finance, M&A, banking and capital markets transactions, both in Vietnam and on behalf of Vietnamese clients in other markets. Duc joined A&O in 2013.
With over 25 years of legal practice (including 12 years as managing partner of VILAF), Duc is recommended as one of the leading lawyers in Vietnam by the major international legal guides. Chambers Asia Pacific 2022 ranks him as a Band 1 lawyer for Projects, Infrastructure & Energy, Banking & Finance, Capital Markets as well as for Corporate/M&A in Vietnam.
Expertise
Practices
Sectors
Office
Ho Chi Minh City
39th Floor, Bitexco Financial Tower, 2 Hai Trieu, District 1
Ho Chi Minh City
Qualifications
Professional
Academic
M&A Advanced Negotiation Course, London
Project Finance Training Course, London
Loan Negotiation Training Course, Singapore
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Experience highlights
Advising Gaw Capital on the USD1.2bn joint venture to develop the 86-storey Thu Thiem Observation Tower in Ho Chi Minh City.
Advising ThaiBev on its USD4.8bn acquisition of a majority stake in Sabeco, Vietnam’s largest brewer, via a competitive offering process. The transaction represents Vietnam’s biggest privatisation to date. Awarded Best M&A Deal, Vietnam M&A Forum 2018.
Advising two global financial institutions as joint mandated lead arrangers and bookrunners on the USD950m Euler Hermes-backed export credit to VinFast, Vietnam’s first wholly domestic car manufacturer.
Advising a group of global financial institutions as joint bookrunners on the Vinhomes Rule 144A USD1.3bn initial equity offering and listing on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange. This transaction is the largest ever offering in Vietnam. Awarded Best IPO and Best Vietnam Deal, FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2018.
Expertise
Practices
Sectors
Office
Ho Chi Minh City
39th Floor, Bitexco Financial Tower, 2 Hai Trieu, District 1
Ho Chi Minh City
Qualifications
Professional
Academic
M&A Advanced Negotiation Course, London
Project Finance Training Course, London
Loan Negotiation Training Course, Singapore
Other noteworthy experience
Advising:
- KKR on its USD650m investment in HOSE-listed Vinhomes, as well as its investments in EQuest Education Group, KiotViet and Masan Group and its subsidiaries, Masan Nutri-Science and Masan Consumer.
- JERA on its acquisition of an equity interest in Vietnam-based Gia Lia Electricity Joint Stock Company, a renewable energy platform listed on the HOSE.
- United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB) on the Vietnam aspects of its acquisition of Citigroup’s consumer banking franchise in Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand for approximately SGD4.915 billion.
- Kinh Do Corporation on its USD465m sale of its confectionery business to Mondelēz International, the world’s leading snack company.
- CFLD International on its acquisition of a majority stake in a residential development project located in the Dong Nai province from VinaLand Ltd.
- A Middle Eastern sovereign wealth fund on its joint venture and co-investment in CapitaLand Vietnam Commercial Fund 1, a USD300m real estate fund managed by Singapore-listed CapitaLand, one of Asia's largest real estate companies. This transaction represents the first commercial fund established by CapitaLand in Vietnam.
- Creditors in the restructuring of Vinashin and issuing notes in exchange for USD600m debts.
- Bookrunners on Vinpearl’s USD450m Reg-S only exchangeable bond listed on the SGX. Vinpearl is the hospitality arm of Vingroup, one of Vietnam’s largest conglomerates. This transaction is the first exchangeable bond by a Vietnamese issuer.
- The initial purchasers on BIM Land JSC’s debut Reg S offering of USD200m 7.375% bonds due 2026. This is the first corporate green bond out of Vietnam. Best Green Bond – Vietnam, The Asset Triple A Country Awards 2021.
- Lenders on the financing of the USD9bn Nghi Son Refinery.
Recognition
Ranked - Band 1 in Corporate/M&A, Banking & Finance, Capital Markets and Projects, Infrastructure & Energy
Chambers Asia Pacific, 2022 (Vietnam)
A client comments that he 'has always been one of the best banking lawyers in Vietnam' and 'is very practical and responsive.' Another client adds that he knows the 'whole spectrum of law' in Vietnam.
Chambers Asia Pacific, 2022 (Banking & Finance - Vietnam)
A client comments that he 'has always been one of the best banking lawyers in Vietnam' and 'is very practical and responsive.' Another client adds that he knows the 'whole spectrum of law' in Vietnam.
Chambers Asia Pacific, 2022 (Projects, Infrastructure & Energy - Vietnam)
well-established figure in the market and continues to be strongly recommended by clients and market sources.
Chambers Asia Pacific, 2021 (Corporate and M&A - Vietnam)
