Meet coronavirus victim Tien Nguyen – Vietnam’s richest heiress – who fled London in a US$360,000 chartered plane
Tien Nguyen – the 24-year-old daughter of Vietnamese billionaire Johnathan Hanh Nguyen, chairman of Imex Pan Pacific Group (IPPG) – has reportedly tested positive for Covid-19.
This is the third high-profile celebrity case in Vietnam after socialite sisters Nga Nguyen and Nguyen Hong Nhung, who has reportedly contracted the virus after fashion trips to Milan, Paris and London. Tien and Nga are reported to have met in London, according to Chinese media reports from China.com.
The news was broken by Vietnamese journalist Le Nguyen Huong Tra, according to Canadian Vietnamese newspaper Thoi Bao. It’s understood Tien visited doctors in London in early March after recurring coughing symptoms. Her father arranged a charter jet to transfer her back to Ho Chi Minh City – a 13-hour journey which would typically cost US$360,000, according to Vietnamese press – where she was confirmed positive for Covid-19.
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Here are a few things to know about the Vietnamese heiress.
Tien’s family is a luxury powerhouse in Vietnam, nominated for Vietnam's Top 20 Business Families list by Forbes Vietnam. The company chaired by her father is an official distributor of high-end brands including Burberry, Armani, Bulgari, Bally and Versace, as well as spirits labels ranging from Belvedere, Dom Pérignon, Louis XIII and Hennessy. Its sales account for 40 per cent of the nation’s luxury market. The enterprise is also a leading force in food chains, coffee shops and real estate.
Her mother Le Hong Thuy Tien, aged 45 – 21 years younger than her husband – is the second wife of Johnathan Hanh Nguyen. She was a famous actress in Vietnam and is now a successful businesswoman, acting as CEO of the family company. The couple led the company in achieving over US$1 billion revenue in 2017, and is undeniably Vietnam’s most powerful luxury player.
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Tien, often recognised as Vietnam’s richest heiress, emerged as an influencer thank to her fabulous look and prestigious background. She travelled to fashion capitals frequently, sporting the newest designs and vacationing worldwide at high-end resorts – documenting her extravagant lifestyle on social media, including on her Instagram page, which boasts 175,000 followers and counting.
A regular at fashion and luxury watch parties, Tien was spotted at Chanel’s fashion show last March, and was photographed with Giorgio Armani after his show. She has also been spotted in a photo with David Beckham at a Tudor event.
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Following socialite sisters Nga Nguyen and Nguyen Hong Nhung, Tien – whose family’s business empire is the official distributor of high-end brands including Burberry, Armani, Bulgari, Bally and Versace – is the third Vietnamese celebrity to test positive for Covid-19