Business
MAHRP successfully concludes Maldives first virtual learning and development conference
Maldives Association of Human Resource Professionals (MAHRP) has successfully concluded the first ever virtual learning and development conference in Maldives.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic and related challenges, MAHRP could not host the event as planned. The event was shifted to a virtual platform.
Hosted on July 11 and 12, the virtual learning and development conference was themed as, “Creating a Value-Driven Learning Culture”. It was attended by over 380 participants, and featured speakers from the Maldives, India, Trinidad and Tobago and Singapore.
Ron Kaufman was the keynote speaker and chief guest of the conference. He brought in so much value by explaining the opportunities ahead to elevate personal and professional life and drive it through a transformation.
Eddie Lee touched upon the topic of coaching and how organisational leaders can bring a cultural change through in-house coaches. He also highlighted the role coaches can play in creating a value-driven learning culture.
Ahmed Ibrahim delivered a keynote on the topic of agility and transformation, and the mindset organisational leaders need. He shared examples from the days of the Industrial Revolution to the current concepts of human capital development.
Aminath Irasha presented a case study on how Islanders Education Group brought a revolution in digital learning through their schools and learning institutions. She was joined by Mauroofa from Billabong High International School, and together they shared the knowledge and transformative experienced gained during the school closures in the wake of the pandemic.
Iyaz Waheed brought with him his favourite topic: growth mindset and how organisations can drive growth mindset. His belief on instilling growth mindset through schools and education institutions was well shared.
Mohamed Ashraf brought an excellent case study on how the nation’s leading bank, Bank of Maldives, created a learning culture, challenged the status quo, and brought a complete transformation to their organisational performance through a continuous learning process.
Aminath Adhala highlighted the importance of living a life driven by values. She gave a significant closing remark; that we should be asking every day, “How do we want others to remember us when we are gone?”
Ahmed Nasir shared a thought-provoking concept and approach. He invited all training providers and organisations to join TVET in transforming learning into practical certifications and skill-based experiences through apprenticeship programmes or set of work experience initiatives.
Mavis Mazhura joined the conference from South Africa, sharing her insights on building emotional resilience and critical elements that will help us to transform our lives.
Hawwa Leesha, Hawwa Shaheena and Dr Safeeya Mohammed conducted an important panel discussion on wellness, wellbeing, happiness and creating a culture of gratitude within an organisation. They shared relevant global and local best practices.
Kiruba Shanker shared his wisdom on building a professional brand image as speakers, learning and development professionals. He showed with practical examples the opportunities we have through social media platforms and how we can use them to our advantage.
Zakariya ‘Zaki’ Easa presented a world-class case study on how Crown & Champa Resorts handled the challenges stemming from the Covid-19 crisis and used learning and development functions to drive the strategy to keep their teams engaged.
Sara Ballinger shared a practical approach to identify, develop and grow talents within our community.
Ibrahim Inaz touched upon the culture of learning and the role of operational managers.
Hassan Shamman, a champion of good HR practices, shared his insights on how we can transform the traditional recruitment process to a value-driven one by challenging the status quo.
Ahmed Saeid presented a thoughtful approach to how cognitive apprenticeship can change organisational learning cultures.
Imelda Sutisna delivered an incredible closing speech on how mentoring can play a crucial role in growing and developing talents within any organisation.
“I should share a moment of gratitude to MAHRP exco and advisory team. Their guidance made this conference a success. Ali Adam, your thoughtful approach in creating our virtual studio, added so much value to our event,” MAHRP President Hussain Afeef, who also serves as the Regional Director of Training, Development and Quality Assurance at LUX* Resorts, said.
“I share this moment of gratitude to all speakers as a reminder that we must celebrate and always be grateful for every success and learning.”

Since the coronavirus pandemic hit our routine, MAHRP has conducted several virtual learning experiences covering topics ranging from HR challenges in force majeure, emotional intelligence, workplace wellness and mental wellbeing, post-pandemic HR leadership requirements, and techniques to follow and engage teams when working from home.
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.
MAHRP recently partnered with Southern Community Empowerment Association of Maldives (SCEAM) to host a leadership and growth summit in the southernmost Addu city in November.
MAHRP’s second National HR Convention and EXPO 2020 has also been delayed to November.
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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