2026 Board of Governors in HCMC – Biographic Information

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2026 Board of Governors in HCMC

Vaibhav Bhanchawat

Managing Director, Mondelez Vietnam

Vaibhav Bhanchawat is Vice President and Managing Director of Mondelez Kinh Do Vietnam

Vaibhav is responsible for driving the Vietnam business while also being part of the SEA Leadership team. He has assumed this position from October 2025.

Vaibhav has had 25 years of experience in the FMCG and Consumer Healthcare sectors, and held leadership roles across General Management, Sales, and Marketing. Since 2017, he has served in business head roles, successfully leading organizations in different geographies.

Vaibhav has a wealth of experience with roles spanning across Asia, Africa and Latin America. His leadership journey is defined by business turnarounds through large scale Go-to-Market transformation projects, portfolio diversification, successful innovation, and brand turnaround.

Prior to joining Mondelez Kinh Do as Vice President and Managing Director, Vaibhav served as Chief Operating Officer for the Marico business in India. Vaibhav has spent a decade in South-East Asia in various leadership roles including 6 years leading businesses in Vietnam for GSK Consumer healthcare and Marico South-East Asia and South Africa.

Having lived and worked in India, Nigeria, Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam, Vaibhav has a strong appreciation for diverse cultures and perspectives. He’s known for his people-first leadership style, building high-performing teams, and achieving sustainable business growth.

Outside of work, Vaibhav is passionate about cricket and maintains an active lifestyle as a fitness enthusiast.

Dr. Robert Connolly

General Director, Crossroads Vietnam Co, Ltd.

Robert (Bob) Connolly’s credentials include a Doctorate in Leadership (Creighton), an MBA in International Business and Finance (University of South Carolina), and a Master’s Degree in International Affairs (George Washington).

Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Dr. Connolly moved to Vietnam in 2004. As General Director of Crossroads Vietnam, he offers consulting, workshops, and coaching to help companies develop the Leadership, Skills, and Culture needed to grow their business. He is also an adjunct lecturer teaching MBA Leadership courses.

He has worked in several industries including Mortgage Banking, Electronics Manufacturing, and Education. At various times, he has been responsible for project management, financial modeling, business unit reviews and budgeting, consulting, international business and market development.

While completing his Doctorate in Leadership, the basis of his research was the study of innovation barriers. He continues to pursue activities to better understand how Vietnamese business leaders overcome barriers to changes required to compete internationally.

Mark Gillin

Founder, Chairman, Managing Director, America Indochina Management Ltd. (AIM)

Mark Gillin has been identifying, developing and investing in business opportunities in Vietnam since 1993.

He is a founder and chairman of America Indochina Management Ltd. (AIM). Founded in 1993, AIM is one of the oldest American-owned companies in Vietnam. It has built and invested in market-leading businesses in a variety of sectors covering construction, furniture, healthcare, education, ecommerce, and hospitality.

Mark is a founding member of AmCham Vietnam. He has served 12 years as Governor, including one year as Chairman, three as Vice Chairman and one as Secretary. He provided input for the US-VN Bi-lateral Trade Agreement; the WTO agreement and the Transpacific Partnership (TPP). Committee and was Co-Chair of the VBF Tax and Customs Working Group.

He served as non-executive board member of Navigos/Vietnamworks, AA Corporation, Japan Medical Corporation, and Indochina Assets Limited.

He graduated with honors from Duke University with a BA in Policy Studies.

Thao Griffiths

Public Policy Director, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Meta Platforms Inc.

Thao Griffiths joined Meta in December 2021, as Public Policy Head for Vietnam. From May 2023, she is additionally in charge of Public Policy in Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar.

Thao became a Commissioner of the International Commission on Missing Persons, a treaty- based intergovernmental organization with Headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands from 2022. She has also served as an inaugural member of the Advisory Committee of the Australian Government in Vietnam since March 2016. She has 19 years’ experience in management, public health, development, climate change, security policy, and IT related business.

Prior to Meta, Thao worked at the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry as Policy Advisor to the Chairman, where she played a key role bridging VCCI with both the private sector and key international partners. Government. In 2016, she spent a year in Switzerland at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy.

Thao worked across many fields in her professional life, with a particular focus on U.S.-Vietnam relations, including reconciliation and healing after the war. She served for nine years as Country Director for Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation in her 16-year tenure with the organization both in its Hanoi and Washington offices.

Thao has been a GCSP Security Leadership Fellow (Switzerland), an Endeavour Fellow (Australia), a Fulbright scholar (US), and an inaugural Eisenhower Fellow (US) from Vietnam in 2013. She has a master’s degree in systems engineering from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in international relations from the American University. Thao loves to row, cycle, race dragon boats and play table tennis competitively.

Ruben Luengas R.

General Manager, Coca-Cola Vietnam & Cambodia

Ruben Luengas R. is the General Manager for Vietnam and Cambodia at Coca Cola, a global leader in the beverage industry with the mission to “Refresh the World. Make a Difference.”

A senior leader with over 20 years of experience in the global food and beverage sector, Ruben specializes in general management, franchise operations, commercial strategy, market development, and trade marketing across Latin America and Asia. He began his Coca-Cola career in México in 2001, later rejoining in 2014 as Franchise Leader in Thailand, where he spearheaded partner collaboration, operational excellence, and revenue growth in a dynamic ASEAN market. His earlier career includes senior marketing leadership at Heineken and sales operations in Arca Continental South America.

Ruben’s achievements include successful product launches, consumer driven growth strategies, optimization of Route to Market (RTM) and Revenue Growth Management (RGM), and leading high performance multicultural teams. Recognized for strategic vision and strong partner relationships, he has deep expertise in aligning global brand innovation with local market realities to deliver sustainable growth in volume, value, and profitability.

Married and a father of three, Ruben lives with his family in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s most significant economic and financial hub.

Van Ly

Co-Founder and Partner, Raise Partners

Van is Co-Founder and Partner at Raise Partners, a women-led ESG/sustainability consulting practice. She thrives in brokering partnerships, mobilizing people behind social impact programs and initiatives, and helping others communicate about the impact they are making in their communities and around the world. She has extensive experience working in cross-sector partnerships and programs between the private sector, government, and the nonprofit sector. Before Raise Partners, she worked at KPMG, East Meets West Foundation, Saigon Children’s Charity, ARISE Foundation, and International Campaign for Tibet.

She serves as AmCham’s ESG Committee Co-Chair, Vietnam Business Forum’s Agribusiness and Environment Working Group Co-Head, and Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of Avaaz, a global grassroots campaigning organization.

Van has a Masters in Southeast Asian Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Bachelors in International Studies from American University in D.C. Originally from the Chicago area, Van has lived in HCMC since 2007.

Hang Nguyen

Partner, Baker McKenzie

I am a Partner leading the Employment & Labor, as well as Investigation, Compliance, and Ethics practices at Baker McKenzie in Vietnam. In this role, I develop strategic direction for these practices, provide training and coaching to team members, and coordinate global and regional employment and compliance initiatives related to Vietnam. I serve on the management team of Asia Pacific Employment Practice Groups, as well as the Global Immigration and Mobility Group. Recognized as a leading authority on employment and labor law in Vietnam and the Asia Pacific region, I am a frequent speaker at industry events in Vietnam and in the region.

I have been an active member of AmCham since 2006, representing both AmCham and the broader business community at numerous expert working groups, seminars, and conferences. Over the years, I have held various leadership roles within AmCham, including Chair, Co-Chair, and Board Liaison of the HR/Labor Committee, and served as AmCham’s representative on the Advisory Council for Administrative Procedures Reform. From 2017 to 2023, I served for three consecutive terms on the Board of Governors, during which I held executive positions such as Vice Chair, Executive Committee member, and Advocacy Panel member responsible for reviewing and approving position papers on behalf of the Board. Throughout my tenure, I actively contributed to advancing the Chapter’s advocacy efforts.

My academic background spans law, diplomacy, and executive business management, with education in both Vietnam and the U.S. I am among the few lawyers dually admitted to practice in New York State and Vietnam. During my nearly 20-year career at Baker McKenzie, I have worked in our offices in Vietnam, Spain, and the UK. This diverse cultural and professional experience enables me to bridge differences between U.S. and Vietnamese business environments and foster collaboration across international and local contexts. I believe these perspectives will allow me to make meaningful contributions to the Board and the Chapter.

Ky Nguyen

Senior Advisor, APM Terminals

Nguyễn Xuân Kỳ has been serving as Senior Advisor in Vietnam for APM Terminals Asia; Middle East Region since January 2025, following his tenure as Chief Executive Officer of Cai Mep International Terminal (CMIT) — a joint venture between APM Terminals (Denmark’s Maersk Group), VIMC, and Saigon Port.

Over his 15 years in senior management at CMIT, one of Vietnam’s leading deep-water container terminals primarily serving the Vietnam–U.S. trade, Ky played a key role in developing the terminal’s capacity and operational excellence. Under his leadership, CMIT became the first terminal in Vietnam capable of handling 20,000 TEU container vessels — a milestone recognized by the Vietnamese Ministry of Construction with a Certificate of Merit for his contributions to the national port industry.

He holds an MBA from Maastricht University (Netherlands) and a Bachelor’s degree from the Foreign Trade University (Vietnam) as well as in 2025 possess the certifications from Said Business School, Oxford University, UK and from Institute of Director (IOD) London, UK. Ky is also serving as a Board Member of the Dutch Business Association Vietnam (DBAV) and Secretary General of the Vietnam Seaports Association (VPA) for term for 2025-2030.

Will Sandman

General Manager – Vietnam, Laos, & Cambodia, American & Efird Vietnam Thread LLC.

Will Sandman is an experienced executive who has built his career connecting global brands with Southeast Asia’s manufacturing ecosystem. He currently serves as General Manager of American & Efird Vietnam, leading over 400 employees in operations, finance, and commercial strategy. He previously served as Business Development & Strategy Director at MPG Global, driving global growth across footwear, apparel, and home goods, and earlier held senior roles at Avery Dennison, where he led global footwear strategy and brand partnerships for Nike, Adidas, and VF Group.

With more than a decade of leadership experience in Asia, Will focuses on innovation, sustainability, and people-first culture. He is also Chairman of Shoe Dawgs Vietnam, a philanthropic network supporting the Hope Center orphanage. Passionate about AI-driven manufacturing and digital transformation, he aims to bridge technology, community, and purpose to strengthen Vietnam’s position in the global supply chain.

Brad Segal

Co-Founder, Eddies Company Limited

Brad Segal has lived and worked in Vietnam for over 30 years, where he has founded or co-founded more than 10 businesses across the sourcing, manufacturing, retail, and food & beverage sectors. His career in Asia began in 1988 with the British conglomerate Inchcape, where he became Regional General Manager overseeing hardlines sourcing in nine countries and established Inchcape’s first Vietnam sourcing office in 1991.

In 1994, Brad launched his own export and manufacturing company, beginning with IKEA as his first customer. Over the following decade, he built it into a major home furnishings enterprise exporting to over 40 countries and partnering with leading U.S. and global retailers. Since successfully exiting manufacturing, Brad has focused on building and operating consumer brands in Vietnam, including several well-known retail and F&B concepts in Ho Chi Minh City.

Before relocating to Vietnam in 1995, he worked in San Francisco, Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Shanghai, gaining extensive experience across corporate and entrepreneurial roles in international trade and business development. Born and raised in Minnesota, Brad holds a BA in Business-Economics from The Colorado College and studied at City University Business School in London.

Marwane Tahri

Vice President, General Manager, P&G Vietnam

Marwane Tahri is the Vice President and General Manager of P&G Vietnam, where he is responsible for driving the strategic direction and overall growth of the company’s operations in the country. With 20 years of extensive experience at P&G, Marwane leverages his vast expertise to enhance market presence and strengthen the leading brand portfolio Vietnam.

Marwane began his P&G career in 2004 as a Sales Representative in Morocco. He has substantial experience working across multiple categories and geographies such as North-West Africa, and Arabian Peninsula; as well as in general management, commercial operations, distributor/advanced customer management, and go-to-market reinvention. Between 2018-23, Marwane has held multiple leadership roles in the North-West Africa Market Operations, where he has a proven track record of achieving top and bottom-line results while growing categories and improving brand equity.

Regarding his passion for business and organizational development, Marwane is committed to a transformative yet sustainable impact on both businesses and organizations. He emphasizes influential leadership, collaboration, and excellence in execution. Additionally, he is a dedicated advocate for advancing equality and inclusion, promoting sustainability, and creating a strong community impact.

Hao Tran

CEO, Vietcetera Media

Hao currently serves as the CEO of Vietcetera Media, a digital media network that he co-founded in 2016, which today reaches ten million subscribers globally a month.

He has shared on trends in Vietnam and greater Southeast Asia including and not limited to venture capital, technology startups, food and beverage, tourism, retail and trade. His insights and those from Vietcetera and his projects have been featured on media outlets such as Monocle, CNBC, CNN, the Washington Post, the New York Times, the LA Times, and Bloomberg News.

He also advises a number of SMEs, family offices, and Fortune 500 companies seeking expertise in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, helping strategize key decisions including long-term growth, delivery models and business expansion.

A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Hao’s career has led him to both coasts of the US, the UK, India and now Vietnam.

Thanh Tran

Director, Policy & Public Affairs, Pfizer APAC Emerging Markets

Thanh is a valued member of the Pfizer Global Corporate Affairs team, focused on APAC Emerging Markets. Since 2014, he has played a pivotal role in Pfizer’s leadership in Vietnam, bringing a wealth of expertise in policy and legal frameworks to the Vietnamese pharmaceutical industry. His substantial contributions have been crucial in advancing Pfizer’s operations and nurturing the growth of the nation’s pharmaceutical sector over the past decade.

Before his tenure at Pfizer, Thanh gained over ten years of valuable experience in government affairs and legal counsel, working with renowned corporations such as KPMG, Ford, Dow Chemical, and British-American Tobacco in Vietnam. In addition, he served as the Head of Information Technology at a Vietnam state-owned bank in Vietnam for eight years.

Thanh is an alum of Hanoi University of Law. He furthered his education with an MBA from the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) center in Vietnam, obtained in 2004. Moreover, Thanh enhanced his financial acumen with a Diploma in Banking Management from the Swiss Finance Institute, achieved in 2012.

Luke Treloar

Partner, Head of Strategy Group & National Head of Infrastructure, Government, and Healthcare Advisory, Vietnam and Cambodia, KPMG Vietnam

Luke is a career strategy consultant at KPMG with extensive experience across Emerging and Frontier Markets.

He works with many of the world’s largest corporations contemplating Vietnam investment, helping them translate policy and market realities into strategic opportunities. He has designed, developed, and implemented high-profile, mission-critical solutions for global Fortune 500 clients, spanning market-entry and expansion strategies, acquisition analysis, operational turnarounds, regulatory and risk management, restructurings, and strategic exits.

He currently serves on AmCham’s Board of Governors and has been deeply involved for a decade, including his role on the inaugural Da Nang Chapter Board of Governors and as a founding member of AmCham’s Healthcare Committee, where he is the Co-Chair. At KPMG, he is Partner in Charge the firm’s Corporate Strategy services, and leads the Healthcare and Life Sciences practice.

Philip Ziter

Senior Associate, Russin & Vecchi

With 15 years experience in Vietnam, I primarily advise on corporate and transactional matters, and on financing arrangements for Russin & Vecchi. My experience also includes acting as legal advisor to startup companies. My experience extends to the fintech, blockchain, and e-commerce industries, and I routinely advise tech companies entering and operating in the market. I advise manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and many entities involved in cross-border transactions, on inbound investments that center on corporate finance, real estate, manufacturing, energy, intellectual property, and mergers and acquisitions.

I have been active with AmCham Vietnam, particularly acting as a board member for the past two years, Vice Chair for the last year, and with the Healthcare Committee, serving as its Legal Advisor since 2019. I’ve played an active role supporting the Chamber’s mission and to advance its strategic plan to serve as a key facilitator for both U.S. mission and stakeholders including, government, and businesses.

Honorary Mem‌bers

Gregory Harris

Principal Commercial Officer, U.S. Commercial Service

Gregory Harris began his tour as PCO in Ho Chi Minh City in August 2023. PCO Harris will be responsible for commercial operations in southern Vietnam, one of Southeast Asia’s most vibrant commercial areas.

Before undertaking Vietnamese studies, PCO Harris finished his tour as PCO in Beijing China, our largest office which covers a territory with a GDP of $6 trillion dollars. In Beijing, his team helped client close more than a record $50 billion dollars in sales and investment contracts for U.S. entities. He was known for developing staff to numerous promotions and awards, including several Gold Medal Awards, the Commerce Department’s highest honor. He was also intimately involved in helping provide life-saving materials for the American people during the pandemic.

Previously, Mr. Harris was the Senior Commercial Officer and Director of the Commercial Service’s Liaison Office to the Asian Development Bank. In this regional leadership role, he helped U.S. firms bid on ADB projects in forty countries across Asia. He was also a pioneer in recognizing the strategic and commercial importance of the Pacific. Mr. Harris also led commercial operations in southern Taiwan as PCO in Kaohsiung.

Mr. Harris also served as team leader at two of our busiest commercial posts, Shanghai, and Taipei, where he was a global leader in helping clients achieve their export goals. Before entering international operations, he served clients from the US Export Assistance Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Mr. Harris earned a BA from the University of New Mexico and a MA from the Jackson School at the University of Washington. He is professionally qualified in Chinese and Vietnamese. A veteran, Mr. Harris served as a cryptologic linguist for the U.S. Air Force with tours in Japan and Korea. He is married with two children.

Matt Kustel

Economic Chief, U.S. Consulate Ho Chi Minh City

Matt is the Economic Chief at the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. Matt’s prior tours include South Korea, the Office of Arabian Peninsula Affairs, India, and Laos. Matt grew up outside San Francisco and enjoys hiking, reading, and basketball. He is joined by his wife and three children.

2026 Board of Governors in HCMC – Biographic Information