The place that once was my "home"

In the final month of 2000, I was appointed by BIDV’s leadership to join the Executive Board of Branch 1. It was the middle of winter, and the weather was bitterly cold, but when I arrived at the branch, the warm welcome and the working atmosphere here warmed my heart. During this period, all staff members were enthusiastic and eager to compete in achieving outstanding results to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the bank’s establishment (1991–2001), marking an opportunity to assess the first decade of construction and development.

At that time, Mr. Le Dao Nguyen, who was Deputy General Director of BIDV and concurrently Director of the Branch, worked with the Branch’s Executive Board to prepare the program for the anniversary celebration at the International Conference Center – 11 Le Hong Phong Street, Hanoi. The first 10 years were a very important period. In line with the leadership’s direction, the branch was built to be close to the main headquarters, with strong capabilities, high-quality operations, and a highly professional staff. During leadership briefings at year-end reviews or meetings with the branch, BIDV leaders often referred to Branch I as the “main force,” the “steel fist” of BIDV (these two phrases are commonly used for campaign and strategic units in the military, signifying the strongest, most capable unit that wins every battle), which also reflects the guiding philosophy of BIDV’s leadership from the very beginning. It’s been 10 years already—time flies—and Branch I has added another decade of achievements to its 20-year legacy. During this period, alongside the entire system, Branch I has achieved quite remarkable growth in both total assets and network expansion.

From 2002 to the present, the Branch has spun off 7 or 8 branches, yet the scale and efficiency of Branch I remain at the top of the system—a leading flagbearer and a long-standing outstanding unit of BIDV, recipient of Labor Medals of various ranks; the only unit within BIDV to be awarded the title of Labor Hero during the reform era, along with numerous other prestigious awards from the Government, the Governor of the Central Bank, and others. A relatively young unit, just 20 years old in the industry, yet with such an impressive track record…

During my career, I had the good fortune to “pass through” Branch I for two years, from late 2000 to late 2002. Though brief, that time left a deep impression on me. I had the privilege of working in a unit with a fine tradition in every aspect, a healthy work environment, and a young, dynamic, and professional team united by a common goal. The Exchange was also a pioneer in building corporate culture—a decisive factor for the company’s sustainable development. Ethical conduct standards, customer relations, work ethic, and labor discipline were practiced voluntarily and rigorously. Relationships between generations were exceptionally sincere and respectful, fostering a sense of emotional connection and shared responsibility among everyone.

The primary factor behind all these successes is human resources. Staff are carefully selected based on qualifications, character, and even appearance. I still recall in June 2002, when the Trang Tien Plaza shopping center opened, the BIDV leadership decided to establish a branch there. The Department’s Executive Board deliberated extensively on what name would best reflect its importance and significance, and eventually agreed on the “Central Branch” name, as it is located in the heart of Hanoi; visitors from all over would see BIDV’s image through this central branch. Staff members here must be highly skilled in their professional duties, possess excellent communication skills, be proficient in foreign languages—particularly fluent in English—and maintain a polished and professional appearance. Therefore, when assigning staff to this location, all three factors must be considered: qualifications, character, and appearance. Consequently, before being “selected” for the central branch, all staff from the Department undergo thorough “training” in both professional skills and conduct, as well as “refreshing” their appearance. Nine years have passed, and the Trang Tien Branch has successfully fulfilled its mission of presenting BIDV’s image to the public in a professional and friendly manner.

On another recruitment occasion, the Head Office held a recruitment drive for IT engineers, and Branch I also used these exam results for selection; the scores from the first round varied from person to person. The list forwarded to the Branch for the Executive Board’s interviews included four candidates, among whom was a tall, fair-skinned young man—particularly agile and very handsome. Unfortunately, his technical score ranked third, just a few points behind the second-place candidate, while the Branch’s recruitment quota at that time was only two people. That evening, on my way home, I kept thinking about that young man. It would be a shame not to hire him! And who knows, perhaps in actual work, he would perform better than he did during the exam. At that time, the number of male staff at the Department was also in the “minority” compared to female staff. The next morning, I discussed the matter with the Department’s Executive Board and the Head of the Administrative Affairs Division to reach a consensus on accepting him and summoning him for a meeting. I announced that the Department’s Executive Board had agreed to hire him. I could see he was flustered and was probably wondering why he had failed the exam yesterday but passed today. When I asked him if he knew why he was being hired, he just smiled… As it turned out later, that young man performed quite well.

Over the past thirty-five years, many staff members have come and gone; many have advanced to the main headquarters, becoming leaders of the Department or other member units, while a few have retired. Yet everyone who leaves this place feels a sense of longing, wishing they could have worked here a little longer… No matter where they go, everyone still thinks of this place as the “home” of their lives.