How Barry Met Andrew
Partners for your Vietnam Strategy
In the early 2000’s on the bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where the scent of street food mingles with the hum of motorbikes, two unlikely allies forged a partnership that would shape their destinies.
Australians Barry Archer, representing a company going through commercial and legal complexities, collided with Andrew Homan, a seasoned advisor and lawyer.
This wasn’t familiar Sydney or Melbourne, or even the glittering towers of Hong Kong. But something clicked.
Barry and Andrew became more than problem-solvers; they became architects of possibility, working together on joint and overlapping projects for themselves, other ex-pats and local businesses.
“It took me, maybe, two years in Vietnam to cross paths with Andrew,” says Barry. “And that was with me actively pushing networks there to find people who had worked on the issues I was dealing with for my own business and others, with great supporters along the way.
But I know that my effectiveness to address and implement increased manyfold once Andrew and I began working together.”
Andrew’s Vietnam journey began in the late 1980’s when he invested in a business media start-up in newspapers and magazines.
“Crazy times through and through,” he says.
“This let me find my base and place in Vietnam and start to build what would be decades of relationships, within and outside the country.
“A majority of the international partnerships began much the same as mine with Barry. Investors reach a point where they feel they have lost control or can’t see a way forward. And, in my view, this can only be resolved with the right experienced leadership, supportive relationships and access to valuable networks.”
In 2023, the strength of their relationships crystallised in the launch of StudioViet, a commercial strategy consultancy.
Barry sums it up like this. “Wherever your commercial challenges are, building a strong and talented advisor team that can implement cohesively is a differentiator. These teams can be very powerful – built over time through shared experience, growing networks and relationship maturity.”
Right from the start, Barry and Andrew have been a cohesive advisor team, supporting other investors in large and niche local enterprises because of their shared Vietnam experiences.
“This is not unique and is real in any sector or any city, but the reality of the Vietnam market back then hammered home to me how important your advisory group is in any market. It is chasing the simple maths result of 1 +1 =3,” says Barry.
The beautiful country has been and still is rapidly changing, growing, and becoming more relevant as an exciting opportunity in SE Asia.
In 2024, Vietnam’s economy is projected to continue its positive growth trajectory. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) forecasts a 6% GDP growth for the country, following a 5.8% growth in 2023.
Barry and Andrew continue to work on projects across Vietnam, in a range of go-ahead sectors. In 2024, they plan to be together in Australia to be part of a series of panel discussions on their Vietnam stories.
For more information, contact barry@studioviet.asia or www.studioviet.asia