David Whitehead

Director of Mavin Group, Vice President of Auscham, Head of VBF Agribusiness Working Group

"We need to be aware of many more things than just making a profit. It's about sustainable business operations. It's about looking at what we're giving back to the community, and how we can engage with the community and be seen as a good corporate citizen."

David Whitehead is the Chairman and Co-owner of one of the largest agriculture businesses in the country, playing a part in Vietnam’s ambition to be the leader in agriculture in ASEAN.

Mavin Group currently employs 2500 people, providing comprehensive and affordable solutions and to farmers across Vietnam to produce safe and hygienic food, while trying to minimise impacts on the environment. The company also helps guide, train and support smallholding owners to set up and run a sustainable business model that suit their needs and resources.

Mavin is in the Top Ten Agriculture Business in Vietnam and has won multiple awards over the years.

Starting as a small mill supplying livestock feed, their achievements didn’t happen overnight. It took a lot of learnings, and odds defying moments for David, including surviving the Covid-19 pandemic.

After 20 years in Vietnam he still makes time to talk to local farmers and authorities at different levels to understand their cultural identities, their needs and nurture personal business relationships - one of the most important lessons he learned in doing business in the country.

For a large company like Mavin, business planning and vision are key. Being a Vice President of AusCham in Hanoi and running the Agribusiness Working Group of the Vietnam Business Forum, he is in frequent dialogues with both governments of Australia and Vietnam to be in the know. These well-established networks also support efforts to remove roadblocks for businesses between the two countries.

David believes sustainability, innovation, service focus, contribution, and resilience are the main areas that reflect his perspective on the relationship between Australia and Vietnam.

He thinks that the key to longevity of a business is its principles.

It’s more than just making a profit, it’s about nurturing a sustainable business operation, the values you can contribute to the community but also tackling enivronmental issues and raising awareness around animal welfares.

In other words, it’s an agile and resilient business model that’s being socially responsible, transparent and inclusive while financially astute.

One of his next ambitions is to export to Europe, which means produce will need to meet stringent quality control and traceability.

Despite running a busy life, David still has his heart in education, the reason he came to Vietnam back in 2004. He is teaching at the Vietnam Custom School and is a guest lecturer at various universities in Hanoi.

Being efficient allows him to enjoy his life in Truc Bach (Tay Ho district, Hanoi, Vietnam), enjoying good food, seeing good friends or simply cooking a nice meal. He also likes walking or riding his bicycles to see Hanoi’s street life at a slower pace.