VILAF

Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Corporate/M&A and Project & Infrastructure

Founding Partner

Phong is recommended  as  a  top-tier  lawyer  in  the  banking &  finance and  capital  market  practice  (Legal  500, IFLR 1000 and AsiaLaw) and the M&A practice (Legal 500, Chambers & Partners and ALB Asia).

Phong has been recognised as a market leader by IFLR 1000 in banking & finance, corporate and infrastructure & energy. Who’s Who Legal recognised him as an expert in Energy and Aviation sectors and IFLR1000 ranked him as an Asia Best Lawyer in 2019, 2020 and 2021 (Vietnam top 4 lawyers). Legal 500 honoured him in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific Hall of Fame, among top 7 foreign and Vietnamese lawyers in this elite lawyer group for Vietnam. Phong is listed in the Vietnam’s top 100 lawyers list of Asia Business Law Journal and ranked ALB Asia 2021's Top 15 M&A Lawyers.

With 27 years’ board experience in law practice, Phong has represented numerous international sponsors and lenders in relation to foreign invested projects in oil & gas, power, chemical, automobile, aircraft, sea-port, highway, telecommunication, insurance, real estate development, retail and distribution, and consumer goods industries. He is reputable in advising international businesses and banks on corporate restructuring and financing, share subscriptions, mergers and acquisitions transactions, ECA and syndicated financing, asset financing, and project financing in Vietnam. He has been involved in most BOT and high-profile infrastructure projects in Vietnam including AES – Son My 2 LNG to Power Project, Marubeni Corporation and WTO – Omon II LNG to Power Project, the sponsors – Quang Ninh LNG to Power Project, ACWA Power (previously K-Exim and K-Sure as the potential ECAs) – Nam Dinh 1 Power Project, Marubeni Corporation/KEPCO - Nghi Son 2 Power Project, Sumitomo Corporation - Van Phong 1 Power Project, AES – Mong Duong 2 Power Project, VAPCO – Vung Ang 2 Power Project, OneEnergy/Mitsubishi - Vinh Tan 3 Power Project, Chinese sponsors - Vinh Tan 1 Power Project, ITACO - Kien Luong 1 Power Project, Chevron - gas pipeline project, Premier Oil - gas transportation, Shell downstream projects, Phu My 2.2 Power Project, Wartsila BOT Power Project, Binh An BOT Water Project. His banking clients include Citibank, Standard Chartered Bank, SMBC, BTMU, CBA, etc. He also assisted the issuers or the arrangers for the convertible and SGX listed bonds of Vingroup, Vinacomin’s international bonds, Vingroup’s series of M&A transactions with GIC, Credit Suisse, Hanwha, Warbus Pincus, SK and Masan, Vincom Retail’s and Vinhomes’ Rule 144A international placement/HOSE listing and some overseas IPO/listing transactions.

Vietnamese, English

IBA, AmCham, VBF, VBLC, APLMA

Hanoi Law University, LL.B., 1995

Tulane University (US), LL.M., 2002 with distinction, Fulbright Scholarship

Phong is a highly regarded attorney for his admirable capacity to provide practical solutions that well suit the clients' needs.  The Legal 500, 2021 edition, commented “Tran Tuan Phong, the founding partner, with his broad, strategic, balanced view is the uniquely top lawyer in the field. Creative and deep experienced team led by the founding partner, Mr. Tran Tuan Phong, providing excellent advice from various angles to see the possible solutions to difficult subjects in the projects and energy sector in Vietnam, especially at the juncture of delicate development of various energy projects in the country”. “Tran Tuan Phong is a leading name in the market, regularly advising domestic and international companies on M&A transactions and joint venture investments. He is well versed in the finance, private equity and construction industries.” (Chambers & Partners 2019 Edition). The AsiaLaw, 2020 Edition, said about Phong “Very innovative and problem solving as well as understanding the client's issue and providing excellent advice.” Phong is highly rated by market commentators, who say he “has a tremendous practice” (Chambers & Partners 2021 Edition) and he has “very positive and problem-solving” with “deep knowledge of the power sector and project finance deals.” (IFLR 1000 2021 Edition). Phong is “profound and versatile knowledge; high ethics” (IFLR 1000 2022 Edition) and widely recognised as “a specialist in infrastructure and power project financing and acquisitions.” (Chambers and Partners 2022 Edition)