RAH GILI MALDIVES appoints Chunky Mathew as Resort Manager

At RAH GILI MALDIVES, the energy is as crucial as the architecture. As the inaugural island in the SIX & SIX PRIVATE ISLANDS collection, RAH GILI is redefining the private island experience, focusing on rhythm, feeling, and a clear narrative rather than conventional resort templates. The island, set to open in early 2026, is designed as a creative sanctuary that is music-forward, emotionally aware, and design-led.

To help realise this vision, SIX & SIX has appointed Chunky Mathew as Resort Manager. This appointment is a significant move to establish the on-island leadership required to transform the brand’s philosophy into operational excellence. This will ensure that the spirit of RAH GILI is present in every guest interaction, ritual, and aspect of the team culture.

With over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including luxury resorts and city hotels in vibrant lifestyle destinations, Chunky offers a unique blend of structure and soul. He is recognised for his intuitive leadership and his talent for cultivating emotionally intelligent teams. He assumes this role at a pivotal time for both the island and the brand.

“I want RAH GILI to feel like a private daydream,” Chunky stated. “The kind of place where you arrive and something quietly shifts. The energy is different. The details are deliberate. And the feeling stays with you long after you’ve left.”

In his capacity as Resort Manager, Chunky will be central to orchestrating the guest experience, Edhuru—a guide and steward of rhythm. The Edhuru’s responsibilities extend beyond operations; they maintain the island’s unseen tone and its cultural logic, ensuring that the brand and creative teams’ vision is reflected in the daily life of the resort.

This alignment is particularly vital for RAH GILI, which, as the brand’s lifestyle-focused island, is designed for a new generation of curious, well-travelled, and creatively-inclined travellers. These guests prefer subtlety over spectacle, and genuine, unscripted service over performative luxury.

“The kind of traveller we’re welcoming to RAH GILI has already seen the world,” said Chunky. “They’re looking for something that speaks their language. That’s not louder or flashier—but more human, more honest, and more emotionally specific.”

Delivering on this expectation requires more than traditional operational skills; it demands emotional fluency, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to foster a team culture that values creativity, autonomy, and a shared sense of purpose. Described as empathetic, empowering, and unfiltered, Chunky’s leadership has consistently prioritised people, creating environments where teams feel valued and are encouraged to contribute to the overarching narrative. His focus is on the energy of the island and how it is experienced by everyone.

“My goal is to build a culture where people don’t just deliver service—they shape experience,” he noted. “Where team members understand the emotional tone of the island and have the space to interpret it in their own way. That’s how the brand becomes real.”

At RAH GILI, this will involve developing new rituals, establishing service rhythms that adapt to the time of day and season, and curating sensory experiences—from music and scent to moments of silence—that reflect the island’s identity. His influence will be crucial in shaping the island’s operational rituals before its opening.

Chunky’s arrival coincides with a period of growing momentum for the brand. As RAH GILI prepares for its Q1 2026 opening, plans are already underway for DHON MAAGA MALDIVES, the second resort, launching in the latter half of 2026. Each island in the SIX & SIX collection will possess its own unique tone, concept, and guest profile, all unified by a commitment to emotional resonance and creative design.

Marc Gussing, Director of Operations for SIX & SIX PRIVATE ISLANDS, commented, “Chunky leads with instinct, drive, kindness and an infectious energy that lifts the entire island. RAH GILI doesn’t follow routine—it follows rhythm. And Chunky has an extraordinary talent to set the beat in motion. That’s how the island moves from simply being seen to truly being felt.”

In addition to his daily duties, Chunky will be instrumental in guiding pre-opening training, establishing team rituals, and ensuring synergy between departments, including guest services, culinary, wellness, and lifestyle programming.

When asked about what excites him most, he replied, “The blank canvas. The chance to create something original. Something that doesn’t look or feel like anything else in the Maldives. That’s rare—and it’s something I take seriously.” To set the tone, he shared a personal soundtrack choice: Electric Feel by MGMT, a track that he feels captures “that undercurrent of cool—something slightly off-centre but full of charge.”

As Resort Manager, Chunky will be a grounding presence and a key voice in shaping not just what guests experience, but how they experience it, a vital role in a brand dedicated to creating places with a soul.

RAH GILI MALDIVES is the premier resort in the SIX & SIX PRIVATE ISLANDS collection. Situated in the South Malé Atoll near a secluded dolphin sanctuary, the resort offers 74 private pool villas, 37 of which are overwater, all featuring natural textures and modern island design. Dining options include six restaurants, four bars, destination dining, and in-villa menus. The resort’s music is curated to create an evolving mood from day to night. Wellness is centered around ELE | NA, a concept based on the Five Elements of Nature. Other amenities include a gym, Kids Club, outdoor cinema, and a dive centre. RAH GILI MALDIVES is committed to sustainability through low-impact operations and reef preservation.