Go-Viet CEO leaves the company

Go-Jek has announced that Duc Nguyen, CEO of its Vietnam unit Go-Viet, is moving to an advisory role within the wider company. Go-Viet’s chief growth officer (CGO) Linh Nguyen will also become an advisor.

The news comes after reports last week that Duc and Linh had quit their executive positions at Go-Viet and were asking Go-Jek for compensation.

Photo credit: Go-Jek

Citing two sources familiar with the company, DealStreetAsia reported last Friday that Duc and Linh had resigned and were demanding around US$800,000 compensation from Go-Jek.

In its report, the news site said that Go-Viet’s drivers were unhappy after the company tightened its policies around driver rewards over the past month, and had increased its cut of drivers’ earnings to 20% per ride.

However, a Go-Viet spokesperson told DealStreetAsia that its article was “factually incorrect,” though “some management changes are indeed underway at Go-Viet.”

In a statement released after the story was published, Go-Jek said that Duc “will be assuming a broader role as an advisor to Go-Viet and [its] strategic partner Go-Jek,” as will Linh. Both will continue to be based in Vietnam.

“We have had great success here in Vietnam and I hope to build on that success. I am excited to take on this new strategic role as we continue our expansion,” Duc said in the statement.

DealStreetAsia has since amended its article to reflect the announcement.

While it wasn’t immediately clear if Duc and Linh will be replaced as CEO and CGO, respectively, Go-Jek said that Go-Viet’s “existing management will continue to be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company.”

Go-Viet’s chief operations officer Duc Phung said, “I am very excited as Go-Viet enters this new phase of leadership […] We will continue to work closely with Duc and Linh as they enter their new roles.”

Tip-offs

Tech in Asia previously reached out to Hung Vo, who was Go-Viet’s chief marketing officer between August 2018 and January this year, after we received tip-offs that some execs had quit over unpaid salaries.

Hung told us that he resigned from Go-Viet to make a career move, and had handed Duc his notice in November last year to ensure more than two months’ time to complete his work on Go-Viet’s 2019 marketing strategy and new product launch plans.

“I’m highly surprised with the info [you received],” he told Tech in Asia regarding his rumored departure. “In six months there we have enjoyed extraordinary growth [and] significant achievements coming from the great collaboration of an ambitious local management team.”