VIAC President Prof. Dr. Le Hong Hanh highlights Legal considerations for Market entry at SVEF Hanoi 2026

On 19 October 2026, during the Main Forum Day of the Swiss–Viet Economic Forum (SVEF) Hanoi 2026, Prof. Dr. Le Hong Hanh – President of the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC) – attended and delivered key insights at the session “Legal Frameworks & Market Entry”. Providing deep analysis on legal risk management and leveraging Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), the VIAC President offered practical strategies to enhance commercial certainty, mitigate risk, and promote sustainable cross-border transactions between Vietnamese and Swiss business communities. This participant further affirms VIAC’s pivotal role as a trusted legal bridge, actively promoting international dispute resolution standards and enhancing legal certainty for cross-border trade and investment partnerships. 

Overview of the discussion session  

The Swiss–Viet Economic Forum (SVEF) Hanoi 2026, held from 18 to 20 October 2026 at the Melia Hotel Hanoi, served as a bilateral platform centered around the theme "From Bilateral Strength to Regional Impact: Advancing Switzerland–Viet Nam Partnerships in a Connected Global Economy." Gathering high-level government officials, diplomatic representatives, industry leaders, and legal experts from both nations, the three-day forum aimed to transform free trade frameworks into actionable commercial opportunities. Against the backdrop of expanding economic ties, SVEF 2026 provided a vital arena for strategic dialogue on industrial transformation, capital investment, digital innovation, and legal certainty, reinforcing the commitment of both countries to fostering a transparent, secure, and sustainable business environment. 

During the Forum, Prof. Dr. Le Hong Hanh – President of Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC), participated as a key speaker in Session F - “Legal Frameworks & Market Entry”, bringing together a distinguished panel of legal experts, policymakers, and corporate leaders to address key aspects of market entry strategies, regulatory compliance, intellectual property, and cross-border dispute resolution. The discussion was moderated by Mr. Roger Leitner - Board Member of the Swiss-Asian Chamber of Commerce, and opened with a keynote address by Mr. Lutz Christoph Koch - Managing Director Hanoi at RÖDL. Joining the panel alongside Prof. Dr. Le Hong Hanh, Chairman of the Vietnam International Arbitration Center (VIAC), were prominent leaders including Mr. Fabian Stiefvater - Hub Leader of SBH South East Asia and Pacific, SBH, Mr. Kevin Trinh Vu - Head of Asia Pacific Support, Endress+Hauser, Mr. Huynh Cong Thang - Co-Founder & Chairman, InnoLab Asia, Mr. Phung Anh Tuan - Managing Director, VCI Legal, and Mr. Luu Hoang Long - Director General, Intellectual Property Office of Viet Nam. 

Prof. Dr. Le Hong Hanh – President of the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC) speaking at the event 

Highlighting the critical importance of legal risk management in international commerce, Prof. Dr. Le Hong Hanh emphasized that effective cross-border transaction strategies must begin with rigorous pre-contractual due diligence. He specifically cautioned businesses against the severe risks associated with entering into contracts with “ghost” entities, alter egos, or insolvent counterparties, noting that commercial terms - regardless of how favorably negotiated - become functionally void if the agreement is legally unenforceable. To safeguard commercial integrity in an increasingly digitized marketplace, the VIAC President recommended that enterprises leverage verification technologies like blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT) to authenticate counterparty credentials prior to contract execution. Beyond pre-contractual verification, he urged enterprises to incorporate well-drafted dispute resolution clauses at the outset, citing Queen Mary University data showing 87% of global businesses favor arbitration over courts to avoid jurisdictional bias, protracted litigation, and the difficulty of reaching consensus post-dispute. 

Addressing the audience, Prof. Dr. Le Hong Hanh also emphasized that as economic ties between Vietnam and Switzerland expand - particularly in the post-FTA era amid geopolitical shifts and legal system changes - building a secure, transparent, and predictable legal environment is essential for investor confidence. He highlighted how commercial arbitration and mediation serve as effective tools for international businesses to mitigate cross-border operational risks, protect assets, and ensure sustainable business growth. In particular, he pointed out that while mediation offers a flexible and collaborative process suitable for preserving trust, arbitration provides the distinct advantage of party autonomy in selecting the governing law and issues final awards that are compulsorily enforceable like court judgments. Furthermore, adopting hybrid mechanisms allows enterprises to combine the procedural flexibility of mediation with the binding legal certainty of arbitration. 

VIAC’s active participation and substantive contributions at SVEF 2026 reaffirm its strong commitment to fostering trade facilitation, promoting international dispute resolution standards, and providing robust legal support to the global business community. As bilateral economic engagements between Vietnam and Switzerland enter a new phase of dynamic expansion, VIAC remains dedicated to serving as a trusted legal institution - empowering enterprises with reliable and effective ADR mechanisms to navigate cross-border commercial complexities, safeguard investments, and foster resilient, long-term international partnerships.