Latest Profiles
Malsa Shiyam: Growing through hospitality, leading through award-winning service
For Aminath Malsa Shiyam, Assistant Guest Relations Manager at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, hospitality has been a journey shaped by work, learning and people. Her recognition as Concierge / Guest Service Personality of the Year at the Hotelier Maldives Awards 2026 marks a point in a career that began with an internship and has […]
Mohamed Idhaadh leads technology operations at Madifushi Private Island
Madifushi Private Island has recognised the contribution of its IT Manager, Mohamed Idhaadh, whose experience in information technology continues to support the resort’s digital infrastructure and daily operations. Idhaadh joined Madifushi Private Island in January 2025, bringing more than 14 years of experience in the Maldivian hospitality industry. During his career, he has held technology […]
Where play shapes the journey: Krakengiri Kids’ Club’s award-winning approach at Hilton Maldives Amingiri
At a resort, a children’s club is often viewed as one part of a wider guest programme. For families, however, it can influence the rhythm of the entire stay. It determines whether children feel settled, whether parents feel comfortable spending time apart and, in many cases, whether a family chooses to return. At Hilton Maldives […]
Beyond operations: Harish Nair on shaping the soul of RAH GILI and DON MAAGA MALDIVES
For Harish Nair, the next chapter of his hospitality career is not simply about opening or operating resorts. It is about helping two Maldivian islands develop distinct identities, building teams that understand the emotional purpose of service and creating places that remain in guests’ memories long after their departure. As Cluster General Manager of SIX […]
In conversation with Chef Tipa: Bringing southern Thai flavours to Maldives
For a limited time, Saffron Maldives at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru invites guests on a culinary journey through the rich flavours of Southern Thailand, till 17 July 2026. Guided by Chef Tipaporn Phianthong (Chef Tipa), Head Chef of Saffron, Banyan Group, the exclusive menu showcases authentic regional recipes thoughtfully reimagined with selected locally sourced ingredients from […]
Fathimath Umar: Shaping Maldivian hospitality through food, teaching and leadership
In every industry, there are professionals whose careers extend beyond their own job titles. They help build people, raise standards and widen the path for those who come after them. In Maldivian hospitality, Fathimath Umar is one of those figures. Known to many across the industry as Chef Fathun, she has spent decades contributing to […]
Advertisement
Advertisement
Interviews
Malsa Shiyam: Growing through hospitality, leading through award-winning service
For Aminath Malsa Shiyam, Assistant Guest Relations Manager at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, hospitality has been a journey shaped by work, learning and people. Her recognition as Concierge / Guest Service Personality of the Year at the Hotelier Maldives Awards 2026 marks a point in a career that began with an internship and has […]
Where play shapes the journey: Krakengiri Kids’ Club’s award-winning approach at Hilton Maldives Amingiri
At a resort, a children’s club is often viewed as one part of a wider guest programme. For families, however, it can influence the rhythm of the entire stay. It determines whether children feel settled, whether parents feel comfortable spending time apart and, in many cases, whether a family chooses to return. At Hilton Maldives […]
Beyond operations: Harish Nair on shaping the soul of RAH GILI and DON MAAGA MALDIVES
For Harish Nair, the next chapter of his hospitality career is not simply about opening or operating resorts. It is about helping two Maldivian islands develop distinct identities, building teams that understand the emotional purpose of service and creating places that remain in guests’ memories long after their departure. As Cluster General Manager of SIX […]
In conversation with Chef Tipa: Bringing southern Thai flavours to Maldives
For a limited time, Saffron Maldives at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru invites guests on a culinary journey through the rich flavours of Southern Thailand, till 17 July 2026. Guided by Chef Tipaporn Phianthong (Chef Tipa), Head Chef of Saffron, Banyan Group, the exclusive menu showcases authentic regional recipes thoughtfully reimagined with selected locally sourced ingredients from […]
Fathimath Umar: Shaping Maldivian hospitality through food, teaching and leadership
In every industry, there are professionals whose careers extend beyond their own job titles. They help build people, raise standards and widen the path for those who come after them. In Maldivian hospitality, Fathimath Umar is one of those figures. Known to many across the industry as Chef Fathun, she has spent decades contributing to […]
From billing clerk to materials manager: Ali Shareef’s 25-year journey in procurement, learning at Angsana Velavaru
Procurement rarely takes place in view of the guest. It operates through purchase orders, supplier negotiations, quality checks, stock controls, delivery schedules and the movement of goods between Malé and resort islands. Yet almost every part of a resort operation depends on it. At Angsana Velavaru, the responsibility for coordinating this process rests with Materials […]
Mohamed Hussain Shihab: Building HR leadership through people, succession and service
When Mohamed Hussain Shihab first considered hospitality, it was not part of a long-set career plan. He was looking at colleges in Malaysia when he came across a hotel school. That encounter changed the direction of his studies, and later his career. “I didn’t plan on studying hospitality in the beginning,” Shihab says. “But while […]
The Barefoot Eco Hotel & Villas: A more rooted interpretation of Maldivian hospitality
In a destination often defined by private island seclusion, overwater architecture and high-gloss spectacle, The Barefoot Eco Hotel & Villas in Hanimaadhoo offers a different proposition. It does not attempt to compete through scale, excess or visual drama. Instead, it builds its identity around something quieter and more layered: a closer relationship with island life, […]
Women in Hospitality
Malsa Shiyam: Growing through hospitality, leading through award-winning service
For Aminath Malsa Shiyam, Assistant Guest Relations Manager at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, hospitality has been a journey shaped by work, learning and people. Her recognition as Concierge / Guest Service Personality of the Year at the Hotelier Maldives Awards 2026 marks a point in a career that began with an internship and has […]
Seven years, one dream: Mariyam Malaak becomes Maldives’ first female pilot cadet from cabin crew
When Mariyam Malaak steps into the cockpit of a Manta Air seaplane on 1 December 2025, she will be doing far more than beginning her first day as a First Officer. She will be closing a seven-year chapter of perseverance—one marked by setbacks, sacrifices, shifting continents, motherhood, and an unwavering belief in the dream she […]
Breaking barriers, building futures: Nus-ha Hassan’s mission to empower Maldivian women
When Nus-ha Hassan left her home island in Addu, a career in hospitality was the last thing on her mind. “I never thought I would be working in a resort,” she said. “But I wanted to get out of my local island because there was nothing for us there. I didn’t want to work in […]
Finding purpose through wellness: I Gusti Ayu Ariani at Cora Cora Maldives
When I Gusti Ayu Ariani arrived in the Maldives for the first time in 2009, she had little idea that the islands would become her second home. Sixteen years later, she manages MOKSHA® Spa & Wellbeing Centre at Cora Cora Maldives and has been recognised as Wellness Personality of the Year at the Hotelier Maldives […]
Nurturing family experiences: JOALI Maldives’ Mariyam Hana on crafting experiences for younger guests
In JOALI Maldives, Mariyam Hana leads the Kids Club with a vision shaped by both professional experience and personal conviction. With a career that has taken her from front office operations to managing one of the most distinctive family programmes in the country, Hana’s career reflects the evolution of Maldivian hospitality and the growing role […]
Nurturing teams, nourishing guests: Culinary vision of Taylor Shearman at JOALI BEING
When Taylor Shearman stepped into the role of Executive Chef at JOALI BEING in June 2024, she brought with her more than a decade of experience in kitchens across the Maldives and beyond. Having first arrived in the country in 2016, she has been part of its rapidly evolving hospitality and culinary landscape, contributing to […]
GM's Views
Beyond operations: Harish Nair on shaping the soul of RAH GILI and DON MAAGA MALDIVES
For Harish Nair, the next chapter of his hospitality career is not simply about opening or operating resorts. It is about helping two Maldivian islands develop distinct identities, building teams that understand the emotional purpose of service and creating places that remain in guests’ memories long after their departure. As Cluster General Manager of SIX […]
Mohamed Mausoom: Making of a Maldivian leader at Velaa Private Island
At Velaa Private Island, Mohamed Mausoom’s appointment as General Manager is more than a promotion. It is the continuation of a journey that began long before titles, long before the resort established itself among the Maldives’ most exclusive addresses, and long before the industry began speaking about local leadership in ultra-luxury hospitality with the urgency […]
Abdulla Fathhey: Making a big island feel effortless at Villa Park
By Maaish Mohamed and Mariyam Saliya Mohamed On an island with the scale and recognisability of Sun Island, change is never simply cosmetic. The renaming of a Maldivian mainstay to Villa Park is a high-visibility move, but for Abdulla Fathhey, General Manager of Villa Park, the point is not novelty. It is clarity. Villa Resorts […]
Legacy in Laamu: Marteyne van Well on building culture of care, continuity, commitment
When Six Senses Laamu was named “CSR Programme of the Year” at the 2025 Hotelier Maldives Awards, it was more than just an industry accolade. For Regional General Manager Marteyne van Well, who has been at the helm since the resort’s opening week in 2011, the recognition affirmed over a decade of purpose-driven leadership grounded […]
‘Joy of Living’ through Maldivian lens: Shifaz Hassan at JOALI Maldives
When JOALI Maldives opened in 2018, it brought a new dimension to the country’s luxury tourism landscape by embedding art and storytelling into the guest experience. At the centre of this philosophy today is its General Manager, Shifaz Hassan, one of the few Maldivian leaders in the ultra-luxury sector, who carries both the responsibility of […]
Managing a well-living island: Graeme Freeman on balancing joyful transformation at JOALI BEING
Graeme Freeman, General Manager of JOALI BEING, oversees a truly unique destination in the Maldives, a well-living island dedicated to guiding guests on a journey of joyful transformation. Rooted in the resort’s signature Four Pillars of Mind, Skin, Microbiome, and Energy, Freeman’s leadership blends cutting-edge science with ancient wisdom to create personalised experiences that restore […]
Yogeswaran Veerasamy on dusitD2 Feydhoo’s new paradigm for Maldivian hospitality
The opening of a new resort in the Maldives is a regular occurrence, yet the inauguration of dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives on 27 July 2025 signals a notable shift in the nation’s hospitality landscape. As the second property from the Dusit International portfolio to launch in the country, it brings a distinct proposition to the market, […]
Jean-Louis Ripoche on Dusit’s fresh direction with dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives
On July 27, 2025, amidst the turquoise expanse of the Baa Atoll, Dusit Hotels & Resorts marked a significant milestone with the soft opening of its second property in the Maldives, dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives. The launch represents not just an expansion of the Thai hospitality group’s footprint but the introduction of its vibrant, lifestyle-focused ‘d2’ […]
How Oscar Postma champions teamwork, purpose-driven service at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands
By Maaish Mohamed and Mariyam Saliya Mohamed Oscar Postma’s journey to the Maldives was both a personal and professional evolution. Having spent over six years in the structured, fast-paced environment of Singapore, where guest interactions were often brief and transactional, his move to The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands introduced a different rhythm. “The biggest difference […]
Harmonising diversity: Sanjeeva Perera on new vision for Cinnamon Maldives
Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts recently announced Sanjeeva Perera as the new Area General Manager for its Maldives resorts. Sanjeeva is a seasoned hospitality professional stepping into this pivotal role with a clear vision: to elevate guest experiences, drive operational excellence, and enhance the distinctive character of each island. Q. How do you feel about this […]
Francesco Pompilio: Shaping Centara’s vision at Machchafushi, Ras Fushi Maldives
Francesco Pompilio’s journey in the hospitality industry reads like a tapestry woven with global experiences, cultural understanding, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Now serving as Cluster General Manager for Machchafushi Island Resort & Spa and Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa in the Maldives, Pompilio brings over 20 years of expertise, a deep appreciation […]
How Raffaele Solferino transformed Grand Park Kodhipparu into resort icon
The path to success in the hospitality industry often takes unexpected turns, and no one knows this better than Raffaele Solferino, the General Manager of Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives. Born on Italy’s picturesque Amalfi Coast, Raffaele was immersed in tourism from an early age, but his career would span continents and cultures in ways he […]
