Designed as a private meeting session preceding the M&A Forum, the Investment Connection Programme aims to bring investors and firms together to exchange information and discuss potential mergers and acquisitions (M&A) opportunities.

Running in its second year, the programme has welcomed 50 companies and investors from both Vietnam and overseas. The attendees this year hailed from a wide variety of sectors, including foreign investment funds, Vietnamese firms, as well as advisory and consulting services companies.

Some prominent names include state-owned enterprises, such as the Aviation Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) and Ben Thanh Group, both of whom are looking for strategic partners for equitisation. Leading firms in real estate and agriculture, including Novaland, BIM Group, Pan Pacific and Vinamilk, have also been present at the programme.

The list of investors included well-known investment funds based in Vietnam, as well as representatives from regional funds in Hong Kong and Singapore.

“Although the number of attendance is still lower than what the market really needs, we sincerely hope to go beyond today’s programme and create on-going opportunities that connect firms, advisors and consultants with Vietnamese and overseas investors,” said Nguyen Anh Tuan, editor-in-chief of VIR.

He added that the organisers received hundreds of proposals for selling parts and whole Vietnamese companies, signalling the next market boom in store in the upcoming years.

In addition, the programme this year has also attracted four Investment Promotion Centres from Danang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Binh Dinh. This participation displays an effort from the central provinces to approach investors and promote investment opportunities for local firms.

The main Vietnam M&A Forum 2015 will commence this afternoon with discussions on M&A state policies, experiences and forecasts conducted by experts in various M&A sectors in Vietnam. Lastly, the Deal Awards Ceremony for the best M&A deals in 2014 will be held in the evening.