Who is where in travel: Maldives Resorts Add New GMs, Sales Directors

12 September, 2023

JOALI has announced several new appointments, including Enver Arslan as area general manager. Previously the general manager of JOALI Maldives, Enver in his new role will be responsible for overseeing JOALI Maldives, JOALI BEING and BIJAL Turkey.

Enver has been a leader of JOALI Maldives since preopening and has made a tremendous impact on the success of the brand. His professional journey began with Four Seasons, and his career path has taken him around the globe, from Grand Teton and Las Vegas to the Middle East and finally to the Maldives. In 2017, Enver joined the opening team of JOALI Maldives as resort director, taking charge of the property’s operational departments. He was promoted to general manager in 2021.

At the same time, Shifaz Hassan, who has been the resort manager of JOALI Maldives since March 2022, has been named Enver’s successor as GM. In 2018, he joined the resort as a front office manager and was promoted to rooms divisions manager in 2020, eventually becoming the resort manager.

JOALI Being also announced the promotion of Graeme Freeman from resort manager to general manager. Graeme joined JOALI BEING during its preopening stages. His career began as part of the management team at Karma Group, an international travel and lifestyle brand. Graeme then transitioned into operational leadership, progressing in his role as resort manager and subsequently assumed the general manager position at Karma Jimbaran Resort. He later held roles overseeing the operations of Aleenta Resort & Spa and serving as resident manager at Six Senses Laamu.

Additionally, Ennismore has appointed Jesper Soerensen as general manager of brand-new resort SO/ Maldives, opening in Q4 2023. Soerensen will be responsible for overseeing the preopening of SO/ Maldives and will also drive the overall resort strategy, bringing the SO/ brand experiences to the Maldives.

He is rejoining Ennismore after a hiatus at The Standard, Maldives where he has been the GM for the last three years. Prior to that, he was general manager of the Six Senses in Singapore. Soerensen started his career in food and beverage with Hakkasan and then moved into room with Morgans Hotel Group in the front office and then as director of rooms at the St Martins Lane Hotel London. He moved to Miami where he was the hotel manager and then general manager at the Shore Club Hotel Miami Beach for five years.

The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands announced the appointment of key staff members, as well—among them, Amro Ali, who is the new director of sales and marketing. Ali brings over 15 years of experience in luxury hotel management to his new role. His career began as a front office receptionist at Dusit Thani Dubai, where he was promoted to a sales executive role. Ali later joined W Abu Dhabi Hotel as a sales manager.

In 2012, Ali transferred to The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai, where he served as a senior sales manager before eventually being promoted to director of sales. He then took on the role of director of sales at Hotel Arts Barcelona in Spain and later as the director of sales and marketing at The Ritz-Carlton, Jeddah Palace. Prior to his most recent role as assistant director of sales and marketing at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, Ali was the cluster director of sales and marketing for The Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott Absheron in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Seaside Finolhu Baa Atoll has named Jean Francois Richard as its new director of sales and marketing. Richard will be responsible for leading and further improving all aspects of the Sales and Marketing Team.

He joins Finolhu from Kempinski Seychelles Resort Baie Lazare, where he also held the position of director of sales and marketing. Prior to that, he worked his way up the sales and marketing ladder at Marriott International and Starwood Hotels & Resorts between 2010 and 2021, culminating in the role of cluster director of sales for Mauritius.

Holding dual French and Mauritian nationality, Richard brings with him almost 20 years of experience in a variety of positions across the international hospitality and travel sectors. He also holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Hotel Management and Marketing and has developed expertise in areas as diverse as cross-functional interactions and collaboration, as well as the implementation of brand standards, strategizing and tactical planning, and the creation of F&B concepts.

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