“In today's competitive economic climate, it is vital for the world's leading organisations and businesses to be driven by those that have the experience and expertise to launch them to new heights. Moreover, the events of the last couple of years have put today’s business leaders, and their roles, into greater clarity – with the very best finding new ways to overcome the challenges presented by the pandemic,” said the C-Suite Awards organisers.

Fabien Sanchez, Home Credit Vietnam's Chief Of Risk

Sanchez, a French national, joined Home Credit Vietnam as CRO in mid-2020. Starting his career as a risk manager at a consumer finance company in Paris in 2003, Sanchez continued to advance his career in Argentina, Germany, and later back in France.

In 2014, he joined a newly established joint venture bank in Spain, in charge of risk management and operations. He then took a CRO role at a joint venture between a car maker and two Chinese banks, specialising in corporate finance and auto retail.

“I believe that cultural and environmental diversity, along with nearly 20 years of experience working in different countries, help me gain a more balanced approach to risk management. I always consider the ultimate benefits of the company as the main driver for my decisions,” said Sanchez.

Risk team at Home Credit Vietnam

However, Sanchez said that when new initiatives or opportunities arise, his first thoughts are for his customers. “I always ask myself if that is what the client wants, whether our documents are simple and transparent enough to make sure our customers fully understand their contractual obligations, and the after-sale when the contract is signed”, he explained.

He noted that outcomes and goals are often ambitious, but adequate resources must also be offered to ensure the commitment of all parties and quality implementation.

Like other industries, consumer finance is going through a deep transformation of its business model, from in-person to online. In Vietnam, new competitors with different business models to meet customers’ desires, as well as emerging fintech firms, have brought Home Credit many challenges.

Since entering the Vietnamese market in 2008, Home Credit has built a network of 9,000 retail outlets across 63 provinces and cities, serving 13 million customers. Many of them are repeat customers or have introduced the firm’s services to relatives and friends.

One of the factors making Home Credit the ‘Most Desired Brand’ in the last two years (report by IPSOS), Sanchez explains, is trust and confidence, which builds loyal customers. Companies that grow too fast often forget about customer service. Sanchez said that Home Credit always promotes the relationship from both sides and sustains the highest quality services to retain customers.

He concluded that the success of a business is based on three main pillars: customers, partners, and talents. Thanks to those three core factors, Home Credit has had a faster digital transformation, changing the perception of employees to “follow and meet the expectations of customers and partners.”

Sanchez with his son.

Sanchez is a lover of tennis. He said the sport has helped forge his good qualities.

“When I was younger, I played tennis more often than I do now. Whenever I complained that it was windy, or that it was too hot or cold, the coach would say that the opponent was in the same condition. So take advantage of those things to benefit yourself."