Jimmy Pham

Born in 1972 in Vietnam and immigrated to Australia with his family at a young age, Jimmy Pham always carried with him memories of his homeland - a place where he never spent his entire childhood, but was deeply attached to with affection and responsibility. In 1996, the first time he had the opportunity to visit Vietnam, he accidentally came across homeless children on the streets of Saigon. He helped them have a clean place to bathe and feed them. When asked what they needed most, the answer made him feel troubled: “We need skills to find stable jobs”. From that moment, Jimmy set a long-term goal: to return to Vietnam to change the lives of disadvantaged youth.

Three years later, that vision was realized with the launch of KOTO in Hanoi. KOTO stands for “Know One, Teach One”, implying that knowledge should be shared. Starting as a small sandwich shop with its first nine students, KOTO quickly grew into a pioneering social enterprise model, creating a huge impact in Vietnam.

After more than two decades of operation, KOTO has successfully trained about 1,500 disadvantaged youth. The success of this model is demonstrated by impressive figures: 100% of KOTO graduates are employed, of which 33% hold management positions and 78% have been able to contribute financially to their families. About 20 outstanding young people have continued their education in Australia through scholarship programs coordinated by KOTO and its partners.

With his tireless contributions, Jimmy Pham has received many prestigious international titles, including Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2011 and Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2013. Currently, he is also actively involved in the role of Vice President of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (Auscham), contributing to promoting business connection activities between the two countries.

Most recently, the ST25 by KOTO restaurant brand affirmed its culinary position when it was honored in the “Best 100 Restaurants” at the Tatler Best Awards 2025.