Doan Hong Viet and Digiworld’s 20 year-journey of thriving

Looking back on Viet’s accomplishment during the 20-year journey with Digiworld, it’s strong belief that under his competent and strong leadership, he will steer the company to a great height in years to come.

Mr. Doan Hong Viet is the founder cum CEO cum Chairman of Digiworld Corporation, the leading Market Expansion Services provider that is well-known as TOP 2 biggest ICT Distributors in Vietnam. For two decades, the “captain” of Digiworld with his philosophy based on 3 factors including facility, people, opportunity:

  • Facility: Finance power, procedure, management system (ERP), corporate prestige.
  • People: corporate culture, training & development.
  • Opportunity: love challenge to explore new growth beyond comfortable zone.

It has been the direction for the company from setting the footprint in the industry to conquer the trust partnerships with more than 30 of the world leading corporations in various categories.

Viet holds a Bacherlor of Economics degree and found interest in technology besides business passion. The combination drove him to start his career in Unicorp in 1993, the Singapore distributing company for the computer brand Compaq USA then decided to venture into setting his own company, Hoang Phuong Ltd. In 1997 before being renamed as Digiworld in 2003. Hoang Phuong Ltd. started its operation by distributing electronic computer components: mainboards, display cards. In 2000, it was a tough time for Viet when mainboards imported from China got malfunction. Viet had immediately decided to recall all shipments sold, including the products had not been detected defects to ensure customers’ benefit. In his mind, customers-centered thinking was formed in the early days. Furthermore, that crisis urged Viet’s desire to shake hands with world-known brands to ensure good quality.

In 2001, while built-in computers (desktop) account for up to 99% of the market shares, Viet made a turning-point decision in being the first Vietnam company to distribute the laptop brand Acer. This was just the first beginning for the other partnerships ahead with more than 30 of the world leading ICT manufactures like HP, Dell, Toshiba, Asus, Lenovo… Two years later, with ambition to go further in the industry, Viet led the IPO exercise of Hoang Phuong to Digiworld which is positioned as a reputable ICT distributor in Vietnam market and a reliable choice for well-known technology manufacturers around the world. That same year, Viet established two branch offices of Digiworld in Hanoi & Danang beside the headquarter in Saigon.

Viet marked the Digiworld milestone by leading its revenue to reach to $ 34 million, growth rate 89% in 2007. After nearly a decade of operation, growth rate increased 150%, 3 times higher than the industry average, which brought Digiworld to be ranked in TOP 500 Largest fastest growing enterprises of Vietnam since 2007 and has been keep the presence in this prestigious chart for 10 consecutive years from then. Among the slow pace of economy recovery from the financial crisis in 2008s, Digiworld with impressive performances, got an investment from Mekong Captial Fund, which is an impulse for Digiworld to strengthen capitalies in both finance and human resources management. In 2011, Digiworld hit $ 115 million in revenue, continued to expand the distribution network of to 6,000 points of sales nationwide till now.

The next significant decision made by Viet occurred in 2015, Digiworld listed on Hochiminh city Stock Exchange (HOSE: DGW), turning a new chapter of development of the company, committed to maintain long-term interests for our shareholders through effective business operation and sustainable development. In the same time, Digiworld was ranked TOP 50 Vietnam Brands by UK’s Brand Finance. From then, Viet realized what he had implemented with Digiworld during over the years is not only as a distributor but be first and unique Vietnam company that playing a role as a Market Expansion Services Provider (MES): from Analysis & Strategy, Marketing, Sales to Logistics and After−sales service. After capturing the development trend of smartphones by becoming a distributor of Nokia in 2013, Digiworld sequentially cooperate with Wiko, Obi, Intex, Freetel, Xiaomi as the authorized distributor and exclusive market expansion services provider. With strong facilities, Digiworld continues to expand by providing tailor-made solutions which can be flexible and customized to meet clients’ needs, helps new brands enter the Vietnam market in a rapid way with high efficiency and minimum costs.

“After 20 years, it’s time for us to affirm our sustainable development and business strategy. Amid robust competition in technology distribution, Digiworld has chosen a new business strategy, which expands and enhances values from our services. We not only maintain the position of top supplier in the supply chain, but also is ambitious to become the most prestigious Market Expansion Services provider in Vietnam”, Viet said.

Based on the core strength of 5 top-notch value−added services, there is another milestone of Digiworld when Viet has expanded new business in Healthcare industry. Viet demonstrated his vision: “Large pharmaceutical enterprises in Vietnam now play role of both product manufacturers and distributors, meanwhile small and medium companies, who produce and distribute on a small scale, don’t have capacity to expand nationwide. This is a niche market full of attraction. Digiworld’s strategy is to invest in good products that have not been fully explored. The healthcare product market needs intermediary as a moderator, a distribution channel that is broad enough to do well branding among local market.”

Recently, Digiworld has completed an acquisition in FMCG, which to affirm Viet’s strategy and ambition incessantly step out of the comfort zone to seek for the new challenges and opportunities.

Today Digiworld has a total of 500 employees since its establishment. Viet’s still enthusiastic to pursue his purpose in building up Digiworld in the early days as a place where everyone is well rewarded where they can fulfil their life purposes, dreams and passions.

Looking back on Viet’s accomplishment during the 20-year journey with Digiworld, it’s strong belief that under his competent and strong leadership, he will steer the company to a great height in years to come.

In 2016, Digiworld was honorable to rank 15 amongst 100 TOP Sustainable Development Enterprises in Vietnam, accordingly to corporate sustainable index of Vietnam Chamber of Commerce Industry first time in Vietnam.

CAREER HIGHLIGHT

2007

  • Authorized distributor and MES provider of Infocus projector and Top 5 ICT distributors of Vietnam

2011

  • FAST 500-Top 500 Fastest Growing of Vietnam with $115M of revenue

2014

  • FAST 500-Top 500 Fastest Growing of Vietnam with $230M of revenue

2015:

  • Listed on Hochiminh city Stock Exchange (HOSE: DGW)
  • Top 50 Vietnam Brands-Top 50 valuable brands by Brand Finance of UK

2016

  • Top 100 Sustainable Business of Vietnam
  • TOP Brands 2016-The leading brand of VietnamAuthorized distributor and MES provider of Intex Mobile Phone (the number one Indian Mobile brand)

2017:

  • Strategic partnership for Joint Venture B2X Care Solutions with B2X – the global leading provider of customer care services for smart mobile and Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
  • The authorized exclusive distributor and MES provider of Xiaomi.
  • Top 100 Sustainable Business of Vietnam

(Source: Enterprise Asia)