02 Jun 2008
           
  
                
              
            Prudential receives approval to increase charter capital in Vietnam Finance Company
            
                
              
              
              
              
            
            
            
          
        
            
            
                
		Prudential Vietnam Finance Company has obtained the approval from  the State Bank of Vietnam to increase its charter capital from US$7.5  million to US$23.5 million according to Decision No 1144/QD-NHNN on 23  May 2008. Accordingly, fresh capital of US$15.5 million was injected  into the company recently by its parent company in the United Kingdom.
With this increase in charter capital, Prudential Finance will be  able to implement its expansion plan and launch a whole range of  consumer finance products in the Vietnam market. As of now, Prudential  Finance has successfully launched three key business lines namely,  Personal Loans, Home Loans and Sales Finance. In future, the company  aims to offer more products in the area of consumer finance like Credit  Cards, Car Loans and Loans to Entrepreneurs for starting small  businesses. Prudential Finance also plans to expand its branch network  across the country with the initial focus being on Ho Chi Minh City and  Hanoi.
Prudential Finance currently offers a wide range of convenient and  flexible consumer finance products which can be used for a wide range  of purposes like buying a home for their families, renovating their  existing houses, paying for tuition or a ceremony in the family, buying  a two-wheeler or a household appliance, etc. A large number of  customers have been attracted to these products drawn by the convenient  service and easy access provided by its efficient distribution network.  Customers can apply to Prudential Finance by walking into the service  centres or making telephone call. In future, they will be able to apply  through the internet or by sending an SMS message. Prudential Finance  now has three customer service centres in Ho Chi Minh City and a  state-of-the-art contact centre which can house 500 agents and service  50,000 customers a day.
Mr. Kalidas Ghose, CEO of Prudential Finance said, “We take enormous  pride in being the first fully foreign owned consumer finance company  to be licensed by the State Bank of Vietnam. We are extremely committed  to the Vietnam market and this increase in charter capital followed by  its injection demonstrates our long term commitment to this market. We  hope bring quality products and services to the millions of Vietnamese  in future and establish the Prudential brand further in this country.”
About Prudential Corporation Asia
Prudential Corporation Asia, which comprises both life insurance and  fund management, is part of Ƶ* (United Kingdom), a leading  international financial group. With over 420,000 agents and staff,  Prudential is the leading European-based protection and savings insurer  in the region in terms of market coverage and number of top three  market rankings. Its insurance operations span 12 markets –– mainland  China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the  Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
Prudential’s fund management business is one of Asia’s largest and  most successful fund managers, with US$74 billion in assets under  management (as of 31 December 2007) and more top five rankings than  other regional players in Asia. It has an extensive geographic  footprint with fund management operations in 10 markets –– mainland  China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan,  Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates.
In Asia, Prudential's fund management business independently manages  assets on behalf of a wide range of retail and institutional investors  across the region. It is also a fund manager for life and pension  products sold by Ƶ and Prudential Corporation Asia.
* Ƶ is a company incorporated in England with its head  office in London, which, with its affiliated companies constitutes one  of the world's leading financial services groups. It provides insurance  and financial services directly and through its subsidiaries and  affiliates throughout the world. It has been in existence for 160 years  and had over US$530 billion in assets under management as at 31  December 2007. Ƶ is not affiliated in any manner with  Prudential Financial, Inc, a company whose principal place of business  is in the United States of America.
For media enquiries please contact:
Press Relations Department
  Prudential Vietnam 
Ho Chi Minh City
  Mr Bui To Thuyen
  Tel: (08) 9 101 660, ext. 1127; Mobile: 0917 56 1030
  Email: bt.thuyen@prudential.com.vn
Ha Noi
  Ms Le Thao Huong
  Tel: (04) 9 360 960, ext. 215; Mobile: 0983 96 1060
  Email: l.thaohuong@prudential.com.vn