Payments Powerhouses: Joining Forces with Thomas Beurthey to Transform Transportation and Logistics

In this edition of our Payments Powerhouses series, we delve into how digital payments are impacting Vietnam’s transportation and logistics industry and look ahead to the future trends in Vietnam’s fintech.

Thomas Beurthey, founder and general manager of Dibee, oversees the company’s secure digital payment solutions. Before founding Dibee, Thomas served as CFO and general manager at Accor Services India. In 2009, he joined Edenred in Singapore as the Regional Business Development Director, assisting in the acquisition of Japan’s renowned meal voucher provider, Barclay Voucher.

In 2015, Thomas transferred to Vietnam to manage Edenred’s local branch. During his tenure, he launched Ticket Fleet Pro, integrating Vietnam’s fuel market with fleet management payments.

Established in Ho Chi Minh City in 2018, Dibee began as an integrated digital payment solution provider aimed at helping logistics companies manage fuel costs, reduce expenses, and optimize fleet management. With continuous development of innovative management solutions, the company quickly garnered praise and expanded rapidly.

In episode five of Payments Powerhouses podcast, Thomas shares how Dibee’s streamlined logistics management system further promotes Vietnam’s economic development.

Thomas, with a career spanning strategic planning, business expansion, and financial management across China, India, Australia, Singapore, and Vietnam, could you share your extensive experience?

Thomas: I grew up in France. After business school, I moved to India where I met the founder of Accor Services and began my career. My work varied from developing employee benefits and loyalty programs to solutions that enhance productivity and morale. However, most of my work involved launching operations or acquisitions in new countries.

Can you share some insights into the fuel market and fleet management industry? How does Dibee help them address their pain points?

For Vietnam, maintaining core competitiveness in logistics is key to success. Currently, Vietnam is at the forefront of international logistics competitiveness compared to other countries. Fuel costs account for 30-40% in this industry. Without effective control over fuel expenses, businesses face growth bottlenecks.

Our research revealed that most fuel bills in Vietnam were paid offline with cash or paper vouchers, often leading to fraud. We believed we could simplify processes and increase transparency to solve these headaches.

With e-commerce growth, there’s an inevitable surge in demand for fleets and logistics. How does Dibee assist in this process?

Firstly, we offer process digitization services. Most e-commerce companies rely on outsourced or internal logistics, generating vast amounts of data daily. We need robust digital processes for quick data exchange because everyone wants their purchases delivered swiftly.

Dibee helps companies digitize business processes, limit cash transactions, prevent fraud, and improve operational efficiency. Drivers no longer need to return to the office for cash or paper vouchers for reconciliation. Many banks still provide operational funds based on traditional credit ratings. We offer real data on corporate expenses to help businesses secure better financing solutions.

How were issues addressed before Dibee’s solutions? And now?

Previously at gas stations, accountants paid for fuel by signing vouchers. Sometimes drivers collected cash from the office before driving from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi for a week’s worth of tolls, fuel, and lodging expenses. Now with Dibee’s system, drivers don’t need to return to the office for new work orders. They receive electronic cash through Dibee’s app for fuel and travel expenses.

Currently, drivers’ wages remain low; sometimes they keep some cash meant for fueling—this phenomenon is gradually decreasing. We aim to increase business process transparency with our services.

We provide companies with tools to control and assess expenses to explore cost-saving opportunities. Companies adjust their compensation policies by setting behavioral or consumption targets. With verifiable data, companies can allocate saved funds as variable pay for drivers. Thus making business processes more transparent and controllable while improving relationships between drivers, fleet managers, and management teams.

How does Dibee contribute to Vietnam’s digital transformation?

Dibee focuses on transportation logistics and supply chain markets—key drivers of Vietnam’s economic growth and significant yet underdeveloped areas in digitalization. Dibee goes beyond fuel services to meet B2B enterprises’ diverse payment and service needs by targeting SMEs with untapped potential in digital transformation.

Are more consumers in Vietnam opting for digital payments over traditional cash transactions?

Indeed, there has been a significant shift over the past two years. In payments, more powerful startups are emerging. The government aims for 80% of Vietnamese people to use digital wallets within the next decade.

Challenges include rapidly changing laws; businesses must adapt quickly and capture policy directions—a tough task followed by building an industry ecosystem supported by sustainable business models. Given Vietnam’s market potential attracting many enterprises with substantial capital inflows could