DAO NGUYEN
Managing Partner
+84 28 3827 2418
dao@daonguyenlegal.com
Dao is the managing partner of DN Legal. She advises on all aspects of doing business in Vietnam. Her practice includes corporate and M&A, banking and finance, real estate, energy and infrastructure. She has acted for developers and the government of Vietnam on several landmark projects including the first licensed BOT project in Vietnam. Dao is fluent in English and Vietnamese.
The Asia Pacific Legal 500 2012 notes she “demonstrates a detailed view of on-going and likely future legal developments, a strong willingness to understand the client’s needs, combined with a pragmatic approach”. Dao is recognised as a leading lawyer by Chambers Asia in Corporate/M&A (2008-2014), Banking & Finance (2008-2012) and Projects & Energy (2010-2014); as a leading Real Estate lawyer by the Asia Pacific Legal 500 (2014); as leading lawyer by IFLR1000 in Corporate/M&A (2015-2020), Banking & Finance (2015-2020), Energy & Infrastructure (2017), Women Leaders (2018), and Project development (2020); as leading lawyer by AI Global in Corporate (2016-2018), Energy & Infrastructure (2017), Banking & Finance (2018); as winner of Business Excellence Awards by Corporate Insider (2019); as Awards Winner by International Advisory Experts (2019); and as leading lawyer in Construction & Real Estate (2018), Distinguished Practitioner on Real Estate & Construction (2020) by AsiaLaw.
Career History
- Managing Partner, DN Legal, Vietnam, 2014 – Present
- Managing Partner, Allen & Overy, Vietnam, 2012 – 2014
- Managing Partner, Mayer Brown JSM, Vietnam, 1995 – 2012
Legal qualifications
- Admitted as solicitor, Hong Kong, 2002
- Admitted to the bar, State of New York, 1994
- Admitted to the bar, State of California, 1991
Banking & Finance
- Novaland on numerous corporate financing arrangements with international lenders.
- Son Kim Land on corporate financing arrangements with a consortium of international le
- HSBC on a tier 2 subordinated bond issue for the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV), the first tier 2 bond issued in Vietnam based on international standard documentation and the first listed bond of this nature.
- JP Morgan on a USD108m syndicated loan for Masan Industrial, a member of Masan Group, one of the largest private sector groups in Vietnam. The loan was structured akin to a bond transaction.
Corporate/M&A
- Indochina Capital on selling its certain shares to a BVI company.
- TAEL Partners on acquiring shares in Cotec Healthcare, six hospitals in Vietnam.
- Kinh Do Corporation on acquiring shares in an edible oil company.
- Hamon Properties Vietnam Limited on assisting in the acquisition of 90% interest in the Gateway project
- Hubert Burda Media, a leading global media company, on assisting in acquisition of a stake in CocCoc, an internet company in Vietnam.
- SonKim Land on assisting the company in the investment by Lemongrass II of US$100 million of convertible bonds in its real estate business.
- Novaland on assisting the company in several corporate finance transactions (Convertible bonds as well as secured and unsecured loans) totally on US$200 million with offshore lenders to finance its real estate acquisitions and assisting it income with.
- Dat Viet (Vietnamese Advertising and Media) on assisting the Company in a number of media related transactions and real estate projects.
- Lombard Asia III L.P on assisting in the sale of shares in a media company.
- Franklin Templeton on assisting the fund in increasing its shareholding in a JV security company.
- First Alliance on assisting in the sale of 100% of the shares in an HR company to a Japanese investor.
- Wendelbo SEA on assisting the Danish furniture company in increasing its investment in Vietnam.
- Crescent Point Management on assisting this PE fund in the sale of several of its assets in Vietnam including the Nam Hai & Six Sense Con Dao.
- Dynasty Investment on assisting in the sale of its interests in a real estate company.
- Hydropower – IHA sustainability on assisting in a World Bank appointed study of the hydropower sector in Vietnam as local counsel.
- Thea on assisting the acquisition of all the interest of a partner in company that own several beauty clinic in Vietnam.
- AIG on assisting AIG in providing insurance as the purchaser in its purchase of a school.
- Holcim on Assisting in a corporate matter.
- GE on assisting in a number of transactions.
- Chiap Hua Group on assisting on a 120 hectare project.
- Dong Saigon on assisting in setting up a JV in respect of a 900 hectare project.
- Assisting a fund on corporate matter in respect of its investment in 2 projects in Nha Trang.
- Gaw Capital on assisting in various corporate issues relating to the Hyatt Danang resort project.
- DREAM Hotel on assisting on a number of corporate matters.
- An international oil company in relation to its acquisition of shares in a Vietnamese provider of oil and gas stockpiling.
- C. Starck on a mining joint venture with Nui Phao Mining, developer of one of the largest tungsten mines in the world and a subsidiary of Masan Group, one of Vietnam’s largest private sector companies.
- Unilever on the acquisitions of tea plantations and tea processing factory in Vietnam.
- Anova Corporation, an animal feedstock producer, on the sale of its majority stake in a Vietnamese fish farming company.
- A global bank on due diligence of a multinational oil and gas company’s Vietnamese oil and gas assets for the purposes of a major refinancing.
- Nortel Networks on the dissolution of its subsidiary in Vietnam.
- Citigroup Venture Capital International on a proposed strategic equity investment in a publicly listed Vietnamese financial institution.
- Indochina Capital on its disposal of a 25% equity to Orix Group, a Japanese listed financial services group.
- A private equity fund on its strategic investment of a 20% equity stake in a Vietnamese-based corporate, being a subsidiary of one of the largest private sector listed companies in Vietnam.
- Prudential Property Investment Managers on the acquisition of 49% of the issued share capital to achieve ultimate ownership of 2 phases in a mixed-use residential development project in Vietnam.
- Jardine Matheson on two separate acquisitions of Vietnamese companies within the food & beverage sector.
- San Miguel on its acquisition of a USD35m food production business in southern Vietnam.
- Diageo on general licensing, corporate and commercial issues and on the acquisition of a l ocal wine producer.
- Danone Group on general licensing, corporate, commercial and labour issues and on the establishment of a wholly foreign owned Danone subsidiary.
- Vinacomin on the Vinh Tan 1 1,200 MW BOT power project.
- A renewable energy company in the acquisition of shareholding in a state-owned company under EVN that operates several hydropower plants in Vietnam.
- International retailers on the establishment of retail stores in Vietnam, including leasing, licensing, financing, documentation and other regulatory work.