Lai Hong Toan

Scholar background

Toan started his journey with Suntory Pepsico, the current leader in the Vietnam beverage market, as a Management Trainee and was later promoted to the role of Purchasing Executive. He has overseen developing standard operating procedures and monitoring global control standards for more than three years.

In 2020, he received the Best Employee Award from the Procurement Department which led to his being promoted into his current role. Toan is responsible for developing sourcing strategies, overseeing risk management, and managing end-to-end transactions to ensure productivity and availability of raw materials.

Toan earned a bachelor’s degree in International Business Economics at Vietnam Foreign Trade University in 2015, and his Master of Global Trade at RMIT University through the Hinrich Global Trade Leader Scholarship Program in 2023.

Personal statement

As a Purchasing Manager, specializing in Agricultural Commodities, I have realized the value of global trade in boosting the efficiency and productivity of a company’s supply chain. With the rising uncertainties and ambiguities in the context of the global pandemic, strong integration between Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam and the worldwide markets is of greater importance than ever before.

This awareness has driven me to find a way to raise myself to the next level in my current role and the Master of Global Trade with Hinrich Foundation perfectly matches with my aspiration to become an efficient leader in the F&B industry as well as the worldwide value chains. The program curriculum, with cross-cultural negotiations, international logistics as well as business operation management and leadership, is the ideal choice for strengthening my business acumen and developing an in-depth understanding of trade agreements, duties and market intelligence related to global trade. I will be able to directly apply learned knowledge to grow faster not only in the productivity of raw material import activities but also in automation projects and sustainability goals of Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam. By working under the guidance of distinguished faculty, I shall certainly be able to leverage on my potential to the fullest.

The unique and dynamic community of the Hinrich Foundation strengthens my resolve to join the Master of Global Trade program. I am confident that the intellectual and diverse environment there will be one of the key factors to build up myself as a world supply chain leader contributing at the fullest to sustainability of global trade.