Vietnam’s Energy Policy: Key Updates and Strategic Directions

Sean Conaty is a project finance and M&A lawyer. He advises clients (including sponsors, borrowers, lenders and governments) on the development, financing, acquisition, and divestiture of greenfield and brownfield energy and infrastructure projects. His practice has a particular focus on cross-border investments into Southeast Asia.

Sean has over two decades of experience and an extensive track record of leading teams on some of the region's largest and most complex "first-of-a-kind" landmark projects, including in the areas of renewable energy (solar, onshore and offshore wind, geothermal, hydro), thermal power (including gas-to-power and LNG-to-power), waste-to-energy, LNG, airports, seaports, and water treatment facilities. His expertise spans project development work (including structuring and negotiating concession, offtake, and other project agreements) through to project financing (including structuring and negotiating multi-source financings involving MLAs, ECAs, and other financial institutions). He is ranked by leading directories including Chambers and IFLR.

Bang is a partner with more than 20 years of professional legal experience. He joined the Ho Chi Minh City Office in 2010, and was the first Vietnamese lawyer to join Nishimura & Asahi; his experience spans a wide range of matters, including a diverse selection of notable, complex projects and disputes. Bang specializes in dispute resolution, inbound investments, corporate & commercial matters, M&A, banking, real estate & construction, and labor. He also has significant experience advising on international trade, unfair competition, securities, capital markets transactions, project financing transactions, infrastructure projects, and energy projects. Prior to joining the firm, Bang gained advisory experience working at law firms and  for multinational corporations. He is a regular contributor to numerous legal magazines, and has participated actively in the training of law students and legal practitioners as a part-time lecturer in Vietnam since 2009. Bang is also a regular speaker at seminars and events organized by professional legal institutions and organizations.

Bang graduated from Hanoi University of Law in 2001 and earned an LL.M. in International Law from the Transnational Law & Business University in Seoul, Korea, in 2006. He later completed an LL.M. in U.S. Law at Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University in Virginia, and an LL.M. in International Business Law and U.S. Law from Northeastern University School of Law in 2024. In 2025, he obtained a Ph.D. in International Relations from Selinus University of Sciences and Literature. He currently is pursuing Ph.D. programs in International Law and Business in the United States.

Chambers and Partners has recognized Bang as a leading lawyer in M&A and Real Estate. He is a CiArb-accredited mediator, a listed arbitrator of  the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre, and a member of the Ho Chi Minh Bar and the Vietnam Bar Federation. He is fluent in English and Vietnamese.

Nghia has substantial experience as both in-house and outside counsel, and has worked at a leading law firm and a multinational investment fund in Vietnam. He joined Nishimura & Asahi in 2013, providing legal advice to numerous domestic and multinational clients, including Vietnamese and Japanese corporations, with a focus on M&A, Real Estate, Construction, Infrastructure and PPP, and Energy in Vietnam. He works closely with clients’ business and legal teams to implement innovative solutions to legal challenges.
In addition to his advisory work, he frequently contributes his knowledge of different focus areas to publications, media, and speaking engagements. He has demonstrated his commitment to mentorship and community outreach through his active participation in pro bono work and numerous internal committees during his tenure.