Profiles

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It was late afternoon when I reached Adaaran Club Rannalhi (ACR) and I was a little tired and dizzy from the long wait at the humid airport because of delayed flights, followed by an hour long speedboat ride to the resort. So I ordered a fresh orange juice when a bartender appeared at my side, […]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Haleem Lye is a passionate hotelier with about 20 years of experience in the industry. Haleem Lye’s career in the hospitality sector began when he joined the Taj Samadura, Colombo Sri Lanka right after completing his Diploma in Hotel Management at the International Hotel School at Mount Lavinia Hotel, Sri Lanka. He is currently the […]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Russian artist, Elena Parashko, has always been a creative individual, drawing and painting ever since she was old enough hold a pencil and a brush. Becoming an artist was not an option growing up so Elena trained to be a school teacher. She then attained her Masters of Adult Education so she could teach literacy […]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Abdulla Fahmy is the third child born to a family of six from Nolhivaram Island of Haa Dhaalu Atoll. Born in 1973, Fahmy describes his childhood with his family as the best times of his life. After completing middle school in his native island as a top student, he moved to Malé for his higher […]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Niklas Bernstein has been working in the Maldives for over five years, over which he has made immense contributions to the development of successful hotel-based F&B outlets. With restaurants such as the signature 5.8 Undersea Restaurant of Hurawalhi Island Resort under his belt, he has made a name for himself as one of the county’s […]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]One could easily live here. This was the thought that was running through my head as I walked with my therapist, along the sandy pathways lined with island foliage, through the relaxation area with lime trees, back to the reception at Drift Spa by Niyama. I had just finished my massage and was still obsessing […]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Vadivazhagan ‘Vadi’ Paneer Selvam is the Earth Lab Supervisor at the Six Senses Laamu – a pilot project which raises the bar on eco-education and sustainability. The Earth Lab programme has since expanded into all 11 Six Senses properties and each lab serves as an accountability tool to produce locally, reduce consumption and support nearby […]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]From a life of deprivation to the vineyards and wineries of France, Ibrahim Waheed has had quite a journey, overcoming some austere challenges in life to become what he is today. As Director of Food and Beverages at Velaa Private Island, one of the highest rated properties in Noonu Atoll, Ibrahim now caters to the […]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Abdulla Sobah is a well-known name in the Maldivian culinary world, having been in the field for over two decades. He’s forty but has accomplished a lot, garnering awards and praise from competitions, international and local. Sobah’s foray into the culinary realm began after a stint as a dishwasher and steward at Kuredu Resort in […]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Making it to Senior Food and Beverage Manager at a hotel is no easy undertaking. It takes dedication and perseverance, a lot of time and hard work, and most of all, love for the job; or in the case of Fathimath Umar, an unwavering love for the culinary arts. But she never imagined a career […]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Mohamed ‘Gary’ Kamil has been working in the hospitality industry for over 35 years, of which the past eight years have been in Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa. Originally from Meedhoo in Addu City, Gary is a passionate soul when it comes to taking care of guests. As the Housekeeping Supervisor, he is in charge […]

Roshan Pereira, a native of Colombo, Sri Lanka, embarked on his career in hospitality in 1996 with the Riverina Hotel in Aluthgama. After a stint at Jet Wing Hotel in Galle, Roshan came to Diamonds Athuruga in 2003 as a bar waiter, through an opportunity he received from a relative working with Trans Maldivian Airways. […]