Lien Duong

Background

About Lien Duong

I am the Founder and Director of IBIA, a business development consulting firm with more than 20 years of experience in SME development, innovative start-ups, women's entrepreneurship, market development, and quality assurance. I have an extensive network in Vietnam, particularly with industrial enterprises managed by women. I have twenty years of experience as a Representative, Manager, Quality Assurance, and M&E Specialist for global businesses and ODA projects. I am proficient in results-based management, output-based planning, project design, M&E system design, and implementation. I have conducted research, designed, and developed six ministerial projects/programs (funded by WB, ADB, SIDA, BTC, and USAID) and eighty enterprise projects. I have participated in four Vietnam-Finland, Vietnam-Belgium, Vietnam-Sweden, and World Bank projects dealing with new products, new technologies, innovation, and bilateral cooperation. I served as acting Chief of Party and Deputy Chief of Party for the USAID Linkages for Small and Medium Enterprises Project (USAID LinkSME). I was responsible for building relationships with more than 40 business support organizations (BSO), including VINASME, VSA, LEFASO, VASI, AFT, VITAS, VAWE, and HAWASME, in order to enhance the production and linkages capability of their members. I have 15 years of experience expanding the capabilities of SMEs and promoting commercial collaborations between Vietnamese and international firms. Identifying SMEs that are linkage-ready and meet the supply chain demands of international or lead firms. I've spent over a decade identifying, building capacity, and engaging public sector players and BSOs to support business development services providers (BDSPs) in Vietnam to improve and innovate their organizational development, products, and services to better meet the needs of small and growing businesses (SGBs).