SHC Law & Tax to address FX, MMA approvals and TGST compliance at GM Forum 2026

SHC Law & Tax will deliver a presentation at the Hotelier Maldives General Managers (GM) Forum 2026, focusing on key regulatory and tax compliance issues affecting resort operators and other businesses in the hospitality sector.

Titled “FX Conversion, MMA Approvals and Foreign Tour Operator TGST: Practical Compliance for Hospitality Sector,” the session will be delivered by Dhaanish Mohamed Ameen, Attorney-at-Law; Junaina Ahmed, Attorney-at-Law; and Tholhath Rasheed, Senior Tax Consultant at SHC Law & Tax.

Rather than a conventional presentation, the session will take the form of an informal, conversational standing discussion between the three speakers, designed to approach the subjects from their respective legal, regulatory and tax perspectives. The format will allow the speakers to move between the interconnected compliance issues and focus on their practical implications for hospitality businesses.

The presentation will form part of the 10th Hotelier Maldives GM Forum, taking 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.

The SHC Law & Tax session will focus on three areas that have become increasingly relevant to the financial and regulatory management of hospitality businesses: foreign exchange conversion requirements, approvals involving the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA), and Tourism Goods and Services Tax (TGST) considerations relating to foreign tour operators.

By bringing legal and tax specialists together in a conversational format, the session is intended to translate regulatory requirements into practical considerations for resort leaders responsible for commercial, financial and operational decision-making.

Dhaanish Mohamed Ameen’s practice is primarily focused on banking and finance, corporate and commercial matters, and hospitality. His experience includes advising international banks and financial institutions on financing transactions as well as advising hospitality clients on resort sales and acquisitions, lease structures and hotel management agreements. He has also previously worked in the legal department of the Maldives Monetary Authority and has experience in legislative and regulatory drafting relating to financial and insurance regulation.

Junaina Ahmed is a Partner at SHC Law & Tax specialising in the hospitality, real estate and infrastructure sectors. Her work includes representing international hotel operators, developers and global financial institutions, with experience in resort and lagoon acquisitions, financing transactions, hospitality investment structures, branded residences and construction and development matters. She also serves on the Maldives Bar Council’s Law Reform and Research Committee.

Tholhath Rasheed brings a tax and accounting perspective to the discussion. He is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and previously worked at the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority, including in its Large Business Audit Section and as one of the early members of its Transfer Pricing Audit Section. His experience has included auditing businesses in tourism, construction and transportation, working on international taxation and transfer pricing matters, and contributing to work related to income tax regulations. He has also worked in financial and management reporting at the Maldives Monetary Authority.

Together, the three speakers will approach compliance from both the legal and tax sides, with the discussion structured around issues that resort executives may encounter in their day-to-day decision-making.

The session complements the wider programme of GM Forum 2026, which will examine how resort organisations are responding to changing business conditions, workforce expectations, technology and regulatory requirements while strengthening their ability to adapt and remain resilient.

Other announced sessions include a keynote by Shrikant Dash, Deputy Managing Director – Corporate at Atmosphere Core, titled “Automation vs. AI: Uses and Abuses in Hospitality,” and a presentation by Leadership and Human Capacity Consultant Nora Imeli on “The Human Side of Hospitality: How Emotional Intelligence Shapes the Guest Experience.”

The forum will also feature panel discussions on the future hospitality leadership pipeline and on building resilient resort organisations amid changing operating conditions.

A range of companies serving different areas of the tourism and hospitality sector have partnered with GM Forum 2026. Dhiraagu is the Premier Sponsor, while STO Energy is the Platinum Sponsor. Bank of Maldives (BML) is the Banking Partner, Dhivehi Insurance is the Insurance Partner, and Male’ Aerated Water Company (MAWC) is the Beverage Partner.

The Silver Sponsors are Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), Villa Hakatha, Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) and Atoll Solar. ALIA, Uniforms Unlimited, Maldives Insider and Blue N White are supporting the forum as Associate Sponsors. Souvenir Marine is the Transport Partner, Manta Air is the Aviation Partner, and Storm Events is the Organising Partner.

Established in 2016, the Hotelier Maldives GM Forum provides an annual platform for senior hospitality leaders and businesses supporting the tourism industry to exchange perspectives on the operational and strategic issues affecting the sector.