The “oldest” and the youngest

It was a big surprise to me that the 11th Director of BIDV Hanoi turned out to be a businesswoman of 7x generation. Ms. Nguyen Thi Quynh Giao was born in 1978, which means that when she was born, BIDV Hanoi had operated for more than twenty years. She was appointed as director of BIDV Hanoi in 2015 when she was just 37 years old, proudly representing a young generation that had been trained and grown to continue the glorious tradition of a well-known 60-year-old bank like BIDV Hanoi.

The second surprise is that the BIDV Hanoi’s management today consists of the youngest managers in BIDV system. More interestingly, 5 out of 7 members of the management are female.

Bank for Construction of Vietnam (former name of BIDV) was established in April 1957, then in May 1957, Bank for Construction - Hanoi Bank branch was established. Thus, BIDV Hanoi is one of the “oldest” branches in BIDV system. But surprisingly, up to now, leaders of the oldest branch are the youngest managers in the system. Is it a paradox or an inevitable law? Should the most challenging yet exciting places have the presence of the most talented, enthusiastic and youngest people?

Since 2012, when BIDV Hanoi celebrated its 55th anniversary, the Branch has really entered a new journey, observing the Bank’s modernization and operating model transformation to improve productivity and business efficiency, thereby enhancing its competitiveness and position, making a stronger impact on economic innovation of the Capital and the whole country. With such a heavy task, the enthusiasm, dynamism and creativity of young people is valuable assets. However, according to Nguyen Thi Quynh Giao, inheriting the experience and lessons from sixty years of establishment and development of the Branch is still the guideline of the management as well as all its employees.

BIDV Chairman Mr. Phan Duc Tu awarded emulation flag for excellent performance in 2018 to BIDV Hanoi (Director of BIDV Hanoi Nguyen Thi Quynh Giao, 4th from left)

Is it the ability, creativity, enthusiasm synergized with the experience passed down by the previous generations that have made BIDV Hanoi today stronger than ever?

Firm foundation from the proud past

Ms. Nguyen Thi Quynh Giao shared that to prepare for the 60th anniversary of the Branch, which is also the 60th anniversary of BIDV, the youth union of BIDV Hanoi is preparing a special cultural program with the theme “60 Years of Proud Harmony”. In that harmony, there are mixes of youthful and vibrant melodies of BIDV’s young people and deep and robust melodies of the proud previous generations who have built the foundation for BIDV Hanoi today.

That robust melody sounded from one day in May 1957, when our country started to enter to stage of building the socialist North to support the fight for national reunification. With the first branch which was Bank for Construction - Hanoi Branch, with a limited initial capital of VND350 million, with a modest initial task - allocating capital for civil construction to serve the construction of socialism in the North and support the battlefield in the South,

Mr. Nguyen Dich Nhien, the first director of Hanoi Branch, took the helm of his small ship, starting the journey in a very important sector of the country’s economy - the banking sector. Even in this initial stage, there were 900 projects whose capital was allocated by Hanoi Branch during this period, of which many projects continue to operate until today such as Hanoi Mechanical Factory, Yen Phu Power Plant, Me Tri Radio Station, Hanoi National University of Education, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, University of Irrigation, University of Medicine and Pharmacy...

Hanoi University of Science and Technology was funded by BIDV Hanoi

Entering the 1960-1965 period, implementing the socio-economic development plan (first five-year plan), the Branch’s allocated capital became three times higher than the previous three years, funding 2079 projects to serve the national and people’s livelihood, contributing to improving the economy in the North and Hanoi. It can be said that this was the period when the “construction song” resounded throughout the mountains and rivers, creating an exciting emulation movement to build socialism.

When the America expanded the destructive war to the North, Hanoi Branch still operated effectively to serve the construction, production and combat despite of difficult wartime conditions. The Branch’s self-defense force was established, which not only protected the office but also was ready to fight for protecting the capital. It was during this period that Hanoi Branch established 3 more sub-branches to serve the capital allocation in Tu Liem, Thanh Tri, Gia Lam, Soc Son, Dong Anh.... These sub-branches gradually developed and so far have become important branches of BIDV...

Every year, on its anniversary, the former employees of BIDV meet together to recall these difficult years. Their memories make today’s young generation even more cherish the traditional values ​​​​of their bank and more appreciate the great opportunities and favorable conditions that they are having today.

During this period, in addition to fulfilling their roles for construction and fighting in the North, BIDV Hanoi also had 8 officers and employees who went to battlefields B and C, including comrade Vo Duy Su who sacrificed his life during the war. Especially, the story about Comrade Diep Minh Hieu, who voluntarily returned to his homeland in the South to join the war, becoming a soldier of the Numberless Train has become an interesting legend in BIDV Hanoi.

Entering the renovation period, the whole banking sector had made relentless growth and transformation day by day. BIDV Hanoi is no exception; it even took pioneering role in innovation sometimes. The management at that time was very active in exploring and piloting new operating models.

All these constant efforts have created a leap forward for BIDV Hanoi. In five years (1990 - 1994), the Branch mobilized nearly VND500 billion to serve the development and allocated capital for 1345 projects, provided loans to over 400 projects with the amount of VND738 billion, greatly contributing to socio-economic development of the Capital.

The changes during this period were critical since they served as a necessary preparation step towards 1995, when BIDV Hanoi made a profound transformation to become a state-owned commercial bank serving mainly investment and development fields. This was really a substantial change in banking operations, in which, the application of diverse methods and various depositors has created a leap forward for the Branch’s development.

BIDV Forever….

At the end of the meeting at BIDV Hanoi, I had chance to talk to Ms. Nguyen Thi Quynh Giao… Compared to many other Branch’s managers over the time, Quynh Giao was the “successor” so she let the predecessors talk about the years of hard work to bring BIDV Hanoi out from a financial and banking unit with heavy allocation tasks to become a robust state-owned commercial bank in the market mechanism.

I asked - “What are the most important success factors of BIDV Hanoi since its establishment?” Ms. Quynh Giao replied without hesitation: First and foremost, people, then organization, followed by mechanisms, policies, steps… People must be the first decisive factor, in which human resource organization is the most important because, as Uncle Ho said “Human resources are the key and decisive factor.”

In terms of organization, from a branch in charge of capital allocation, BIDV Hanoi now has become a large branch with a strong and reputable brand name, with 5 transaction offices in Hanoi. In addition to the management, we also pay special attention to the training and selection of talents to fulfill our tasks.

The Executive Party Committee of BIDV Hanoi for the 2020 - 2025 term

For many years, the Party Committee of BIDV Hanoi has won the title of typical strong and transparent Party Committee. BIDV Hanoi Youth Union always operates actively and effectively, being the main driving force of the Branch in business as well as in other social activities. The Trade Union, especially the Women’s Union of BIDV Hanoi, have always had emulation movement and special activities featuring BIDV Hanoi. All of these create strength and unique identity of BIDV Hanoi - a proud harmony.