about laban
The name Laban comes from the Vietnamese word la bàn, meaning compass—a tool that represents direction, adaptability, and perseverance. A compass doesn’t provide a detailed map, but it points the way. Much like how a vision points the way for nations, companies, and individuals. And to successfully realize a vision, in business and in life, it often comes down to the same principles: evaluating risks, setting a course, adapting, and pushing forward.
At Laban Strategies, our vision is to be a strategic partner to Vietnam as it pivots from input-driven growth to innovation-driven growth. And much like Vietnam’s ambition of becoming a high-income country by 2045, this vision guides every decision, shaping the steps we take and the strategy we build.
We aim to partner with companies that share a similar strength of conviction in their vision. We assess the direction and strategy being pursued and provide services to help refine and accelerate the path forward. For knowledge-driven businesses, human capital is the force that determines speed and success. We work with companies to evaluate where their human capital stands today and how it can be developed to allow the organization to move faster, with greater agility and precision.
NOTE FROM THE FOUNDER
Trusting in a vision, adapting, and persevering aren’t just ideas I admire—they’re principles I’ve lived by throughout my career. At every crossroads, I’ve made decisions that weren’t always linear but always purposeful, following the direction I knew I needed to go. Naturally, this has taken my career in unexpected yet meaningful directions. Each step—across finance, strategy, business development, and education—has been an opportunity to sharpen skills, broaden perspectives, and refine decision-making. This continuous practice of thinking critically, planning strategically, and navigating complex global business environments has given me the experience to help others do the same—so they can anticipate challenges, make better decisions, and create tangible value in their own careers and organizations.
Trevor Fine, CFA
Why Vietnam?
Vietnam sits atop a hotbed of economic growth in Southeast Asia. It has as much or more growth potential looking forward, than it does the robust growth it has already experienced in its rear. Yet economic growth is not guaranteed. The middle-income trap weighs heavy for any nation that lifts itself out of low-income status. Eventually, the same growth drivers that allow a nation to emerge from low-income to middle-income, become insufficient, while the country fails to develop new engines of innovation, productivity, and high-value industries.
However, Vietnam’s leadership has shown a clear commitment to long-term economic development, investing in infrastructure, human capital, and high-value industries. Unlike other nations that have struggled to escape the middle-income trap, Vietnam possesses both the ambition and the structural discipline to chart a different course.
It recognizes that achieving high-income status will require a shift from input-driven to innovation-driven growth. At the heart of that transition is human capital—the engine that powers knowledge-driven industries and accelerates progress. At Laban Strategies, we understand the scale of this challenge, and we also understand the vision guiding it. Our role is not to influence the direction, but to help sharpen the skills and strategic thinking necessary to reach the destination. By equipping professionals with the critical capabilities required in a high-value economy, we contribute—however small—to a much larger ambition.