Nguyễn Thị Kim Oanh

From Vietnam's first Miss Athletic to pioneering modern Vietnamese cuisine restaurant chains

Notable Quotes

“Reputation, responsibility, and commitment are the three values that I hold dearly and apply to both my work and my personal life.”
Source: Vietcetera

“For me, expertise is only a tool; to be able to stay together and work for a long time, we need to share the same values.”
Source: Vietcetera

“If you're a leader, then you have to take responsibility in any circumstances.”
Source: Vietcetera

Advice

Reputation is everything

Only when you fully commit to your promises can you feel their weight on your reputation and success.

F&B leaders must understand the product

Not just strategy — you need deep knowledge of the food, ingredients, and processes.

Share values, not just work

"Expertise is only a tool; to go far together, you need to share the same values."

Key Highlights

✓Vietnam's first Miss Athletic (1993)
✓Founded Wrap & Roll (2006) — pioneered modern Vietnamese cuisine chains
✓Raised $6.9M from Mekong Enterprise Fund III (2016)
✓Represented Asian female entrepreneurs at Ernst & Young Winning Women international forum

Biography

Nguyễn Thị Kim Oanh was born in 1975 in Hải Phòng and was crowned Vietnam's first Miss Athletic in 1993. She spent 7 years helping her husband build Sudest Production — one of Vietnam's first private film production companies. In 2006, she founded Wrap & Roll — a pioneering chain that brought traditional Vietnamese spring rolls into a modern restaurant format. After 10 years: 12 stores in Hanoi and HCMC, 4 franchise locations in Singapore, and $6.9 million investment from Mekong Enterprise Fund III. She represented Asian female entrepreneurs at Ernst & Young Winning Women. Her philosophy: "Reputation, responsibility, and commitment — expertise is only a tool; what holds a team together long-term is sharing the same values."