VIETNAM. Imex Pan Pacific Group (IPPG) Chairman Johnathan Hanh Nguyen has been featured on the cover of Tatler Asia, highlighting his 40-year journey as a pioneering figure in travel retail, distribution and luxury and his instrumental role in Vietnam’s travel, tourism and commercial sectors.
Having previously shared his remarkable success story with The Moodie Davitt Report Founder and Chairman Martin Moodie in a widely read 2022 interview, Nguyen revisited his path to success in this new Tatler feature.
The interview is highlighted by Nguyen’s recounting of his epic journey in 1985 to Manila, Philippines, where he secured hard-won approval from then-President Ferdinand Marcos to launch a direct flight between Saigon and Manila.
That agreement was a momentous occasion in Vietnamese history, one that allowed the inaugural flight between the two countries and the carrier’s first post-Vietnam war air connection to a non-socialist nation.
Vietnam had suffered under the debilitating constraints of an American embargo for a decade (it would not be lifted until February 1994) following what was then North Vietnam’s liberation of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) and the end of the Vietnam war in 1975.
Raised in modest circumstances, Nguyen reflected on how early hardships shaped his dedication to improving Vietnam’s future. He committed himself to raising the country’s standard of living – from quietly funding hospital donations to creating opportunities for Vietnamese consumers to access the best the world had to offer.
Driven by a mission to contribute to Vietnam’s rebuilding, Nguyen left a secure life in the US with his family in the late 1980s. He told Tatler: “That moment broke something inside me. I realised I couldn’t go back to my life in America and forget what I’d seen. Something had shifted. The road ahead no longer felt like a decision. It felt like a summons.”
Despite facing major financial risks, no legal framework and little trust from global or local players, he pursued a vision that built a retail empire – one that would later become central to Vietnam’s economic rise.
Nguyen recalled: “Back then, Vietnam had nothing. So people went to Singapore, to Thailand, to other places, and brought things back. I asked, why doesn’t Vietnam do the same? Why don’t we have luxury brands?”
Today, IPPG is one of Vietnam’s leading multi-industry corporations, comprising more than 25 subsidiaries and joint ventures, representing over 139 international luxury brands and operating approximately 1,200 retail stores across Vietnam.
The group’s diverse portfolio includes fashion, food & beverage, airport management, travel retail, distribution across multiple product sectors, investment, technology, out-of-home advertising, and much more.
Nguyen introduced global luxury giants such as Cartier, Chanel and Rolex to Vietnam, driven by a disciplined approach and a strong commitment to transparency.
He told Tatler: “They trust me because we operate with integrity. People often wonder why my margins seem low – 3%, 5%. The answer is simple: I pay full tax. If I wanted bigger profits, I could cut corners, but that’s never been my way.”
The interview also sheds light on the family’s relocation to the Philippines while Nguyen was engaged in helping Vietnam’s economic recovery.
Marking four decades of leadership at IPPG, Nguyen sees the 400 honours awarded to him in Vietnam as milestones in a life shaped by service, vision and integrity.
He concluded: “I always remember what Deputy Prime Minister Tran Quynh once told me: ‘If you follow the law, the Party and the government, the people will protect you’. And it’s exactly as he said – by always following the law, we became unstoppable.” ✈
