Follwing the sucess of the seven similar events, Banking Vietnam 2008 will be co-organised by the Informatics Technology Department of Banking (ITDB) under the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) and International Data Group in Vietnam (IDG Vietnam).

The event, with practical experiences for Vietnamese banking industry, is expected to draw a large number of bankers and specialists from more than 30 SBV branches, domestic and foreign commercial banks and 60 information and communication techology (ICT) businesses.

In the context of globalisation, emerging economies, including Vietnam, are at their initial stages of developing a more open economy. Banking still holds a crucial role in being a main source of capital as well as a government tool for financial market stablisation and economic administration. Its development has a direct and big influence on the growth of all economic areas, especially e-commerce, retailing, securities and telecommunications.

SBV Governor Nguyen Van Giau says each Banking Vietnam presents new technology, advanced banking products and services which play a major part in the banking industry’s future.

According to Dr. Ta Quang Tien, Director of Informatics Technology Department of the SBV, Banking Vietnam has succeeded in reflecting the industry’s current requirements and needs. The issues discussed in the forum not only helped to promote an experience-sharing environment but introduce innovative banking technologies and new approaches as well. Messages from the forum are of much value for the research, development and application of ICT and banking technologies. These messages have indeed become the driving force behind the banking industry’s development.

Banking Vietnam 2008 is to focus on enhancing competitive advantage for banks by applying technology in many areas of expertise such as management and customer services.

With its five main sessions, this international conference will cover almost all banking issues from macro to micro matters and from prevention policies to management strategies: security storage management, core banking and business process management, risk management and payment.

In addition, a panel discussion will be held on the second day of the conference, featuring the theme “Modern banking technology and competitive ability of Vietnam's banking system”.

During the conference, an international exhibition will also take place with the participation of both IT businesses and commecial banks such as Agribank, East Asia Bank, HSBC, Viettinbank, CFTD-IS, IBM, GRG Banking Equipment, FPT-IS, CMC, Nortel, Opus Software Solutions, Sungard, M.Tech, Misoft, Mobizcom, MP Telecom, Santak and Siemens. The exhibition will introduce latest technologies, products, solutions, devices and services for modernising the banking system in the renovation and integration process.

By the end of 2007, Vietnam’s banking system boasted six State-owned commercial banks, 37 joint-stock commercial banks, 31 foreign bank branches, six joint venture banks, six financial companies, 10 leasing companies, 926 people’s credit funds and 46 representative offices of foreign banks. 2007 also witnessed a dramatic expansion of the banking network (branches and transaction centres) among almost all commercial banks in order to increase their retail and financial services.

Source: VOV