GM Forum 2026 panel to examine who will lead Maldives resorts of tomorrow
Hotelier Maldives has announced a panel discussion focused on the future of hospitality talent and leadership for the upcoming Hotelier Maldives General Managers (GM) Forum 2026, bringing together senior industry executives to examine how the resort sector can develop and retain the people who will lead Maldivian hospitality in the years ahead.
Titled “Who Will Run the Resorts of Tomorrow? Talent, Retention and the Next Generation of Hospitality Leaders,” the panel will be moderated by Aishath Ihuma, Director of Business Development at Pulse Hotels & Resorts.
Joining the discussion will be Hassan Shamaam, Director of Human Resources at Jumeirah Olhahali Island; Suresh Dissanayake, Assistant Vice President, Sales & Marketing at Heritance Aarah & Adaaran Resorts; and Alexander Traeger, General Manager of CROSSROADS Maldives.
The discussion comes as the Maldives resort sector faces a workforce challenge that extends beyond recruitment. Resorts are increasingly required to consider how they retain employees, create viable career pathways, develop future leaders and prepare teams for a workplace being reshaped by technology and changing expectations of work.
The panel will explore what the next generation of hospitality professionals expects from employers and how those expectations are evolving, as well as the factors influencing employees to leave resort careers and what organisations can realistically do to improve retention.
Developing Maldivian talent for supervisory, management and executive leadership positions will form another part of the conversation. The panellists will examine how resorts can move beyond traditional training towards structured career development, coaching and succession planning, while considering the respective roles of general managers, human resources leaders and department heads in building workplace culture.
The discussion will also consider whether existing recruitment and employment models remain suited to the future needs of the Maldives resort sector.
Technology will feature in the conversation, with the panel examining how automation and artificial intelligence could reshape hospitality roles while increasing the importance of human skills, leadership and guest interaction. The session will also look at what resorts can do today to ensure they have the leaders they will require five or ten years from now.
Shamaam will bring a human resources and talent-development perspective to the discussion. His career spans HR leadership roles with Jumeirah, Villa Resorts, The Westin, JW Marriott, Anantara, LUX* and W Hotels, among other hospitality organisations in the Maldives. He previously served as Group Director of Learning, Development & Quality at Villa Resorts and is also a Certified Executive Coach.
Dissanayake will contribute a commercial leadership perspective from his role overseeing sales and marketing for Heritance Aarah and Adaaran Resorts, while Traeger will bring the operational perspective of resort leadership as General Manager of CROSSROADS Maldives.
The panel forms part of the programme for the 10th Hotelier Maldives GM Forum, which will take place on 5 October 2026 at CROSSROADS Maldives under the theme “Resilience and Reinvention: Talent, Technology & Transformation.”
The annual forum brings together resort general managers, owners, senior executives, government representatives and industry partners to discuss issues shaping the Maldives hospitality sector. This year’s programme will examine changing workforce expectations, technological disruption and operational challenges, with talent and workplace culture forming a key part of the agenda.
Dhiraagu is the Premier Sponsor of GM Forum 2026, while STO Energy is the Platinum Sponsor. Bank of Maldives (BML) is the Banking Partner and Male’ Aerated Water Company (MAWC) is the Beverage Partner.
The forum’s Silver Sponsors are Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), Villa Hakatha, Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) and Atoll Solar. ALIA, Dhivehi Insurance, Uniforms Unlimited, Maldives Insider and Blue N White are Associate Sponsors.
Souvenir Marine is the Transport Partner, Manta Air is the Aviation Partner, and Storm Events is the Organising Partner for GM Forum 2026.
