Dr. Vũ Tiến Lộc - A business inspirer

DNHN - During his 18 years as the President of VCCI, Dr. Vũ Tiến Lộc made significant and clear personal contributions to the business community and entrepreneurs. His sudden departure has left us with deep sorrow and a great void.

As an economist and politician, Dr. Vũ Tiến Lộc was both a source of inspiration for business and creative entrepreneurship, and a companion in protecting, building, and nurturing the entrepreneurial team. His goal was to foster a united business community, enhance competitiveness, integrate internationally, and tirelessly contribute to and serve the nation.

In 2003, Dr. Vũ Tiến Lộc proposed to Prime Minister Phan Văn Khải to select October 13th, the day President Hồ Chí Minh sent a letter to the business community, as Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day. This act carried significance beyond just a commemorative day; it affirmed the role and position of Vietnamese entrepreneurs in the integration era after nearly 20 years of national renewal.

At many forums, Dr. Vũ Tiến Lộc, in his role as the head of VCCI, tirelessly contributed to ensuring that the term "entrepreneur" was recognized by society as a progressive social force making substantial contributions to nation-building.

The slogan proposed by Dr. Vũ Tiến Lộc, which became widely embraced by the business community, was "Entrepreneurs - The Soldiers of Peace." The spirit of a soldier, unafraid of hardship and determined to rise in peacetime to enrich the homeland and the nation, was at the core of this idea.

Later, Dr. Vũ Tiến Lộc used the image of Thánh Gióng (a legendary figure in Vietnamese culture) as a symbol for the Entrepreneur Award, representing the aspiration to rise and reach further heights in the era of international economic integration.

Notably, he was a pioneer in proposing to include the term "entrepreneur" in the 2013 Constitution. The constitutional recognition of the term "entrepreneur" reflects the acknowledgment of entrepreneurs as a critical force on the economic front.

Dr. Vũ Tiến Lộc also showed a special concern for private sector entrepreneurs, acknowledging the challenges they face due to policy and regulatory barriers. During his tenure as VCCI President, he organized many conferences and forums to remove these obstacles and create a favorable environment for businesses, especially in the private sector, to thrive.

In advocating that entrepreneurs, in any circumstances, must always be patriotic and serve the nation, Dr. Vũ Tiến Lộc was one of the pioneers in breaking historical prejudices against the business community. He countered the view that saw entrepreneurs merely as profiteers, emphasizing their role and restoring the rightful position of the national bourgeoisie in history.

It can be affirmed that during his 18 years as VCCI President, Dr. Vũ Tiến Lộc was truly a captain of the business community and the entrepreneur team. Although many of his ideas, plans, and initiatives, along with those of VCCI, have yet to be realized due to various reasons, in his role as an economist, National Assembly delegate, and VCCI leader, Dr. Vũ Tiến Lộc achieved much that was beneficial, contributing to the development and nurturing of the entrepreneur team and creating a conducive business environment for enterprises to grow.

In summary, the two most notable contributions of Dr. Vũ Tiến Lộc can be stated as: tirelessly working to affirm and enhance the role and position of entrepreneurs, helping to create a new generation of entrepreneurs who not only enrich themselves but also the homeland and the nation; and pioneering in institutional reform, building a transparent, fair, and equal business environment across all economic sectors, aimed at developing and integrating the country.

Professor and Honorary Academician Nguyễn Văn Đệ

Member of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front  

President of the Private Hospital Association of Vietnam  

Member of the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council for Administrative Procedure Reform