2025 AHICE Maldives Program Overview

Please see the 2025 Asia Pacific Hotel Industry Conference & Exhibition (AHICE) Maldives Hotel Investment Conference program overview below.

Wednesday 24 September 2025

Kurumba Maldives
6:00pm-7:00pm

NETWORKING: WELCOME DRINKS.
Presented by

Note: Program is subject to change

Thursday 25 September 2025

Kurumba Maldives
9:00am-10:00am

REGISTRATION, coffee and tea.

10:00am-10:05am WELCOME TO THE 2025 AHICE MALDIVES HOTEL INVESTMENT CONFERENCE with emcee ANDREW CAMERON and AHICE Group President and Chair and Convenor, JAMES WILKINSON, JLL CEO – Asia Pacific, NIHAT ERCAN and Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) Secretary General, AHMED NAZEER.
10:05am-10:20am OFFICIAL WELCOME: Maldives Minister of Economic Development and Trade, the Hon. MOHAMED SAEED.
10:20am-10:35am KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: What to expect in 2025 and beyond by STR Sales – South & Southeast Asia, RACHEL CHEU.
10:35am-10:45am KEYNOTE: ESSENTIAL SUSTAINABILITY – THE KEYS TO SUCCESS IN 2025 AND BEYOND by ANDREW CAMERON, Founder and CEO, Enzyme Consulting.
10:45am-11:10am

PANEL SESSION: THE MALDIVES HOTELIERS’ OUTLOOK. Several of the Maldives’ leading executives and General Managers on at the industry outlook for 2025.
Hosted by:
• ROBERT WILLIAMS, Head of Hotels & Hospitality Asia Pacific, Watson Farley & Williams
Panelists:
• JOHN ROGERS, General Manager, LUX* South Ari Atoll
• MARK ELETR, General Manager, Holiday Inn resort Kandooma Maldives
 MORTEN JUNIOR, General Manager, Kurumba Maldives

11:10am-11:40am

MORNING TEA
Presented by

11:40am-12:10pm INVESTOR Q&A: Crown Company Chairman, HUSSAIN AFEEF, in conversation with JLL CEO – Asia Pacific, NIHAT ERCAN.
12:10pm-12:20pm

DOCUMENTARY: INTRODUCING THE SALA BAI HOTEL SCHOOL in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

In the heart of Siem Reap, the Sala Baï Hotel and Restaurant school has been training young underprivileged Cambodians for the past 20 years to be Asia’s finest hotel staff. In this insightful documentary, filmmaker JAMES WILKINSON speaks to students, staff and several graduates who have gone on and found success in roles across some of Asia’s leading hotels.

12:20pm-12:30pm

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE (ESG) as a strategic tool for value creation in island hospitality industry by Nexia Maldives Director, Climate Change and Sustainable Development, MOHAMED INAZ.

12:30pm-12:45pm INNOVATION Q&A: TALKING SUSTAINABILITY AND INNOVATION: Candela Regional CEO – Asia-Pacific, BJÖRN ANTONSSON, in conversation with AHICE Group President and Wayfarer Editor-In-Chief, JAMES WILKINSON.
12:45pm-1:00pm

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: REAL ESTATE MARKET OUTLOOK for Maldives for 2025 and beyond, presented by JLL Hotels’ Senior Vice President, LINGWEI TAN.

1:00pm-2:00pm

NETWORKING LUNCH
Presented by

2:00pm-2:20pm

HOTELIER Q&A: S Hotels and Resorts Chief Executive Officer, MICHAEL MARSHALL, in conversation with AHICE Group President and Chair and Convenor, JAMES WILKINSON.

2:20pm-2:30pm

KEYNOTE SPEECH: Maldives State Minister of Tourism, DR. ABDULLA NIYAZ.

2:30pm-2:45pm

HOTELIER Q&A: Hilton Vice President and Regional Head South-East Asia, ALEX MURRAY, in conversation with AHICE Group President and Chair and Convenor, JAMES WILKINSON.

2:45pm-3:05pm

PANEL SESSION: THE MALDIVES INVESTMENT & DEVELOPMENT OUTLOOK. Leading investors take to the stage to look at the segments, destinations, and brands that are fuelling growth. The panel will be lead off by a market outlook presentation.
Hosted by:
• CALVIN LI, Executive Vice President, Head of Transaction Advisory Services, JLL Hotels and Hospitality Group
Panelists:
• GHALY MURTHALA, Founder & Managing Director, Morteza Capital
• RUWANI WEERASINGHE, Director Asset Management and Acquisition, La Vie Hotels and Resorts

3:05pm-3:35pm

NETWORKING: AFTERNOON TEA
Presented by

3:35pm-3:50pm

HOTELIER Q&A: La Vie Hotels Chief Executive Officer, JERRY XU, in conversation with AHICE Group President and Chair and Convenor, JAMES WILKINSON.

3:50pm-4:15pm

PANEL SESSION: HOTEL TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION. What’s hot in technology for 2025 and beyond.
Hosted by:
• ANDREW CAMERON, Founder and CEO Enzyme Consulting
Panelists:
• BENJAMIN KRIEG, Senior Vice President Operations & Global Strategic Accounts, FutureLog
• MARCEL FUHRER, APAC Business Development Manager, Candela
• SHELLIA CHANG, Sales Director, ANZ & Pacific – Hospitality, Infor
• STEVEN HOPKINSON, Senior Vice President for Asia Pacific and the Middle East, Shiji Group

4:15pm-4:30pm

INVESTOR Q&A: MATI Secretary General, AHMED NAZEER, in conversation with AHICE Group President and Chair and Convenor, JAMES WILKINSON.

4:30pm-4:55pm

PANEL SESSION: THE MALDIVES TOURISM OUTLOOK. What you can expect for the year ahead with tourism to the Maldives.
Hosted by:
• ASAD ALI, Deputy Secretary General, Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI)
Panelists:
AISHATH ALAA ABDUL HANNAN, Deputy Manager of Corporate Strategy and Business Development, Trans Maldivian Airways
MOHAMED MIHAD, Chief Commercial Officer, Maldives Airports Co (MAC)
MUAVIYATH UMAR, Chief Operating Officer, Villa Resorts
• PAUL GORMAN, General Manager, Luxury Escapes

4:55pm-5:00pm

WRAP-UP by emcee ANDREW CAMERON, AHICE Group President and Chair and Convenor, JAMES WILKINSON, JLL CEO – Asia Pacific, NIHAT ERCAN and Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) Secretary General, AHMED NAZEER.

5:00pm-7:00pm

NETWORKING: GALA NETWORKING EVENT at Kurumba Maldives
Presented by

7:15pm-onwards

OPT-IN NETWORKING DINNER
(additional cost / registration required)

Note: Program is subject to change

IMPORTANT: THE AHICE HOUSE RULES

A note from the organisers: Due to a number of unofficial invite-only events taking place during conferences in recent years, we would ask that businesses and individuals please do not host any events during the above times as a courtesy to other sponsors of AHICE Maldives.

We all know that without sponsors, events like this cannot happen and we ask that our request is respected. If unapproved events do take place during the official times, the organisers and representatives of those companies will not be able to attend any AHICE sessions and are at the risk of passes being revoked.

We are also requesting that supplier and adviser attendees that aren’t sponsors of the event do not canvas for business with sales materials and documents at AHICE Maldives events. Those that do will be at the risk of passes being revoked.

To find out how you can be involved in the program, please contact:

HOTEL OWNERS & CHAINS

James Wilkinson, AHICE Chair & Convenor: jwilkinson@intermedia.com.au

GET IN TOUCH

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