Niyama Private Islands Maldives appoints Aleksandr Nakonechnyi as new Head Sommelier

Niyama Private Islands Maldives has appointed Aleksandr Nakonechnyi to its food and beverage team, as part of efforts to further develop its dining and beverage experiences across the resort.

Nakonechnyi joins the resort with experience in hospitality and beverage programmes across multiple international destinations. He began his career as a bartender at the Kempinski Grand Hotel Gelendzhik in Russia before working in St Petersburg and later moving to the Maldives, where he was part of the team at Soneva Jani.

In 2021, he joined Minor Hotels as Wine Guru at Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas, where he managed the wine collection at SEA, an underwater wine cellar. During his tenure, he also led an underwater ageing project involving Dom Pérignon champagne, with bottles placed on the reef for over a year before being presented through curated tasting experiences.

At Niyama Private Islands Maldives, Nakonechnyi will contribute to the development of wine and beverage programmes across the resort’s dining venues. At Edge, he will oversee wine and champagne pairings designed to complement the restaurant’s setting and menu. At Subsix, he will introduce pairings of champagne and sake to accompany the Nikkei-inspired tasting menu.

At Tribal, the focus will be on wine pairings aligned with the restaurant’s menu of grilled and dry-aged meats. At Nest, lighter wine and sake selections will be paired with Asian-inspired cuisine.

Commenting on the appointment, Hafidh Al Busaidy said Nakonechnyi’s experience and approach to wine pairing will support the resort’s ongoing development of its dining concepts. He added that the appointment forms part of broader efforts to enhance the guest experience across the resort’s food and beverage offering.

The appointment reflects Niyama Private Islands Maldives’ continued focus on strengthening its culinary and beverage programmes across its two-island resort concept.