Nguyen Van Hai

Banking and Finance

• Represented Sovico – the holding company of VietJet in several USD secured loans with Credit Suisse;
• Represented a leading Japanese bank in Vietnam in its provision of USD 100 million to finance a mixed-use property development in Vietnam;
• Represented ITL Holdings as the borrower in a USD 70 million refinancing provided by FIRSTRAND BANK LIMITED;
• Advised an offshore lender in a complex multi-tranche secured term loan facility to a distressed company specializing in mixed-use casino developments in Vietnam;
• Represented PetroVietnam Transportation Corporation in securing USD 150 million syndicated loan for financing the new building of crude tanker fleet; and
• Advised international lenders in financing several hydropower projects in Vietnam.

Capital Markets

• Represented Masan Group Corporation on its acquisition of Vingroup’s retail and agriculture units – VinCommerce and VinEcco;
• Represented Vingroup Joint Stock Company on the USD 1 billion investment from SK Group;
• Represented Masan Group Corporation on its sale of USD 470 million treasury shares to SK Group;
• Represented Credit Suisse in various block trade transactions on Vietnamese securities market;
• Represented the issuer Novaland on its issue of USD 160 million international convertible bonds and its subsequent tab issue of USD 80 million;
• Represented the issuer Vinpearl on its issue of USD 325 million international bonds exchangeable with Vingroup shares and its subsequent tab issue of USD 125 million bonds;
• Represented the issuer Hoan My Saigon Hospital on its issue of VND 2,330 billion bonds and guaranteed by CGIF;
• Represented Standard Chartered Bank (Vietnam) Limited as the placement agent on the issue by Nam Long Investment Corporation of VND 660 billion bonds and guaranteed by GuarantCo Ltd;
• Represented FE Credit on its attempt to proceed a debut USD bond issuance of up to USD200 million; and
• Represented one of the local leading banks on its attempt to debut the first Vietnam’s Tier II capital bond issuance.

Corporate and M&A

• Represented Soft Bank on its proposed acquisition of minority stake in a Vietnamese cashless payment platform;
• Represented Cognita as the bidder on the proposed acquisition of a Vietnamese international school chain;
• Represented one of the largest Japanese automobile manufacturers on its majority acquisition of a Vietnamese leading automobile manufacturer;
• Represented a potential buyer on its acquisition of a Vietnamese company engaging in the production of chemicals and plastics;
• Represented a Dubai-based investment firm on its acquisition of assets located in Vietnam;
• Represented a Thai buyer on its acquisition of a Vietnamese company engaging in the retail business;
• Advised a number of offshore insurance companies on the Vietnamese insurance regulations; and
• Regularly delivering FCPA/anti-corruption trainings to foreign-invested companies.

Energy & Infrastructure

• Represented international lenders in the proposed financing to Nam Dinh 1 BOT thermal power plant;
• Advised a PRC investor on its proposed acquisition of a greenfield wind farm in Vietnam;
• Represented a Singapore-based energy firm in its acquisition of shares in the developer of 250MW solar power project in Dak Lak Province, Vietnam;
• Represented Temasek on its acquisition of a number of solar farms in Vietnam;
• Advised international oil companies in tax reimbursement claims, abandonment regulations and arbitration issues relating to their oil and gas exploration and production activities in Vietnam;
• Advised a Japanese conglomerate on its acquisition of a 33% equity interest in a BOT power project in Vietnam;
• Advised a Singapore-based energy firm on the land lease contract and the EPC contract for the construction of a bitumen terminal in Northern Vietnam;
• Advised offshore insurer on Vinh Tan 3 BOT thermal power project in relation to the issuance of the political risk policy; and
• Advised on and negotiating the bareboat charters, and operation and maintenance (O&M) contracts for the construction and operation of floating production storage and offloading (FPSO/FSO).

International Trade

• Represented leading Vietnamese seafood companies and association including Hung Vuong Corporation, Vinh Hoan, VASEP before the United States’ Department on Commerce in the antidumping order against tra/basa;
• Represented Chinese and Taiwanese steel companies before the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam in the first ever antidumping investigation in Vietnam;
• Represented Russian Agro company in the safeguard investigation in Vietnam; and
• Represented various Vietnamese steel manufacturers including Nam Kim Group, Hoa Sen Group, Ton Dong A in various antidumping/anti-subsidy investigations in Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Australia.

Ranking

Notable practitioner | Capital Markets | Asialaw | 2023, 2022, 2021
Rising star | Capital Markets | IFLR | 2023, 2022, 2021
Rising star | Project Development | IFLR | 2023, 2022, 2021
Asia Future Leaders | IFLR | 2021
Rising star | Corporate and M&A | Legal 500 | 2023, 2022, 2021

• ESG in APAC | Slaughter and May (2023);
• Vietnam Chapter | 2023 The Corporate Governance Review | The Law Reviews – 13th Edition;
• Cross-border lending in Vietnam: Vietnam poised to toughen foreign borrowing regulations (2022);
• Private placements of corporate bonds in Vietnam: Are the proposed new regulations designed to promote or curb further market development? (2022);
• Vietnam Chapter | 2022 The Corporate Governance Review | The Law Reviews – 12th Edition;
• Vietnam Chapter | ESG ASIA Report 2022 | IFLR;
• Providing Loans and Guarantees for Overseas Expansion: the New Draft Vietnamese Rules of the Game (2022);
• Cross-Border Lending in Vietnam: Vietnam Poised to Toughen Foreign Borrowing Regulations (2022);
• Vietnam’s New Merger Control Regime: the First Year (2021);
• Vietnam Chapter | 2021 The Corporate Governance Review | The Law Reviews – 11th Edition; and
• Covid-19 and Force Majeure in Light of Vietnamese Law and Practice (2020).