Han & Company Included in Presidential Vietnam Economic Delegation... First for Private Equity Industry

by Lee Minwoo

Published 24 Apr.2026 08:53(KST)

Dongchun Lee of Namyang Dairy Products Joins Presidential Delegation to Vietnam

Han & Company has become the first private equity fund (PEF) manager to be included in a presidential overseas economic delegation. This is seen as recognition for the firm's leading efforts to enhance corporate value, such as supporting the global expansion of its portfolio companies.

According to the investment banking (IB) industry on April 24, Dongchun Lee, Vice President of Han & Company (also a non-executive director at Namyang Dairy Products), participated in the economic delegation during President Jae-myung Lee's state visit to Vietnam, following the local schedule. This marks the first time an executive from the PEF industry has accompanied the president's economic delegation.

On the previous day, as part of the president's economic delegation schedule, Vice President Lee attended the Korea-Vietnam Business Forum. At this event, Namyang Dairy Products signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Vietnamese distribution giant Phu Thai Holdings for cooperation in the Korean formula-based K-food industry and market expansion, totaling 70 billion won over three years.

Han & Company's participation as part of the economic delegation during the presidential visit is interpreted as evidence that PEFs are now recognized not just as financial investors, but as key partners contributing to corporate growth. The government has acknowledged the firm's role in fundamentally improving company structures by actively participating in management after its investments.

Han & Company is particularly strong in "direct management," where it participates in the management of companies after acquiring a controlling stake. The firm maintains in-house groups of management experts specialized by industry and function, and has implemented tailored management strategies for each portfolio company. Rather than focusing on short-term restructuring, Han & Company has pursued sustainable growth by making proactive investments to boost competitiveness over the long term.

A representative example is the restructuring of Namyang Dairy Products, which had faced boycotts and controversy due to issues related to the founding family. After acquiring the company in January 2024, Han & Company focused on discovering new growth engines and improving management efficiency, returning to operating profit from the third quarter of that year. In 2025, the company achieved a surplus in both operating profit and net profit on an annual basis for the first time in five years.

On the 23rd (local time) at the Korea-Vietnam Business Forum held in Hanoi, Vietnam, Jin Viet Hung, Business Development Director of Phu Thai Holdings (far left), Seung Eon Kim, President of Namyang Dairy Products (second from the left), Dinh Doan Pham, Chairman of Phu Thai Holdings (third from the left), and Dongchun Lee, Vice President of Han & Company, are taking a commemorative photo. Han & Company