Business
MAHRP opens registration for second National HR Convention
Maldives Association of Human Resource Professionals (MAHRP) has opened registration for the second National HR Convention and EXPO.
Set to take place from March 14-15 at the main convention centre of Dharubaaruge in capital Male, the National HR Convention and EXPO 2020 is themed under, “Transformation and Culture – Future of Human Capital”. All keynotes and sessions will focus on sub-themes: People Transformation and Culture, Talent Development and Retention, HR Tech and Agility, Wellness at Workplace, and Leadership and Human Capital Strategy.
The event will witness the attendance of 14 world-renowned keynote speakers, as well as 20 local experts and speakers covering industry best practices and new trends in HR strategies. They will also share stories of transformational experiences within the world of human capital development.

Some of the confirmed international keynote speakers include:
- Andrew Bryant – Global keynote speaker and executive coach on self-leadership
- Karen Leong – Transformational keynote speaker
- Kenneth Kwan – Leadership speaker, author and high performance strategist
- Sara Ballinger – Managing Partner at Crew Glue and The Daisy Gray Partnership.
They will be joined by several experts from a wide range of local industries and sectors. The speakers representing the local industries include:
- Adam Naseer – Director, Corporate Affairs at the Auditor General’s Office
- Mohamed Ashraf – Head of Talent Development at Bank of Maldives
- Ibrahim Inaz – Resort Manager of SAii Lagoon
- Ahmed Ibrahim – Deputy Head of HR at Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL)
- Mariyam Shifana – Dean at Clique College
- Cherry Cruz – Area Manager of Talent and Culture at Accor Maldives

In addition to the learning opportunities from world-class speakers, the National HR Convention and EXPO will showcase products, services and solutions with a specific focus on HR and related technologies from at least 14 service providers.
“We were overwhelmed by the support we received from our community for the 2019 convention,” MAHRP President Hussain Afeef, who also serves as the Regional Director of Training, Development and Quality Assurance at LUX* Resorts, said.
“We have taken a good note of all the things we should be doing for the 2020 convention. We can assure you that MAHRP will bring the best HR conference to Maldives with world-class speakers, topics and best practices at a very reasonable price. This is an event you do not want to miss in 2020; at many levels you will achieve professional and personal connections that can guide you during the year. We recommend all HR professionals to register soon for this conference.”

MAHRP is the first professional association registered in the Maldives, dedicated to human resources and people development. The association’s mission is to serve the needs of HR professionals by providing the most current and comprehensive resources, and to advance the profession by promoting HR’s essential values, setting professional standards and providing the know-how. It is committed to linking and connecting HR professionals and practitioners locally and oversees through signature events and membership activities.
As part of its aim to develop human resources, MAHRP regularly hosts knowledge share events.
The association has also organised exclusive training events in Maldives with world’s leading customer experience consultant Ron Kaufman and world-renowned motivational speaker Robin Banks, the first ever National HR Convention and Expo, and the first ever learning and development conference in Maldives.
In addition to the National HR Convention and EXPO 2020, MAHRP’s line-up of events for 2020 include the second Learning and Development Conference in July, as well as sessions with world-renowned speakers such as Marshall Goldsmith, Robin Banks and Ron Kaufman. Regular HR best practice share sessions will also be held across the Maldives.
MAHRP will also continue its research partnership with Villa College and hospitality sector awareness programme with Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI).
National HR Convention and EXPO 2020 is now open for registration. Interested individual participants can register using this form whilst group registration details can be shared via email, events@mahrp.org.
Business
Feydhoo Hall opens at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives as new event space
Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, has announced the opening of Feydhoo Hall, a landmark event venue at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives, redefining the possibilities for meetings, celebrations, and destination events in the Maldives.
Designed to bring scale, flexibility, and creativity to island gatherings, Feydhoo Hall represents a bold step forward in positioning the Maldives as a dynamic destination for conferences, weddings, and large-scale social occasions.
Feydhoo Hall offers a versatile event complex designed to accommodate a wide range of gatherings, from corporate meetings and conferences to weddings and social celebrations.

At its core is the 390 sqm Main Hall, capable of hosting:
- Up to 300 guests in theatre-style setup
- Up to 240 guests for dining and banquet-style events
- Up to 200 guests for cocktail-style receptions
- Up to 144 guests in cluster-round configuration
Enhancing the flexibility of the venue are additional dedicated spaces, including:
- A 110 sqm Veranda Terrace, ideal for welcome receptions, breakout sessions, and pre-event gatherings, accommodating up to 100 guests for cocktail-style events.
- A spacious 1,000 sqm Lawn Space, perfect for large-scale outdoor celebrations, destination weddings, and open-air events, accommodating up to 400 guests for cocktail receptions and up to 350 guests for dining setups.
- The 55 sqm Ekugai Meeting Room, designed for smaller meetings and executive sessions, accommodating up to 30 guests in theatre or dining setup and 24 guests in cluster-round format.
Together, these integrated spaces create a seamless indoor-outdoor event experience, allowing planners to design dynamic and personalised event journeys.
True to the dusitD2 brand’s lifestyle-driven philosophy, Feydhoo Hall introduces a fresh approach to meetings and events — where productivity meets creativity in an inspiring island setting.
The venue offers flexible meeting formats designed to suit different event needs, including:
- Half-Day Meeting Package (4 hours) — ideal for focused sessions, executive meetings, and creative workshops.
- Full-Day Meeting Package (8 hours) — designed for immersive conferences, extended workshops, and large-scale corporate gatherings.
These thoughtfully structured packages provide planners with the flexibility to create impactful and seamless experiences, whether hosting intimate strategy sessions or dynamic full-day events.

Located just seven minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives combines accessibility with vibrant lifestyle energy, offering event planners and guests a rare balance between convenience and tropical escape.
With the introduction of Feydhoo Hall, the resort strengthens its position as a versatile destination — not only for leisure travellers but also for international conferences, creative retreats, luxury weddings, and large-scale social celebrations seeking something refreshingly different in the Maldives.
Business
BBM expands retail presence with new Hulhumalé outlet
Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) opened a new wholesale store in Hulhumalé Phase 2 on Monday.
The outlet is located on the ground floor of Lot 20286, Nirolhu Magu, and is intended to improve access to BBM’s imported goods for residents of Hulhumalé Phase 2 and for businesses operating in the area.
According to the company, the opening forms part of its plan to expand services closer to customers in line with population growth in Hulhumalé.
With the opening of the new store, BBM’s full range of imported and distributed products will be available at the Hulhumalé Phase 2 location. These include consumer goods from international brands such as Lifebuoy, Vaseline and Unilever.
The store will also stock wholesale food products from brands including Daily, Cavin’s and Redman.
BBM has supplied goods to resorts, hotels and retail outlets across the Maldives for several years.
Action
Ataraxis Grand & Spa hosts integrated work-and-dive corporate retreat in Fuvahmulah
Ataraxis Grand & Spa recently hosted a week-long, closed corporate offsite in Fuvahmulah for a US-based artificial intelligence company, highlighting the island’s growing suitability for integrated work-and-experience retreats. The retreat brought a group of 36 international professionals to the property, which was reserved exclusively for the programme.
Designed as a private company offsite, the stay combined structured daily work sessions with guided diving and beginner-friendly surf experiences, creating a balanced format that blended focused collaboration with physical reset.

A notable component of the programme was dive training and certification. During the retreat, 17 participants completed their Open Water certification, while a further six undertook the Advanced Open Water course, with training and dives scheduled alongside work sessions as part of the integrated itinerary.
Throughout the week, participants worked on-site using dedicated shared spaces supported by reliable high-speed internet, allowing meetings, informal collaboration and scheduled activities to take place within a single, uninterrupted environment. This setup enabled teams to move seamlessly between work periods and organised ocean activities without leaving the property.

Fuvahmulah’s natural and operational advantages formed a key part of the retreat’s appeal. As one of the Maldives’ largest inhabited islands, it offers immediate access to pelagic dive sites, internationally recognised shark diving and surf breaks suitable for instruction, alongside the infrastructure required to support extended group stays.

The offsite reflects a growing preference among technology and knowledge-sector teams for small-scale retreats that prioritise concentrated work environments and team cohesion over traditional conference formats. Such programmes typically involve longer stays and higher per-capita spend, aligning with sustainable, quality-driven tourism models.
The retreat also demonstrates how locally operated properties such as Ataraxis Grand & Spa are supporting this shift by delivering unified environments where accommodation, workspaces, connectivity and curated experiences operate as a single programme rather than separate services.

As organisations continue to explore alternative formats for strategy sessions, team resets and creative offsites, Ataraxis Grand & Spa’s experience positions Fuvahmulah as an increasingly viable destination for integrated corporate retreats.
Ataraxis Grand & Spa offers work-and-dive retreat programmes in Fuvahmulah that combine accommodation, dedicated workspaces, high-speed connectivity and organised diving and surfing.

Further information on retreat formats and dive-inclusive stays is available via the Ataraxis Grand & Spa website.
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