The Vietnam Investment Forum 2014 (VIF 2014) slated for June 19 in Ho Chi Minh City has intrigued both international investors and the local business community, the Vietnam Investment Review (VIR) reported on June 4.

Nguyen Huu Thanh, Deputy General Director of AsiaInvest Group, is eager for the coming event.

“We are all agog with Marc Faber as the keynote speaker will attract special interest from international investors and Vietnamese business leaders,” he told the VIR.

He said that AsiaInvest, a member of the Alliance of International Corporate Advisors (AICA), has informed all its members around the globe and more than 5,000 partners about the event. In Vietnam, VIF 2014 information has also been sent to members of those associations where AsiaInvest is a key consultant or a strategic partner.

“We expect VIF 2014 to be a good venue for international investors to better understand the Vietnamese stock market and provide an opportunity for local business leaders to seek strategic partners,” Thanh added.

Pham Ngoc Hung, Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Business Association (HBA), shared the same sentiment. “We think both investors and local businesses are eager to know how Vietnam’s economic outlook will be, given current tensions in the East Sea. The presence of Marc Faber, a renowned figure in the investment world with his legendary predictions on global financial bubbles and bursts and what he is going to share at the event, will help strengthen investor confidence in the country.”

Hung said he had sent information about the gathering to more than 12,000 HBA members and posted it on HBA’s website.

Foods and foodstuffs are among the most favoured by international investors. “VIF 2014 will be a good chance for our members to find foreign partners to help them with capital, technological innovation and market expansion,” said Nguyen Lam Xuan Thuy, General Secretary of the Food and Foodstuff Association of Ho Chi Minh City (FTA).

“We’ve informed our more than 200 members about this event and we hope they will join,” the FTA chief added.

VIF 2014, co-organised by VIR, HVS Vietnam Securities Co. and Hong Kong-based Asia Frontier Capital (AFC), has seen many major names register to join, including Carlyle Group, Sniper Capital, Dragon Capital, VietCapital Asset Management, VinaFund, Vietcombank Fund Management, and SSI Asset Management.-VNA