This poses an urgent requirement for communicators in the financial sector: to break away from the conventional product-promotion framework. This is no longer a competition about products or transaction fees, but about how to build a brand with depth, communicate responsibly, and focus on sustainable customer experiences.
On this topic, Mr. Choi Yun Sun – Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of KB Securities Vietnam (KBSV) – commented that if positioned correctly, communication can become a strategic lever in shaping market perceptions. Rather than chasing short-term trends, KBSV chooses a different approach: placing financial education and ESG (Environmental – Social – Governance) principles at the center of its communication strategy. This is not to “convince” but to “nurture” long-term trust and understanding from investors.
Brand Experience (BX) Expert is a column by Novaon Digital in collaboration with experts from various brands, bringing practical analyses and brand-building strategies using a modern approach deeply connected to customers.
Hello Mr. Choi, in your opinion, how should the aspect of sustainable investing in communication strategy be understood – especially in the current Vietnamese market context?
From a financial management perspective, I believe sustainable investing is not just a long-term financial strategy but also a way for businesses to demonstrate brand identity through every market touchpoint, with communication playing a central role.
Mr. Choi Yun Sun’s perspective on sustainable investing
With changing investor behavior – especially among younger generations – businesses merely providing financial products is no longer enough. They want to understand the value behind the brand, feel its social responsibility, and experience consistent companionship through each message, platform, and communication channel.
Therefore, sustainable investing needs to be reflected consistently in communication strategy: from providing accurate financial knowledge, building an in-depth content ecosystem, to maintaining transparent, consistent dialogues with the investor community.
Instead of merely reacting to the market, we aim to lead perceptions. Communication, when oriented towards education and responsibility, can transform a fragmented investment journey into a profound brand experience capable of building long-term connection. This is how KBSV positions itself: not just as a financial institution but as a brand that plays a role in shaping a mature and sustainable investor community.
There is an opinion that “ESG is a core factor in the brand identity of the financial sector”. What is your view on this?
In recent years, ESG (Environmental – Social – Governance) factors have become an important part of many financial organizations’ development strategies. However, how ESG is communicated externally still often has a gap with internal realities. The biggest challenge is not about what is conveyed, but whether the communication truthfully and consistently reflects the actual values the organization is operating on.
For communicators in finance, ESG will not create differentiation if it only exists on strategic slides, press releases, or KPI sheets. Instead, it is the consistency from internal behaviors, governance policies, to how the brand advises and serves customers that builds trust. I believe ESG communication is not a campaign but a living manifestation of the values the organization is pursuing.
Mr. Choi Yun Sun’s perspective on ESG
A deep financial brand must be “felt” through every touchpoint: how customers are responded to, the attitude of advisors, transparency in reporting, and even the communication style on social media. When communication demonstrates alignment between internal values and external image, it is no longer just a tool to “push out messages” but becomes a “mirror” that naturally and sustainably reflects brand culture.
From your management experience, what is the role of financial education in today’s communication strategies?
Today, new investors are entering the market with a vast amount of information from multiple sources, but not all of it is of equal quality. If financial companies only provide trading tools, they are merely addressing the tip of the iceberg. What is lacking is a solid foundation of understanding to build analytical skills, identify problems, make decisions, and not be swayed by emotions or speculative psychology. In this context, the role of communicators in finance is not just to convey information but to guide perceptions through systematically and strategically built financial education content.
Mr. Choi Yun Sun’s perspective on financial education
Personally, I do not consider financial education as a “cost” but as a “strategic investment” in customers, market health, and the long-term value of the business itself. Communication is the extension that enables this investment to yield results.
When a financial brand acts as a “trusted guide” through educational communication, that is when the relationship between the business and the investor goes beyond mere transactions.
How can financial education activities not be viewed as supplementary, but become a pillar in the long-term strategy of financial firms, in your view?
This is a question that I think communicators in finance must first ask themselves. For a long time, financial education has been categorized as a supporting activity – not directly generating revenue and thus not prioritized in brand strategy. However, current market realities are proving otherwise.
With the rise of a new investor generation – younger, more independent, and demanding clearer practical experiences – educational communication is becoming a strategic factor. But to achieve this, financial firms must truly believe this is a “core value”, not just a social responsibility, but part of their brand positioning journey.
Communicators need to shift from dry delivery to creating a liberating content ecosystem: easy to understand, connected to real investment scenarios, inspiring, and empowering investors. Communication should not just say “we care about investors” but prove it every day through valuable, in-depth, and educationally guided content.
In your opinion, what is the most important criterion in communication strategy for a financial company to grow sustainably in the next five years?
In the next five years, revenue growth or product coverage will certainly remain important metrics. But from a brand perspective, the critical criterion – especially for communicators – is “trust”. In finance, where the line between opportunity and risk is thin, trust is not just an asset but the foundation for brands to develop long-term, regardless of market volatility.
For communicators, building trust cannot stop at saying the right thing at the right time or running trending campaigns. It is a continuous process requiring consistency in messaging, transparency in communication, and responsibility in every content activity. There needs to be a shift from “communicating to sell” to “communicating to support the investment journey”. Each touchpoint must create a sense of security and companionship for investors.
Mr. Choi Yun Sun’s perspective on the key factor for communication development
Today’s communicators, if they truly want their financial brands to grow sustainably, must see communication as a strategy to build trust – not just a tool to handle situations.
What expectations do new-generation investors have of responsible businesses?
The new generation of investors is demanding more from businesses. They are not just seeking profits but want to be accompanied by transparent, responsible financial organizations with long-term vision. This poses a new challenge for financial communicators: How can brand messages reflect true values, not just strategic words?
Today’s communication must shape the image of a responsible brand through every content piece, platform, and interaction. Brands that only sell products will soon lose ground to those building investment ecosystems – where information is clear, advice is ethical, and the investment journey is genuinely supported. For these new investors, “authentic” experiences and sustainable development commitments are not additional values but brand selection standards.
Mr. Choi Yun Sun’s perspective on future market direction
At KBSV, we integrate ESG principles directly into our brand communication system: from disseminating knowledge through the KB Academy program, building user-friendly digital platforms, to producing content that enhances personal financial capability. Each communication campaign aims to nurture sustainable investing behavior – not through slogans, but through real experiences.
In finance, where products are increasingly similar and technology can be easily replicated, brand value is defined not by what a business owns, but by how it treats investors. Ultimately, what communicators need to build is not just a good product, but a deep enough journey for investors to feel they are growing with the business.
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Expert commentary – Novaon Digital
In the context of a financial sector transforming strongly with a younger investor base and rising expectations for brand responsibility, Mr. Choi Yun Sun’s sharing is a profound, practical summary with long-term strategic value for communicators.
From redefining communication as not just a sales tool but a “perception guide”, to integrating financial education and ESG as strategic pillars – Mr. Choi shows us that building a financial brand today is a vibrant and deeply responsible journey.
What is particularly noteworthy is his emphasis on consistency between internal and external – a core principle in modern financial branding often overlooked. Mr. Choi does not talk about communication in technical terms, but as a cultural capability – something shown through every behavior, interaction, and piece of content, however small.
For Novaon, this was not merely an interview but a strategic dialogue. These insights will inspire Vietnam’s financial communication community to shift their mindset – from short-term to long-term, from execution to creation, from content to value systems. Ultimately, a sustainable brand does not lie in what we say, but in how we live and communicate what is right.
Source: Brandsvietnam
