New Appointments in the Hospitality Industry

Featured Image: Gavin Sanders, General Manager, Radisson Blu Maldives

In our regular round-up of the news of the movers and shakers of the Maldives hospitality industry we look at some of the new appointments here in the islands.

Radisson Blu Resort Maldives has announced the appointment of Gavin Sanders as General Manager, bringing more than 30 years of extensive experience in all areas of hotel management, operations and sales.

Gavin embarked on his hospitality journey in 1987 at Radisson Edwardian Vanderbilt Hotel in London. He built his career at Radisson Edwardian Hotel Heathrow from 1989 to 2012, holding various positions until he became General Manager. Notably, the hotel received Gold Awards for Green in Tourism for responsible business initiatives and for service levels from Visit Britain under his leadership. He was then assigned to Radisson Blu Edwardian hotels in New Providence Wharf, Bloomsbury, and Kenilworth.

He took his first international assignment as the General Manager of Radisson Golf and Convention Centre Batam commencing July 2017 where the hotel was recognised as The Best New Hotel in Asia at the company Asia Awards in 2018. Following the spell in Indonesia, Gavin accepted his new role in the Maldives.

As a leader, Gavin has a positive attitude towards people and life in general. He builds relationships quickly and is determined and tenacious in achieving goals. He enjoys exploring his creative side while focusing on the solutions to improve the level of guest satisfaction, reflected by the positive guest feedback.

Gavin is energising his team to complete the strategic plans and implement changes to make Radisson Blu Resort Maldives the best destination in the Maldives. The new resort will evolve with more facilities and activities for the guests to enjoy, enhanced amenities and services, wrapped up with long-term responsible business initiatives. Business aside, Gavin enjoys all kinds of sports in general, but he professes his love for football. He likes traveling and winning in multiplayer online games.

Paradise Island Resort & Spa has announced the appointment of Ibrahim Nahid as General Manager. Nahid will be leading the overall operation and strategic development and continue to create unrivalled guest experiences at the idyllic island, boasting 282 luxurious villas.   Nahid will also instigate several sustainable initiatives in keeping with Villa Hotels & Resorts mission to preserve and protect the natural environment.

Prior to joining the Paradise Island team, Nahid was General Manager at Holiday Island Resort & Spa, part of Villa Hotels & Resorts Maldives collection. He has an impressive record of success in contributing to the operational management of luxury resorts, while building exceptional guest relations and developing market performance in competitive and quality focused environments. He has previously held roles at global luxury hotel brands including Cheval Blanc Randheli Maldives and Six Senses Resorts in Oman and Koh Yao Noi, Thailand. Nahid also holds an MBA from Anglia Ruskin University in England.