VietNamNet Bridge - These businessmen are well known not only for their huge assets but also for their unique nicknames. 

1. Chair of Geleximco Vu Van Tien is a businessman who has succeeded in many fields, especially banking and real estate. His name is associated with mega projects capitalized at trillions of dong such as Geleximco Le Trong Tan urban area and Hoa Lac – Hoa Binh highway.

These businessmen are well known not only for their huge assets but also for their unique nicknames.

With small stature, the ‘big boss’ is dubbed ‘Tien coi’ (stunted Tien). Unlike the other billionaires who like to show off super-cars and branded goods, Tien only has a Toyota Yaris priced at VND700 million which he uses to go to the office every day.

At first, Tien was trained to become a technical commissioned officer. A friend of his one day said both in jest and sincerity “you are named Tien (Tien means ‘money’). So, you won’t get a job promotion in soldiering”. 

This made Tien rethink his career. In 1982, he was discharged from the army and went to Hanoi Economics University.

2. ‘Chua dao Tuan Chau’ (Tuan Chau Island’s King) is the nickname given to Dao Hong Tuyen, who spent VND80 billion to buy soil to fill up the sea and build the only path that connects the mainland and Tuan Chau Island in Quang Ninh province.

At that time, his idea was described as ‘crazy’. However, the crazy plan has made him famous. Fifteen years later, Tuyen turned the poor and deserted island into a tourism and entertainment paradise in Vietnam.

3. ’Duong bia’ (Duong beer) is the nickname of Nguyen Huu Duong, general director of the Hanoi-based Hoa Binh Corporation, who once shocked real estate developers when building Hoa Binh Green City apartments with gold inlaid banisters. 

Not only famous for strange decisions, the businessman is also well known for selling draught beer.

Tens of years ago, he was recruited as the 100th pedicab driver carrying beer bottles at Habeco, a brewery. 

4. Le Thanh Than, general director of Muong Thanh Group, is dubbed ‘Than pipe’ because he likes pipe tobacco, which, in Vietnam, is favored by farmers rather than businessmen.

Than travels in a Rolls-Royce, but there is always a pipe in it so that Than can smoke any time he wants.

His name repeatedly appeared in local newspapers recently because of a series of problems related to Muong Thanh’s projects. However, despite the problems, he keeps expanding the group with a series of new hotels.

5. Huynh Uy Dung, or ‘Dung Lo Voi’ (Dung lime kiln), is among the most famous businessmen for his huge assets and slander about his personal life.

The nickname was given to Dung when he finished the job of supplying goods to soldiers in border areas and began making lime.