Cambodia Leadership Review
As Chief Executive Officer of CBVH Jewelry, Vanndy Imphan has spent nearly three decades helping shape one of Cambodia’s most respected luxury jewelry brands. Under her leadership, the family-founded business has grown into a nationally recognised name, built on exceptional craftsmanship, trusted customer relationships, and a commitment to preserving the artistry and heritage of Cambodian jewelry while embracing innovation and international standards.
Beyond business, Vanndy has become a respected voice on leadership, entrepreneurship, and personal development. Through mentoring initiatives and her leadership platform, she regularly shares insights on communication, mindset, mental well-being, and lifelong learning, encouraging the next generation of Cambodian professionals to lead with purpose, resilience, and integrity. Her leadership philosophy extends beyond commercial success, placing equal importance on people, culture, and creating lasting positive impact.
In this edition of CLR – 50 Khmer Women Voices 2026, Vanndy reflects on CBVH’s remarkable journey, the future of Cambodia’s luxury jewelry industry, and the evolving role of women in business. She shares her perspective on balancing heritage with innovation, building sustainable organisations, and why empowering future leaders through mentorship and continuous learning will be essential to Cambodia’s long-term success.
Preserving Cambodia’s Jewelry Heritage While Building a Global Brand
CLR: Over nearly three decades, you have helped transform CBVH from a family-run enterprise into one of Cambodia’s leading luxury jewelry brands. Looking back on that journey, what have been the defining moments, and how do you see Cambodia’s jewelry industry continuing to evolve?
Looking back at nearly three decades of CBVH’s journey, I feel deep gratitude and pride. Starting from a family business founded on a love for craftsmanship and integrity in serving customers, CBVH has grown by building on trust, quality, craftsmanship, and long-term commitment.
One of the key factors behind our success is maintaining authenticity and high standards of craftsmanship, while continuing to develop products, enhance customer experiences, and expand services closer to customers across the country. For me, success is not only about business growth—it is also about people’s growth, maintaining the trust of customers across generations, and contributing to raising the standards of Cambodia’s jewelry industry.
For the future, I strongly believe that Cambodia’s jewelry industry has tremendous potential. As customers become more informed and more attentive to authenticity, quality, product sources, ethical practices, and personalized experiences, technology will continue to change the way people discover and buy jewelry. However, craftsmanship and genuine human connection will remain valuable and essential.
I believe Cambodia can create its own identity on the global luxury jewelry stage by combining international standards with Cambodian heritage and artistry. For CBVH, we will continue to invest in innovation, technology, and human resources, while preserving the values that have guided us since day one.
For me, “luxury” does not simply mean beautiful jewelry. It means trust, craftsmanship, meaningful moments, and the legacy we can pass on to future generations.
Leadership, Innovation and Building Lasting Businesses
CLR: As Chief Executive Officer of CBVH, how do you approach leadership while balancing craftsmanship, innovation, customer expectations, and long-term business growth in an increasingly competitive luxury market?
For me, leadership means setting a clear vision and empowering the team to work together to turn that vision into reality. In the luxury jewelry industry, maintaining a balance between heritage, craftsmanship, innovation, and sustainable growth is a key success factor.
At CBVH, craftsmanship and quality are our identity and are non-negotiable. At the same time, we must listen to and understand evolving customer expectations, and continue to innovate in products, customer experience, services, and operations—without losing the core values of our brand.
For me, innovation is not only about using new technologies. It is about bold new thinking, continuous improvement, and creating better value for customers. In parallel, sustainable growth must be built on good governance, investing in people, strengthening customer trust, and making decisions with a long-term perspective.
I believe people are the business’s most valuable asset. Therefore, creating a culture of learning, collaboration, and staff development is an essential part of my leadership. When our people grow, customers gain better experience, and the business becomes stronger and more resilient.
With competition becoming more intense, I see it as an opportunity to raise our standards even further. Our ambition is to make CBVH not only one of Cambodia’s leading jewelry brands, but also a brand that represents Khmer craftsmanship, innovation, and Cambodia’s excellence on the regional and international stage.
Empowering Women Through Leadership and Entrepreneurship
CLR: More Cambodian women are stepping into leadership and entrepreneurship across a wide range of industries. From your own experience, what progress have you seen, and what opportunities remain for the next generation of women business leaders?
Over the past three decades, I have witnessed remarkable progress in the advancement of Cambodian women. Today, more women are assuming leadership positions, establishing and leading successful businesses, and making meaningful contributions across industries that were once predominantly male-dominated. This reflects not only the continued progress of our society, but also the growing confidence, capability, and resilience of Cambodian women.
From my experience, women bring many distinctive strengths to leadership, including empathy, patience, a collaborative mindset, and the ability to think strategically with a long-term perspective. At the same time, there is still significant opportunity to further empower women by improving access to capital, professional networks, mentorship, and leadership development programs. These resources are essential to helping women realize their full potential and accelerate their growth as leaders.
I firmly believe that women who have gained experience and achieved success have a responsibility to share their knowledge, support others, and create opportunities for the next generation. To aspiring women leaders, my message is simple: believe in your vision, remain committed to continuous learning, have the courage to make difficult decisions, and never allow the fear of failure to stand in the way of your ambitions.
I am optimistic about the future of Cambodia’s next generation of women leaders. I believe they will not only build successful businesses but also drive innovation, strengthen the nation’s competitiveness, and create meaningful, lasting impact for society and future generations.
Leading Beyond Business
CLR: Through your podcast and leadership platform, you regularly share insights on business, communication, positive mindset, and mental well-being. Why do you believe mentorship and personal development are becoming increasingly important for Cambodia’s future entrepreneurs and professionals?
I believe that success should not be measured solely by career achievements or financial results. It is equally defined by one’s mindset, values, and commitment to continuous learning and personal growth. For today’s entrepreneurs and professionals, who are navigating an increasingly fast-changing world, technical expertise alone is no longer enough. Strong communication skills, effective leadership, adaptability, mental resilience, and emotional intelligence have become essential qualities for long-term success.
This is why I believe mentorship is more valuable than ever. A great mentor does more than share knowledge and experience—they provide perspective, encouragement, and guidance. They help the next generation learn from challenges, grow through setbacks, and face uncertainty with greater confidence and resilience.
At the same time, personal development is a lifelong journey. As leaders, we must continually invest in ourselves by strengthening our self-awareness, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and positive mindset. Equally important is prioritizing mental well-being, as leaders with strong mental and emotional health are better equipped to lead themselves, support others, and navigate change with confidence and clarity.
My hope is that we can foster a culture in which experienced leaders willingly share their knowledge, mentor emerging talent, and inspire the next generation to grow. Learning should be embraced as a lifelong commitment. After all, leadership is not defined by one’s title or position, but by one’s character, actions, and the positive impact we create in the lives of others.
Advice for the Next Generation
CLR: Having built a successful career while promoting Cambodian craftsmanship on a broader stage, what advice would you give to young Cambodian women who aspire to become entrepreneurs, business leaders, and role models within their industries?
My first piece of advice to young Cambodian women is to believe in yourselves and never underestimate your potential. Success does not happen overnight. It is built through discipline, perseverance, continuous learning, and the ability to adapt to change while remaining true to your values.
I also encourage young women to lead with authenticity. You do not need to imitate others to achieve success. Genuine leadership is about earning trust, making thoughtful decisions, and inspiring others through your actions, character, and integrity.
Do not be afraid of failure, because failure is an essential part of growth. Embrace every challenge as a learning opportunity to strengthen your resilience, deepen your determination, and discover better ways to move forward.
Above all, I hope young Cambodian women will take pride in our culture, craftsmanship, and national identity. By combining creativity, innovation, and their unique talents, they have the opportunity to showcase Cambodia’s values and heritage on the global stage.
Finally, true success is not measured solely by what we achieve for ourselves, but by the opportunities we create for others. As we grow, we should lift others alongside us, leading with integrity, compassion, and a clear sense of purpose. I am confident that the next generation of Cambodian women will build a future that is stronger, more innovative, and more meaningful for generations to come.
