On 24th August 2018, the 7th Meeting of Vietnam National Market Practices Group (VN NMPG) was held in Ho Chi Minh City by Viet Capital Securities Joint Stock Company (VCSC). The meeting brought together 20 members, including custodian banks, securities companies, fund management companies, providers of solutions and securitiy for software system and Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunicaton (SWIFT).
Opening the meeting, on behalf of VSD (Chairman of the Group), Mr. Nguyen Cong Quang, VSD’s Senior Managing Director, delivered a speech summarizing the Group’s recent activities.

Being one of the first securities companies to connect with VSD's ISO message-based gateway since July 2015 and one of the first 7 securities firms to participate in the derivatives clearing and settlement system, VCSC shared its practical implementation experience, including the development of key components, identifying appropriate business processes, enhancing the role of information technology in system integration, difficulties facing during developing process and handling experience, ... At the same time, VCSC has been attaching great importance to information security issues of business operations.

HSBC representative, Mr. Tony Lewis, Head of Southeast Asia Securities Services presented the business continuity plan (BCP) for the securities industry in the region. In addition to analyzing and evaluating the importance and urgency of BCP, Mr. Tony Lewis also suggested that according to practices of other country regulators, BCP is a must to ensure common safety for the entire stock market.

On behalf of the Corporate Action Workgroup, Mr. Lee Zhu Kwang – Director of Product Development from Standard Chartered Bank, had a presentation on Realization of Technology Potential and Innovation in the Financial Industry. Accordingly, the new technologies in the world such as DLT, blockchain, bigdata, etc. will be available, especially at central securities depositories (CSDs). Players in the industry should have research and orientation to be able to apply these new technological achievements to maximize profits and better serve customers.

Before the tea-break, Ms. Jean Chong and Ms. Cindy Foo, SWIFT representatives, updated information related to application of ISO20022 in the region and around the world, solutions of moving from ISO15022 to ISO20022 and introduced the My Standards system to support SWIFT members in building and testing ISO20022 messages.



 Information system have to be considered as "backbone" of each player in the financial sector in general and the securities industry in particular. The data in this system is their confidential information, and thus the information security issues should be top priority, specifically to ensure requirements of security, integrity and availability. Mr. Ngo Tuan Anh - Vice Chairman of BKAV Joint Stock Company presented the risks and some recent practical situations of information insecurity in Vietnam. BKAV representative also shared about raising awareness and some security solutions.

 On behalf of Shinhan Vietnam Bank, Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Phuong Trang - Deputy Director of Securities Services presented Investment Fund Management Service of Shinhan Aitas Fund Management Company (directly under Shinhan Financial Group in Korea) as well as the Shinhan Future's Lab in Vietnam. Accordingly, Start-up Fintech businesses in Vietnam will have a start-up playground, funding and training opportunities with global experts in Korea to expand business potentiality.

As for future activities, the Chairman of NMPG Group proposed to invite more Investment funds to join the group, which was agreed upon by members. At the same time, the Chairman of NMPG Vietnam Group invited its members to attend the Asia-Pacific Regionsl Market Practice Group (APAC RMPG) and Global Securities Market Practice Group (Global SMPG) meetings. Participants will have the opportunity to meet, learn and exchange issues related to the financial and securities markets, as well as to gain access to common international practices.

  Again on behalf of the NMPG, Mr. Nguyen Cong Quang wished the members to actively participate in the sub-groups, encouraged members to continue to raise topics for information exchange and discussion as well as welcome members’ studying international common practices to make relevant proposals for Vietnam market. The next meeting of the Group is scheduled to be in Hanoi mid 2019.