AmCham Vietnam
Mission Statement
Promote US-Vietnam trade and investment in the energy sector; ensure a reliable, secure energy supply in Vietnam; encourage development of open markets and access to capital for power generation, storage, and transmission; and reduction of emissions in accordance with Vietnam’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to UN Framework Committee on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Short-term and Long-term Objectives & Goals
- Ensure regular meetings with clear agenda.
- Provide a venue for networking, sharing of best practices, and business intelligence.
- Ensure representation of U.S. energy companies active in South and Central Vietnam in the Committee.
- Ensure interests of members are reflected in advocacy to local and national govts, VBF Power and Energy Working Group (PEWG), and international climate change organizations.
- Policy advocacy issues (aligned with Made in Vietnam Energy Plan 2.0 (MVEP)- gas and renewables).
- Contribute to PEWG papers on extension of Wind Feed-in-Tariff (FIT), and Energy Efficiency.
- Encourage open market and access to capital for Direct Power Purchase Agreement (DPPA) implementation.
- Encourage transparent, fair, efficient approval processes for energy projects.
- Encourage development of a transparent, fair mechanism for auction of Solar and Wind Supply contracts.
Leadership
![]() Dennis Lien Director YCP Solidiance Dennis Lien is a Director at the Vietnam office of YCP Solidiance (YCPS). He has over 10 years of experience in research & advisory in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and energy industries across Asia, the Middle East, and North America. With YCPS, he has helped advise clients in the petroleum and renewable energy industries in Vietnam. Prior to YCPS, he was a project manager and senior researcher with the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) in Saudi Arabia where he worked on renewable energy and energy access projects across Asia. He also previously worked as an analytical biochemist genetically modifying organisms to produce multi-carbon chain molecules for the production of biomaterials and bioenergy in California at Genencor. Dennis has an MPA focusing on Energy Management and Finance from Columbia University in New York City. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of California, Davis. |
![]() Pham Ba Linh Managing Partner Lexcomm Vietnam LLC Pham Ba Linh is the Managing Partner of Lexcomm Vietnam LLC and Head of Energy, Project Finance and Infrastructure, based in HCMC, Vietnam. He is accorded distinct market recognition as a seasoned and technically skilled top-rated Vietnam qualified lawyer with more than 20 years of legal practice, focusing primarily on energy and natural resources, projects and infrastructure, public-private partnerships (PPP), project finance, leveraged and acquisition finance, debt and equity capital markets, derivatives and structured products. Client testimonials include “practice head Pham Ba Linh is widely regarded in Vietnam as a market-leading energy and project finance lawyer with an in-depth understanding of best market practices”, “a top choice for strategic oil and gas, LNG and power projects in Vietnam”, “often sought after for his expertise in upstream oil and gas, pipelines and LNG matters”, “a go-to lawyer for Vietnam energy advice – he understands the industry and what is going on in the market”, “advising an array of clients across a broad spectrum of upstream, midstream, power, petrochemicals, and mining exploration projects”, “deeply understand Vietnamese laws and international practice”, “responsive and always willing to go the extra mile”. |
![]() Mr. Sean Caffyn Head of Development UPC Vietnam Sean Caffyn is the Head of Development of UPC Vietnam and has been working in Vietnam for over 2 years and for UPC Renewables since 2014 leading the development of more than 5 Wind projects in Indonesia and managing over 25 people. He completed development activity and supported construction for 75MW Sidrap 1 project, the first Wind Farm in the county. Sean has more than 10 years of international Renewable Energy development experience including the development of 20 solar projects for more than 165MW in Ontario, Canada while working for UPC Solar and later with Recurrent Energy. After this successful development, Sean developed a 800MW pipeline of solar projects in Australia while working for Recurrent Energy before joining UPC Renewables. Sean holds Bachelor of Economics from California State University of Long Beach. |
Secretary
Nguyen Huu Hoai, Partner, Russin and Vecchi |
![]() Soren Schouw Pedersen, Vice President, SSA Marine, Seattle USA Soren Pedersen is a Danish national and has worked in Asia for more than twenty five years. He is the head of SSA Marine regional activities. SSA is an international port operator headquartered in Seattle, USA. The company is active in more than 250 locations across five continents. SSA’s activities span cruises, bulk, and container handling. They employ about 17,000 staff globally. Here in Vietnam, SSA owns and operates two seaport joint ventures employing about 400 staff. The companies represent investments of USD $400 million. Our port facilities in Cai Lan (Ha Long) and Cai Mep (Vung Tau) are equipped with the most modern and technically advanced cargo handling machinery available. Both terminals are deep water facilities capable of accommodating the largest cargo and passenger ships. SSA’s cruise terminals serve 6.6 million passengers annually. Maritime transport is essential to the world’s economy as over 90% of the world’s trade is carried by sea. Ships need effective port facilities to load and off load cargoes. SSA Marine is among the world’s largest privately held port operators. |
Committee Paperwork
Strategic Planning support to the Government of Vietnam in implementing their strategy of private sector involvement in the power and energy sector.
To engage with the Government of Vietnam in the process of developing a Power Development Plan (Masterplan) #8 beginning quarter 1 2019 and continuing to 2020.
Contributing:
Annex of Power & Energy Working Group’s Position Paper
Position Paper of Power & Energy Working Group
List of activities that VBF PEWG has attended/ (co-) organized during last 6 months 2019
Cover Letter_Introduce Made in Vietnam Energy Plan 2.0
Made in Vietnam Energy Plan 2.0 (English version)
Made in Vietnam Energy Plan 2.0 (Vietnamese version)
Market Assessment (Vietnam, SE Asia comparative data),
Commercial Finance Map (what is available to do what, at what price and under what conditions),
Legal and policy support, what are the best practices in ASEAN and the world showing results.
Retail Energy Pricing Assessment (measuring consumer price sensitivity, electricity needs and concerns)
Climate Finance Resources Map (what concessional funds are available to promote the private sector engagement in sustainable energy)
Consensus Promotion by leveraging VBF’s existing relationships in MOIT (ERAV, EREA), MPI (the office of the NDA),
MONRE, MOF, MOC, The Central Economics Committee of the Communist Party and the National Assembly
2019 plan, please find details here
2021 Meeting Schedule
Contact
Please contact us: [email protected]