Business
MAHRP granted membership of Asia Pacific Federation of Human Resources Management
Maldives Association of HR Professionals (MAHRP) has been announced as a member of Asia Pacific Federation of Human Resources Management (APFHRM).
The first HR professionals association in the Maldives received this prestigious placement at the APFHRM Board Meeting held on 16 March at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Denarau Island in Fiji. MAHRP President Hussain Afeef and his deputy Ahmed Ibrahim represented the Maldives and MAHRP in the event.
During the event, MAHRP presented their mandate, activities and future plans for developing HR professionals in the Maldives. Based on this presentation, the APFHRM board, which comprises representatives from over 17 countries in the Asia Pacific region, unanimously voted to grant membership status to MAHRP.
“Having Maldives as a member of APFHRM and knowing what MAHRP has done during their first year is just tremendous. We saw their National Convention and its news coverage, and our board applauds its membership and executive committee for such a great work done during a short period of time. We are willing and committed to help MAHRP and its members to develop their HR network and professionals by sharing our resources and other support elements as applicable and relevant,” David Li, President of APFHRM, said during the event.

This accreditation contributes immensely to MAHRP’s goal of developing globally competitive HR professionals in the Maldives. It will also further enhance the standing and acceptance of MAHRP as a strong professional body involved in strengthening the HR professionals network in the Maldives and in the region.
As a member of APFHRM, MAHRP will get several benefits such as understanding and sharing best practices from all APFHRM member countries, access to data and research information relevant to HR practices, getting world-class speakers for MAHRP events, and sharing resources developed by membership countries for their HR activities. Most importantly, MAHRP and its members will have the opportunity to participate in activities organised by APFHRM and its member countries.
“It’s a golden opportunity for us to represent Maldives in its effort to lead and develop the human capital, and most importantly understanding what other island nations or countries with similar type of economic models are following to develop their HR network and professionals nationwide. We are pleased with the support of APFHRM member countries. I would like to especially thank Dhamikka, President of CIPM Sri Lanka, who is also a board member of APFHRM, for his role in introducing Maldives to this platform,” MAHRP President Hussain Afeef, who also serves as the Regional Director of Training, Development and Quality Assurance at LUX* Resorts, said.
APFHRM is the network of human resources and people management associations’ representative countries in the Asia Pacific region.
As a collective, the federation’s purpose is to advance the standing of the HR and people management profession within the region. It does this through its member representatives regularly meeting to exchange knowledge and research on best practice in HR. From the member associations’ geographical proximity to one another, the Federation’s major focus is in matters relating specifically to HR in the Asia Pacific region, though it is also an active branch of the World Federation of People Management Associations (WFPMA).
The countries that form the federation are Australia, Bangladesh, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines , Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan,Thailand and Vietnam.
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 also organised an exclusive training event in Maldives with world’s leading customer experience consultant Ron Kaufman.
MAHRP’s main focus for 2019 is identifying key challenges in human capital development and work towards adding value to every aspect of HR throughout the country. This includes a series of activities, including HR knowledge share, best practice share, HR organisational level quizzes, HR convention and debate sessions, as well as inspirational talks with world-class speakers.
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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