Ho Thuy Ngoc Tram

Partner

Email tram.ho@frasersvn.com

Phone +84 28 3824 2733

Ho Thuy Ngoc Tram is a Partner at Frasers Law Company based in the Ho Chi Minh City office and has more than 13 years of experience practising corporate and commercial law, with particular emphasis on large-scale project financing, real estate, TMT, e-commerce, mergers and acquisitions, inward investment, corporate governance, and debt and equity capital markets in Vietnam. Prior to joining Frasers, she worked for a large commercial bank in Ho Chi Minh City, focusing on various cross-border banking transactions.

Tram was the first and only person in the history of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Law who got the highest result in the entrance examination and subsequently graduated as the first-ranked student (with the highest overall GPA) of the same school as well as obtained the highest score on the thesis. Tram also won the prestigious Endeavour Postgraduate Award, granted by the Australian Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, and successfully obtained a Master of Commercial Laws Degree from Melbourne Law School, the University of Melbourne, Australia during 2012-2013. While studying in Australia, Tram also worked as a research assistant for various projects led by the Director of the Asian Law Centre, Melbourne Law School, and has represented Melbourne Law School speaking at the Vietnam Legal Studies Graduate Workshop held by Monash University.

Tram is a member of the Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association and speaks both English and Vietnamese.

Tram regularly handles large and complex multi-jurisdictional transactions, sophisticated legal issues, and negotiations on a broad range of transactional and contentious matters. In addition, Tram also advises industry leaders in the FMCG, energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, and services sectors, among numerous others.

A sampling of recent matters that Tram has advised on include:

Banking & Finance

  • Acting as local lenders’ counsel in the US$2.75 billion financing of Nghi Son 2 1200MW coal-fired power generation project. The deal, which involved two ECAs (JBIC and KEXIM) and was undertaken to an international limited recourse finance standard, was awarded the South East Asia Project Finance Deal of the Year at the Asian Legal Business Awards in Singapore. We assisted the lenders through every step of the project, from due diligence to negotiation of the PPA, BOT Contract, GGU, LLA, and other key project documents, to financial close.
  • Acting on the buy-side in a 100% share acquisition between two leading companies in the non-ferrous metal (copper, aluminum, plastic) and electric wire and cable business in Vietnam by one of the biggest Thai investors. This transaction was recognised as one of the top 4 Best Investment and M&A Deals of the Year 2019-2020. 
  • Acting for a leading US-based global fund in relation to the acquisition (through public offer of shares from the major shareholders) of shares from major shareholders of a leading joint stock commercial bank in Vietnam, following the successful listing of the bank. The total capital volume registered by foreign investors in acquiring the shares reached a record $1.2 billion.
  • Acting for the lenders and the hedging bank on the US$600 million financing to a major Vietnamese petrochemical company. This was one of the largest project financing undertaken to an international standard in Vietnam, which reached a financial close in Q4 2021. 

Corporate & Commercial

  • Acting for one of Australia’s largest multi-national banks on the structuring, establishment, and roll-out of a digital solutions development subsidiary in Vietnam, including the provision of ongoing Vietnam law and strategic advice in relation to its development, licensing, data privacy, and deployment of digital banking and fintech products and solutions.
  • Acting for a global auto manufacturer based in Germany relating to its divesting all of its assets in Vietnam relating to truck manufacturing and distribution to another leading Vietnam-based manufacturer and distributor.
  • Acting for a global leading FMCG company in a new investment of a packaging facility in Binh Duong with a total investment capital of up to US$110 million.
  • Acting for a global beverage company based in Japan to deal with corporate and commercial matters in Vietnam when acquiring (on an offshore basis) the Vietnamese business from a global beverage company.
  • Acting for an international airline prior to the launch of its inaugural flight to Ho Chi Minh City, and after the launch, providing ongoing legal advice and assistance in relation to the day-to-day operations of the airline in Vietnam.

A comprehensive list of Tram’s experience can be provided upon request.