Harvey Nash, the global IT outsourcing and professional recruitment company, has announced plans for a new Tech Hub enabling collaboration between UK and Vietnamese technology companies.

The news has been welcomed by both the British and Vietnamese Prime Ministers.

Harvey Nash, in partnership with the UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), intends to facilitate the establishment of new networks in ASEAN (nations in Southeast Asia) through the launch of the Tech Hub virtual network.

The Prime Minister’s office made the following announcement during the Mr Cameron’s recent visit to Vietnam: “Both Prime Ministers welcomed the announcement by Harvey Nash, the largest foreign investor in the Vietnamese technology sector, that it would launch a UK-Vietnam Tech Hub this year to facilitate dialogue and potential collaboration between Vietnamese and British companies, with strong political support from the UK government.”

This new digital platform will serve as a unique environment for UK tech enterprises to meet, share best practice, and collaborate with partners from the ASEAN’s dynamic technology sector, helping to unlock millions of pounds of value through the development of new technologies. Harvey Nash plans to create and launch the pilot platform in Vietnam in the coming months, with the ambition to extend the initiative to engage other ASEAN countries.

Paul Smith, Chairman of NashTech, a division of the Harvey Nash Group commented: “As one of the largest technology companies in Vietnam, Harvey Nash believes it is important to lead the way and build on the technology industry’s entrepreneurial drive. By developing a new platform that supports and encourages links between the UK and ASEAN, we believe the technology communities will find many new ways to interact, trade, and innovate.”

“The development of Tech Hub, which is supported by Lord Francis Maude, UK Minister of State for Trade and Investment, will significantly increase the export of services from Vietnam over the next two years, bringing valuable new jobs for the ICT and consulting industry and bringing new skill sets and experience to the workforce.”

Vietnam presents a huge investment opportunity, as the second most popular investment destination in Asia Pacific behind China; with foreign direct investment projects more than doubling last year, according to fDi Markets.

Harvey Nash first invested in Vietnam over fifteen years ago, and is now the largest foreign investor within the Vietnamese technology sector having built one of the leading technology and BPO businesses in the country.