Nichapa Yoswee, managing director of Reed Tradex, believes Vietnam is now ready to welcome trade fairs.

After focusing on the domestic market for almost 15 years, exhibition and conference organiser Reed Tradex will next year open an office in Ho Chi Minh City to take advantage of Vietnam's huge business potential.

Managing director Nichapa Yoswee said the company was also negotiating with a Vietnamese investor about setting up a partnership in the rapidly developing country.

In 1990, Reed Tradex was appointed by parent company Reed Exhibitions, the world's largest trade-fair organiser, to take charge of its business in Vietnam and other Indochinese markets.

"We held our first exhibition, Indochinamex, in Vietnam, along with other exhibitions in the areas of construction, petrochemicals and telecommunications, about 15 years ago," said Nichapa, who was promoted to the top management position at Reed Tradex on June 1.

"At that time, we found Vietnam needed a certain period of time to make itself ready in terms of domestic industries and facilities to welcome local and international fairs."

Reed Tradex then suspended its business in Vietnam and turned its focus on the booming trend of trade fairs and exhibitions in Thailand.

"However, Vietnam at this time is quite ready to welcome international fairs and exhibitions. The government itself has a clear policy of promoting foreign investment. Industries in Vietnam are strong enough to respond to a transfer of technologies from other countries," said Nichapa.

Reed Tradex will organise Metalex Vietnam in October at the Nong Nghiep Exhibition Hall in Hanoi. The event will require almost 5,000 square metres of space for about 100 exhibitors - at least 60 from Thailand and others from Germany, the UK and Japan.

At least two major exhibitions will be organised by the company in Vietnam next year, including Edutech Vietnam, an educational fair to be held in Hanoi in the second quarter, and Viscomm, an exhibition on visual communications to be held in Ho Chi Minh City in the third quarter.

Nichapa said Reed Tradex had formed a project team to look after its business in Vietnam.

Nichapa joined Reed Tradex in 1988, starting her career as a marketing-communications executive. She was promoted to project manager after only two years and looked after many areas of exhibitions, including information technology, telecommunications and manufacturing.

"I'd like to maintain Reed Tradex's outstanding record in outlining strategy based on real demand by sellers and buyers, in order to create operational excellence," she said.

Nichapa added that the company was able to handle all integrated marketing communications through its strong worldwide network. Reed Exhibitions has offices in almost 40 countries.

Kwanchai  Rungfapaisarn

The Nation