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SCIENCE & TECH
Oct 14, 2017 / 20:16

Uber Vietnam to appoint new CEO

Ngoc Thuy

Tom White will be appointed to be the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Uber Vietnam since October and replace the predecessor Dang Viet Dung.

Tom White joined Uber since January, 2015, he has held many senior posts in Uber. Before being the new CEO of Uber Vietnam, Tom White was the senior consultant for the Australian governemnt in the western and southern regions of Autralia from February 2016 to June 2017, with the responsibility of developing strategy forthese regions. 
 
Tom White - New CEO of Uber Vietnam.
Tom White - New CEO of Uber Vietnam.
In Uber, he oversaw other aspects such as pricing, expanding the market, introducing new products and taking part in poliices negotiation among Uber, the government and related parties. His predecessor Dang Viet Dung left Uber Vietnam since October 1 after 3 years, right after the annoucement of the Ho Chi Minh Tax Department on the tax penalty against Uber at 66.68 billion VND. Tom White joined Uber Vietnam when the company is facing numerous challenges. Since joining Vietnam market 3 years ago, Uber and Grab have significantly gained the market share and become dominant force, much to the criticsims from traditional taxi firms. 
 
Former CEO of Uber Vietnam Dang Viet Dung.
Former CEO of Uber Vietnam Dang Viet Dung.
Uber and Grab has quickly become favorite choice because of their convenience, more competitive price and usually better looking vehicles. Since the introduction of Uber and Grab, taxi market in Vietnam’s big cities have undergone transformations. Vietnamese conventional taxis are developing their own apps to compete including V.Car, Thanh Cong Car, M.Car. The policy of piloting digital transport contract for under 9 seat vehicles have driven Vietnamese conventional taxis to change. As prime minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said, Vietnamese taxis are showing their adaptability. Vietnamese transport firms are operating towards efficiency through the application of IT and proving that they are able to compete in a transparent and equal market.

Experts said conventional taxi firms could no longer turn their backs on technologies. Vietnamese conventional taxi apps are developed under  the pressure of Uber and Grab. They have to change themselves to compete fairly with foreign ride-hailing services instead of relying on state protectionism. They are facing the choice of cutting fares, improve services and apply technologies to compete or being left behind.

The introduction of ride hailing apps, on the other hand,  has created new headache for the state management. At the recent visit to Uber headquarter in the US, the chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee asked the ride hailing company to share its vehicle database with the authority so as for them to know the number of cars and drivers in the network, as well as to manage the personal income tax of drivers conforming Vietnamese legislations. The Hanoi chairman also asked Uber to share and update information and Uber business plan to ensure that Uber operation would not jeopardize Hanoi transport master plan and the city’s transport system.

Mr. Nguyen Van Quyen, the Chairman of the Association of Traffic Safety affirms that Uber and Grab are chosen by many customers because of competitive rates and many other advantages. Therefore, they are dominating in the market. Meanwhile, traditional taxi companies share the same market but compete in unfavorable conditions. The state needs to ensure fairness before the law for management subjects.”  According to Mr. Quyen, Uber, Grab and taxis have the same targets – customers travelling for short-distance. As a result, the identification of Uber and Grab vehicles as a contract transport business (electronic contract) is not suitable in accordance with the management requirements.

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