Reporter: Among Viet Nam’s economic groups, Petrolimex is the one with a long and proud history: Petrolimex is steady in difficulties and solid in development. Could you please provide a thumbnail description of Petrolimex? What has been a firm foundation for the development of the group over the past 60 years?

Mr. Tran Van Thinh: Yes, it’s true. Generations of Petrolimex cadres and labourers have always been proud of their historical traditions.

That Petrolimex is steady in difficulties and solid in development is a correct remark.

The 60-year-long history of Petrolimex construction and development can be summarised as follows:

The first periodwas from the day Petrolimex was established on January 12, 1956 to April 30, 1975: Petrolimex joined the whole nation in the construction of socialism in the North and in the flight for the South liberation and national reunification.

The second periodwas from May 1, 1975 to the 6^thParty Congress in 1986: Petrolimex continued developing its material facilities in the North, took over and restored the material facilities in the South to ensure sufficient supply for the whole nation.

The key task that Petrolimex took during these two periods was to receive, protect and maintain oil and gas, meeting demands in accordance with ordinance targets. Oil and gas then were considered as a strategic material. The notion that “petrol is precious as blood” also came into being during this period.

The following periodstarted from the nation’sDoi moi(Renewal) period in line with the Resolution of the 6^thParty Congress (from 1986 to present): Petrolimex was gradually self-financing, strongly updated its material facilities and comprehensively developed petroleum-related areas: lubricants, gas, ocean transport, insurance, design - installation, informatics - automation, etc. Quite a few Petrolimex member companies have taken the lead in privatisation in accordance with the Party and State guidelines and policies as well as the Government decisions.

As of December 1, 2011 Petrolimex completed its equitisation, starting operating under the Law on Enterprises, and becoming a public company. This also marked a new stage of development for Petrolimex in line with the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 828/QĐ-TTg dated May 31, 2011.

During this new stage of development, Petrolimex has successfully applied the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) business-management software system, and employed the petrol station management software (Egas); purchased advanced facilities and technologies, advanced automation in many areas and phases of production and business activities to enhance productivity, quality and efficiency.

The group continued maintaining and bringing into full play the efficiency of partnership activities, and increasingly expanded its business areas to countries in the region and the world.

Petrolimex has developed a brand management system in accordance with modern standards, and is well-prepared for successful economic integration.

There are numerous elements that contribute to the success of the group. However, as far as I’m concerned, the firm foundation of Petrolimex in the past 60 years is the People.

Over 28,000 Petrolimex cadres and labourers always feel proud of their history and respect the credit of previous generations; thus, they have made attempts to develop and elevate Petrolimex to a new height. Also, that is a feeling of our thankfulness and appreciation – a gratitude in Petrolimex culture.

Member of the Board of Management cum Director General of Vietnam National Petroleum Group (Petrolimex) Tran Van Thinh

Reporter: Of the foundations you mentioned above, which do you think is the most significant?

Tran Van Thinh:People are always the most important foundation for development.

In the 1956-1986 period, Petrolimex staff were characterised as loyal, steadfast and heroic. Since 1986 to present, they have also been described as dynamic and creative.

All these are precious characteristics for a stability and steady development. Perhaps the development has not been as rapid as expected but basically steady.

As one might see from the Petrolimex logo, letter “P” is set on a blue square (Pantone P2728C) with two right angles and two bevels; which demonstrates Petrolimex characters. A perfectly square shape presents the loyalty, resilience, and heroism whilst soft bevels showcase the dynamism and creativity.

Reporter: Petrolimex doctrine is “to consider people as centre” of development. Could you please give some specific examples of Petrolimex culture and people?

Tran Van Thinh:The doctrine was set up by previous generations of leadership and we continue inheriting it due to its correctness.

It is correct in both aspects of enterprise and human sentiment. The 9th Resolution of the Central Party Committee also focuses on developing Viet Nam’s culture and people.

There are a great number of other outstanding people who have been made pubic and honoured on websites of the group and member companies, by the media, and at annual and periodic conferences to summarise emulation movements.

In each period, Petrolimex was granted with numerous highly valuable awards by the Party and State to recognise the merit of the group’s cadres and labourers during that period of time. Petrolimex is proud to have many individuals honoured as Labour Hero, and Winner of National Emulation Movement, and so forth. For example, the former Party secretary and former director of Petrolimex Tien Giang, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Thu was granted the Labour Heroine in the Renewal Period by the State in 2006. These achievements are our pride.

Other cases can be mentioned here. Party secretary and head of Xa La Petrol Station (Petrolimex Ha Son Binh), Luu Ba Vang, is nicknamed “Where there is difficulty – there is Vang”; Party secretary, chairman cum director of Petrolimex Thai Binh, Nguyen Quyet Thang, is honoured as “The Director of Carter-CI4”; and Party secretary, chairman cum director of Petrolimex Quang Tri has been well-known as “The Director who directly gets involved in works [to bring Petrolimex products to customers in mountainous areas]”.

These are specific examples of many stories describing Petrolimex employees who have made all-out efforts to rise from the difficult business environment, have never been afraid of hardship and difficulties and have always looked for breakthroughs to advance.

That is the result of all concern, thoughts, and actions for the enterprise and for the collective, and in a broad sense, for the country.

Member of the BOM cum Director General of Petrolimex Tran Van Thinh paid a visit to an exhibition of Petrolimex products

Reporter: I’d like to ask a more specific question: In the relationship of “The leader – intermediate management cadre – petrol station head – direct labourer”, which phase is the most important and why?

Tran Van Thinh:All these four phases encompass the enterprise’s positions. All are equally important and have a dialectic and intimate relationship with each other.

The leader is important as s/he is the person that makes directions and decisions, and encourages the whole system to fulfill the set targets.

The intermediate management cadre is important as s/he is the person that realises the leader’s directions and decisions whilst makes proposals to the leadership.

Petrol station head is the title of an official whose work is closely attached to a particular petrol station and intimately associated with direct labourers. Working in this environment enables the head to combine words and deed, to directly contact with the market reality and the public, and to make specific decisions.

Labourers make up an important manpower which directly contacts with the commodities, money and customers every day. They are Petrolimex representative images that remain in the mind of customers when using our services/products.

Therefore, I think these phases are all essential.

If a direction is incorrect and on the wrong track, it is like “a miss is as good as a mile”.

If a right direction is not realised by a relevant management body, it is just a theory.

Practical operations need right directions and thorough management, which forms a strong organisation that is unanimous in both thought and action, consequently, generating a collective strength for the enterprise.

That’s why, all Petrolimex staff has joined hands to attempt to protect and develop the group.

Nevertheless, these elements are inner factors. I’m convinced that there are other significant elements to the enterprise’ development that is the trust and love of partners, customers, and consumers; the support of Party Committees, administrations and people of localities; and the understanding and share of the general public.

Thus, during each step of their development, Petrolimex cadres and labourers always express their practical sentiments through specific actions for charity activities, social welfare works, assistance to victims of natural disasters, and so forth and through activities which showcase their social responsibility, typically the guarantee of sufficient supply of oil and gas, and other Petrolimex goods/services in remote, mountainous and underprivileged areas to help with the national social and economic development.

Reporter: Petrolimex has been privatised into a public company. Viet Nam is internationally integrating, particularly the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal. Under such circumstance, will Petrolimex maintain its steady development orientations or will Petrolimex make breakthroughs for stronger development? And if any, could you please reveal which breakthroughs will be?

Tran Van Thinh:At the time being, it can be said that Petrolimex has been well-prepared for integration and competition. In fact, Petrolimex has been integrating and competing.

Steady development will be a premise for breakthroughs. It is just like building a house, a firm foundation will make the house stand high.

Over the past 60 years, Petrolimex has always been steady and solid in both construction and development. Therefore, these characteristics will be further maintained and brought into full play in the future. This is the root of existence and development.

In the time to come, Viet Nam is increasingly integrating into the world economy. The new circumstance and conditions will bring about opportunities for all enterprises, including Petrolimex, to co-operate and to advance on the basis of receiving experience, and resources from future partners who join hands with our Group.

Integration and co-operation will fetch breakthroughs for Petrolimex development in the new stage of development in the coming time.

We have been and are mobilising a large-scale emulation movement to welcome the Party 12^thCongress and the coming 60^thfounding anniversary of Petrolimex (January 12, 2016).

The emulation movement has created many driving forces in both production and business operations, which shows numerous positive results in both specific norms and new factors that display profound and creative deeds.

The efforts of each individual and the whole staff in addition to the unanimity will create a great strength for the group’s development.

Reporter: On January 12, 2016 Petrolimex will celebrate its 60 years of construction and growth. You are the one that grows from the reality and experiences various positions, areas and regions. Could you please share the most profound lessons of experience ahead of this significant event?

Tran Van Thinh:Most of Petrolimex cadres have grown from reality and I’m the one among the previous leadership.

Reality is always valuable and worth treasuring. Reality enables us to experience and complete our own philosophy of life. Of course, one should always esteem the reality and be demanding. Reality might be hard for this person but favourable for another person to develop. I mean development in both professional knowledge and occupational skill and spirit.

What I have understood most thoroughly is the respect for people. In any collective, each individual leads a different life with different characteristics, different work and duty. If all these individuals are eager to well perform their assigned duties and have strong attachment to each other through work – that collective will be strong to best fulfill all set objectives.

I always treasure the efforts and contributions of generations of Petrolimex cadres and labourers; the contribution of stakeholders, partners, trading partners, customers, and consumers in Viet Nam and abroad who have always been side by side and exerted themselves with Petrolimex in each step of development.

I respect the thorough understanding and recognition of readers, public, media practitioners, and State management bodies at both Central and local levels through Petrolimex stages of construction and development.

Besides internal efforts, any thorough understanding and/or a supportive act in the development path is worth treasuring.

On this occasion, I would like to express my deep gratitude to everybody.

We will continue working with the spirit of “renovation, creation – to go further”.

Reporter: Thank you!