Versa Hospitality promotes Ken Gundu, Andreas Haugg to corporate culinary and F&B leadership roles

Versa Hospitality has announced the promotions of Ken Gundu to Corporate Director of Culinary and Andreas Haugg to Corporate Director of Food & Beverage, strengthening its executive leadership team as the company develops its dining operations across the Versa Collection and Niva Hotels & Resorts.

Both appointments are internal promotions, with the two executives taking on wider responsibilities across the group’s hospitality portfolio. According to Versa Hospitality, the appointments are intended to establish shared culinary and food and beverage standards while maintaining the individual dining identities of its resorts.

Ken Gundu brings more than 35 years of culinary experience, having worked across luxury resorts, safari lodges and hospitality properties in Africa, Central America and the Indian Ocean.

Prior to his promotion, Gundu served as Cluster Executive Chef for Baros Maldives and Milaidhoo Maldives, overseeing culinary operations across the two luxury resorts. He held the cluster position from February 2022, having previously served as Executive Chef at Baros Maldives.

His career in the Maldives also includes five years as Executive Chef at Kandima Maldives, where he was involved in the resort’s pre-opening and development of its culinary operations. Before joining Kandima in 2016, he spent nearly five years at Niyama Private Islands Maldives as Executive Sous Chef, gaining experience in managing culinary teams and food and beverage operations across multiple dining venues.

Before establishing his career in the Maldives, Gundu served as Company Executive Chef at Machaca Hill Rainforest Canopy Lodge in Belize from November 2008 to June 2011. His responsibilities included preparing the property for opening, training kitchen teams and introducing an agri-tourism approach to its culinary operations. During this period, he developed experience in Latin American and Caribbean cuisines.

He also held the position of Group Executive Chef at Sanctuary Lodges in Botswana, where he was responsible for chef training, seasonal menu development and kitchen procurement across the group’s properties.

Gundu studied culinary arts at Bulawayo Hotel School and professional cookery at Bulawayo Polytechnic College. His qualifications also include culinary training through City & Guilds. His professional achievements include receiving Best Chef awards in the Maldives in 2012 and 2014.

In his new corporate role, Gundu will provide culinary leadership across Versa Hospitality’s resort portfolio, supporting kitchen teams, menu development and culinary standards while retaining the distinct dining concepts associated with individual properties.

Andreas Haugg has been promoted to Corporate Director of Food & Beverage after serving as Director of Food and Beverage at Niva Velassaru Maldives from October 2024 to September 2026.

A chef by training, Haugg brings more than three decades of international hospitality experience, having worked with luxury hotel groups including Four Seasons, The Peninsula, Shangri-La and Anantara across the Maldives, Mauritius, Qatar, Thailand, Egypt and Europe.

Before joining Niva Velassaru Maldives, Haugg spent nearly five years at Shangri-La Le Touessrok in Mauritius. He initially joined the property as Culinary Director in January 2020 before progressing to Director of Food and Beverage in October 2021, a position he held until August 2024.

Prior to that, he spent more than four years with Anantara Hotels & Resorts in Qatar, serving as Executive Chef from September 2015 to October 2017 before being appointed Executive Assistant Manager in charge of Food and Beverage, a role he held for two years.

His earlier career includes serving as Executive Chef at The Peninsula Bangkok from November 2013 to August 2015, Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza from July 2012 to October 2013, and Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita from November 2007 to July 2012.

Haugg also has extensive experience in the Maldives, having spent nearly five years as Executive Chef with Four Seasons Resorts Maldives between January 2003 and November 2007. His assignments covered Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru and the Four Seasons Explorer.

Earlier in his career, he held culinary and operational positions in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, including appointments at Hotel Nassauer Hof in Wiesbaden and Anton Mosimann’s Belfry Club in London. He holds a Master Chef qualification from Altöttingen Hotel Management School in Germany.

In his new role, Haugg will oversee food and beverage operations across the Versa Hospitality portfolio, bringing together his experience in kitchen management, restaurant operations, service standards and departmental leadership.

Versa Hospitality said the two appointments represent a development in its approach to dining, combining dedicated corporate leadership and shared operational standards with menus and experiences that reflect the individual character of each resort.

“Both promotions reflect our belief that the best leaders are often already on our teams,” the company said in its announcement.

Versa Hospitality is the hospitality management arm of Universal Enterprises, having evolved from Universal Resorts as part of a corporate rebranding announced in October 2025. The company brings together more than five decades of experience in Maldivian tourism under two portfolios: the Versa Collection and Niva Hotels & Resorts.

The Versa Collection comprises four standalone luxury resorts in the Maldives: Baros Maldives, Milaidhoo Maldives, Huvafen Fushi and Kandolhu Maldives. Each property maintains its own identity and guest experience, with dining forming an important part of its positioning.

Baros Maldives is known for its intimate island setting, house reef and dining experiences, while Milaidhoo Maldives, located within the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, places emphasis on Maldivian culture, personalised hospitality and culinary experiences. Huvafen Fushi is recognised for its underwater spa and private island setting, while Kandolhu Maldives offers a boutique resort experience with a range of dining venues.

Niva Hotels & Resorts, the group’s lifestyle hospitality brand, includes Niva Kurumba Maldives, Niva Velassaru Maldives, Niva Kuramathi Maldives and Niva Dhigali Maldives, alongside Niva Labriz Seychelles and the upcoming Niva Aria Seychelles.

The portfolio includes Niva Kurumba Maldives, which originally opened in 1972 as the country’s first resort, and Niva Velassaru Maldives, where Haugg held his previous leadership position. The properties cater to different guest segments, from couples seeking private island experiences to families and travellers interested in diverse dining, leisure and recreational facilities.

The corporate appointments come as Versa Hospitality continues to develop its brand structure and international growth strategy. With Gundu leading culinary development and Haugg overseeing food and beverage operations, the group aims to strengthen coordination across its resorts while preserving the dining identities and experiences associated with each destination.