Trương Văn Bền was born in in Cholon in a family originating from Fúzhōu (福州) in the Fujian province. He played a major role in the industrial development of southern Vietnam. From 1918, he managed several oil factories handling around 1,500 tons of coprah per month, to which he added in 1932 the famous “Cô Ba” soap, the first Vietnamese soap factory producing about 600 tons of soap per month that made his fortune. He also estalbished two mechanical rice mill factories. A member of the Chamber of Commerce since 1920, he became Vice-President from 1932 to 1941. He was also member of the Chamber of Agriculture from 1922; member of the Grand Council of Economic and Financial Interests of Indochina since 1929; member of the Board of Directors of the Commercial Port of Saigon from 1924; member of the Board of Directors of the Indochinese Office of Rice since its formation, President of the Agricultural Union and the Agricultural Credit Union of Cholon from 1932. Finally, he was member of the Board of Industrial Production created in 1941. After 1948, Trương Văn Bền left Vietnam to Paris. He became a member of the International Chamber of Commerce and traveled around the world. He died in 1956.