Dezan Shira & Associates Vietnam Welcomes New CanCham Vietnam Executive Director

We had the pleasure of welcoming Mara Hurst, the newly appointed Executive Director of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (CanCham Vietnam), along with CanCham Administrative Executive Tu Anh Tri, to our Ho Chi Minh City office.

Mara brings with her a wealth of experience in managing organizations and events across Asia and North America and is no stranger to Vietnam, having lived in Ho Chi Minh City for many years. In the initial weeks of her tenure, Mara is already shaping CanCham’s strategic direction with a forward-looking vision: to engage Canadian investors before they arrive in Vietnam and to collaborate more closely with Canadian provincial offices on the ground to educate, connect, and attract investment to Vietnam.

Vivie Wei, Country Director of Dezan Shira & Associates Vietnam, and Marketing Lead Julia Goeb introduced Mara to the firm’s activities for Canadian government organizations and investors in Vietnam. “In the past two years, we’ve seen a growing number of Canadian investors in Vietnam, and a good number of them were supported in their FDI setup by our team. I am also very proud that we are on the radar of Canadian government institutions here in Vietnam. Minding that Canadian investors value reliability and clarity before risking investments, I am grateful for the trust we’ve been given from Canadian investors so far, and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce has been an outstanding partner.”

And Canadian presence in Vietnam is indeed growing—not only since the US tariff uncertainties began in April 2025. In 2024, bilateral trade reached US$14 billion, surpassing pre-pandemic levels and reflecting the strong momentum across various sectors. Vietnam’s exports to Canada notably exceeded US$10.6 billion, marking an 8.2% increase compared to the previous year and the first time exports have surpassed the US$10 billion threshold.

The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) has played a significant role in this growth, with Vietnam’s export turnover to Canada soaring by almost 60%, from US$3.8 billion in 2018 to over US$9 billion in 2023. Under the CPTPP, both countries enjoy duty-free access for traded goods, fostering favorable conditions for bilateral trade. Canada has abolished tariffs on 94% of tariff lines for Vietnamese imports, reciprocated by Vietnam eliminating tariffs on roughly 66% of tariff lines for Canadian imports.

We extend our sincere thanks to Mara Hurst and Tu Anh Tri for their visit and the engaging exchange of insights and priorities.

Our team remains committed to providing tailored, strategic support to Canadian investors, SMEs, and multinational corporations seeking to unlock opportunities in Vietnam and beyond. We look forward to deepening our collaboration with CanCham Vietnam and other Canadian stakeholders to further empower businesses on their international growth journey.

Further Reading:

• An Overview of Canadian Investments in ASEAN: Key Sectors and Strategies
• Vietnam and Canada Trade: Leveraging the CPTPP
• Vietnam-Canada Trade Future Post-Trudeau: Navigating Key Dynamics