KPMG intern immerses herself dynamic Viet Nam

Beth and colleagues eating a lunch of bánh canh (a type of noodle soup) on the first day of her internship

I've always been drawn to the energy of big cities, so I felt incredibly fortunate to live in one with over 10 million people. When I told my coworkers at KPMG Viet Nam that this city’s population was almost double that of New Zealand’s entire population, they were shocked!

My connection to Viet Nam began in 2018 when I travelled through Southeast Asia with my family, starting in Hanoi and ending in Bangkok.

The vibrant culture left a lasting impression, and I knew I wanted to return and experience life in Viet Nam more deeply.

During my internship, I lived in District 4, with my fellow Foundation intern, Karlos, and immersed myself in the pulse of the city.

One thing that surprised me was just how young the population is in Viet Nam—I was surrounded by people my age; even within KPMG Vietnam, most of my coworkers were in their 20s and early 30s.

With so many young people around, Ho Chi Minh City remains open very late. When I worked in Auckland cafes, we closed our coffee machine around 2:30 pm, but in Viet Nam, you can still get coffee at 11pm, and some shops never close.

At night, cafes were full of young people socialising or studying. In big, densely populated cities, people often live in close quarters with their families, so, having third spaces away from work or home to hang out in is crucial to youth culture in Viet Nam. 

I had learned about fast-growing Asian economies throughout my economics studies – but having the opportunity to work as a part of one provided me with invaluable knowledge I could never have gained in an academic setting.

I joined the strategy group under the deal advisory division. The team was very welcoming and got me involved in a range of interesting projects.

Beth (back row) with the strategy team and team mentors

The strategy group deals mainly with companies wanting to enter the Vietnamese market. This meant I got to work on projects across multiple industries, including electric vehicles, retail, and healthcare.

I particularly enjoyed the healthcare projects I was involved with. For one of them, I got to join some team members in visiting industry stakeholders’ offices to conduct interviews. I even briefly presented to a client, which I would have been terrified of doing even a year ago. 

Karlos and I were lucky enough to meet over coffee with Warrick Cleine, the CEO of KPMG Vietnam and Cambodia.

Warrick oversaw the transition of Ho Chi Minh City from its post-war recovery to an economic hub.

Hearing his account of how Viet Nam’s business environment has rapidly developed since his arrival was fascinating.

Beth and Karlos (right) with Asia New Zealand Foundation Honorary Adviser Warrick Cleine

Karlos and I were fortunate to meet many other interns from various teams and divisions at KPMG Vietnam. This provided us with insight into what it was like working in different teams 

Living in New Zealand, I had always considered myself a devout fan of Vietnamese cuisine. However, I quickly realised that what we have available in New Zealand is only a tiny selection of Vietnamese dishes.

My team introduced me to various foods I had never tried before. Their collective favourite lunch spot was a shop that served bánh canh, crab noodle soup.

My friend from the mergers and acquisitions team introduced me to Vietnamese-style Milo.

Having thought this was a strictly antipodean beverage, I was surprised to learn of its popularity in Southeast Asia.

Unlike New Zealand milo, I definitely couldn’t drink this for breakfast – it’s more of a dessert. I ordered one topped with bánh flan (Vietnamese crème caramel) and felt like I overdid it. 

Beth: "My team introduced me to various foods I had never tried before."

Gift-giving and sharing food are important Vietnamese customs.

One of my favourite parts of Vietnamese culture is nhậu, where friends and family sit around a table and share food and drinks, usually for hours on end!

I was in Viet Nam over the Tết holiday (Lunar New Year), a favourite time of year for many Vietnamese people.

KPMG gave us li xì: red envelopes containing lucky money for the new year!

After the break, some of my coworkers returned with snacks from their hometowns. This was common when anyone went away.

My favourite was when my coworker brought us dried strawberries from the mountainous alpine city, Đà Lạt.

If you get the opportunity to participate in one of the Asia New Zealand Foundation internships, I highly recommend bringing snacks from home to share with your team. I brought Tim Tams and Whitakers chocolate, which had some of my coworkers asking when I would be able to get more! 

During Tết and weekends, Karlos and I managed to fit in a few trips to other regions of Viet Nam.

I was amazed by the incredible range of landscapes. For example, Karlos and I went to Nha Trang, a beach town, with a friend from the customer and operations team. Only a couple weeks later we were in Ha Giang in the far north of Viet Nam in single digit temperatures! 

Beth and Karlos visiting Lung Cu Flag Tower in Ha Giang, northern Viet Nam

This internship was an invaluable experience for me to develop my understanding of Vietnamese culture and an Asian business ecosystem.

On a broader level, Viet Nam and New Zealand have the potential to forge an even stronger trade relationship, so forming business connections across borders is critical. This has already been recognised by New Zealand’s prime minister who visited Viet Nam earlier this year.

For anyone who is set to undertake the KPMG Vietnam internship, I strongly recommend pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. Whether this is practising your Vietnamese at markets or attending networking events – take this as an opportunity to grow both your professional and soft skills. 

The Foundation's Business Programme supports New Zealand companies to better understand Asia so they can make the most of opportunities in the region. It also supports to grow the next generation of Asia-savvy business leaders.

Our internship programme helps interns build a better understanding of the people, place and culture of their Asian host country, while developing industry-specific skills that will benefit them as they progress in their careers.