Storm Events returns as Organising Partner of Hotelier Maldives GM Forum 2026

Hotelier Maldives has announced Storm Events as the Organising Partner of the Hotelier Maldives General Managers (GM) Forum 2026, continuing a partnership that has extended across the publication’s flagship industry events over the past two years.

The 10th edition of the GM Forum will take place on 5 October 2026 at CROSSROADS Maldives under the theme “Resilience and Reinvention: Talent, Technology & Transformation.” The forum will bring together resort general managers, owners, senior executives, government representatives and industry partners for a programme of keynote addresses, presentations and panel discussions focused on issues affecting the Maldivian hospitality sector.

Storm Events, part of Think Advertising Group, first partnered with Hotelier Maldives as Organising Partner of the Hotelier Maldives Awards 2025, before continuing the relationship with GM Forum 2025. The company returned as Organising Partner for the Hotelier Maldives Awards 2026 earlier this year, making GM Forum 2026 the fourth Hotelier Maldives flagship event supported by Storm Events under the partnership.

As Organising Partner, Storm Events works alongside the Hotelier Maldives team on the planning and execution of the event, including production, staging, branding, logistics and the overall delegate experience.

Adheel Ismail, Managing Director of Storm Events, said the continued partnership has allowed the company to work closely with Hotelier Maldives on developing two established platforms for the hospitality industry.

“Our partnership with Hotelier Maldives has grown across both the Awards and GM Forum, and each event presents a different opportunity to create an experience that serves the industry. The GM Forum brings together many of the people responsible for leading the country’s resorts, so our role is to ensure the environment, production and logistics allow the programme and conversations to take centre stage. We are pleased to continue this partnership for GM Forum 2026 and to be part of its 10th edition,” he said.

Storm Events is the specialist events arm of Think Advertising Group, providing event planning and production services from concept development through to execution. Its collaboration with Hotelier Maldives began with the 2025 Awards and expanded later that year to the GM Forum, before continuing across both events in 2026.

Ali Naafiz, Editor of Hotelier Maldives, said the continued partnership has provided consistency in the delivery of Hotelier Maldives’ major industry events.

“The GM Forum has developed over the past decade into an important meeting point for hospitality leaders, and delivering an event of this scale requires detailed coordination behind the scenes. Storm Events has worked closely with us across the Awards and GM Forum since 2025, and that continuity has helped us strengthen the way both platforms are delivered. We value the expertise and commitment they bring to the partnership and are pleased to have Storm Events return as Organising Partner for the 10th GM Forum,” he added.

This year’s GM Forum programme will address issues ranging from talent and leadership to technology, regulation, financing and energy resilience.

Shrikant Dash, Deputy Managing Director – Corporate at Atmosphere Core, will deliver the keynote address, “Emotional Ownership — Turning Talent into Your Strongest Asset.” The keynote will examine how hospitality businesses can foster stronger employee connection, responsibility and ownership, and turn talent into a long-term organisational asset.

Leadership and Human Capacity Consultant Nora Imeli will present “The Human Side of Hospitality: How Emotional Intelligence Shapes the Guest Experience.” Her session will explore how the way leaders manage themselves, particularly under pressure, influences their teams, the environments they create and ultimately the experience delivered to guests.

Ayotunde Osunkunle, Senior Investment Officer at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), will deliver “A Partner for Maldives: Financing the Energy Resilience.” His presentation will examine financing approaches for the Maldives’ energy transition, including distributed generation and battery storage, as well as mechanisms to mobilise private capital for commercially viable energy projects.

SHC Law & Tax will present “FX Conversion, MMA Approvals and Foreign Tour Operator TGST: Practical Compliance for Hospitality Sector.” The conversational session will feature Dhaanish Mohamed Ameen, Attorney-at-Law; Junaina Ahmed, Attorney-at-Law; and Tholhath Rasheed, Senior Tax Consultant, bringing together legal and tax perspectives on compliance issues affecting hospitality businesses.

Three panel discussions have also been announced.

Panel 1, “Who Will Run the Resorts of Tomorrow? Talent, Retention and the Next Generation of Hospitality Leaders,” will be moderated by Aishath Ihuma, Director of Business Development at Pulse Hotels & Resorts. Panellists are Hassan Shamaam, Director of Human Resources at Jumeirah Olhahali Island; Suresh Dissanayake, Assistant Vice President, Sales & Marketing at Heritance Aarah and Adaaran Resorts; and Alexander Traeger, General Manager at CROSSROADS Maldives.

Panel 2, “Leading Through Uncertainty: Building Resilient Resort Organisations,” will be moderated by Mohamed Ismail Maiz of Hotelier Maldives. The panellists are Mohamed Khaleel, Managing Director of Pulse Hotels & Resorts; Mark Eletre, General Manager of Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa; and Abdulla Yasir, Managing Director and CEO of Visit Maldives.

Panel 3, “AI, Data and Automation: Reinventing Resort Operations Without Losing the Human Touch,” will be moderated by Hudha Faheem. It will feature Mohamed Musad, Chief Technology and Information Officer at Dhiraagu; Murad Hassan, Chief Commercial Officer at Pulse Hotels & Resorts; and Justin Swart, General Manager of The Standard, Maldives, by Hyatt. The discussion will examine practical applications of AI, data and automation while considering where human judgement, accountability and personal service need to remain central to resort operations.

Established in 2016, the Hotelier Maldives GM Forum provides an annual platform for hospitality leaders and businesses serving the tourism sector to exchange perspectives on operational and strategic issues. The 2026 gathering marks the forum’s 10th edition.

A range of companies supporting different areas of the tourism industry have partnered with GM Forum 2026.

Dhiraagu is the Premier Sponsor, while STO Energy is the Platinum Sponsor. Bank of Maldives (BML) is the Banking Partner, Dhivehi Insurance is the Insurance Partner, and Male’ Aerated Water Company (MAWC) is the Beverage Partner.

The Silver Sponsors are Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), Villa Hakatha, Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) and Atoll Solar.

ALIA, Uniforms Unlimited, Maldives Insider and Blue N White are supporting the forum as Associate Sponsors.

Souvenir Marine is the Transport Partner, Manta Air is the Aviation Partner, and Storm Events is the Organising Partner.

Through its 2026 programme and partnerships, the GM Forum will bring together resort leadership and the businesses supporting hospitality operations to examine how the sector can strengthen resilience while adapting its people, technology and operating models.