2026 AHICE Maldives Program Overview

Please see the 2026 Asia Pacific Hotel Industry Conference & Exhibition (AHICE) Maldives Hotel Investment Conference program overview below. More details will be available shortly.

Tuesday 13 October 2026

Hard Rock Hotel Maldives
5:30pm-6:30pm

WELCOME DRINKS at Hard Rock Hotel Maldives.
Presented by
     

6:30pm-9:00pm

NETWORKING: Optional Networking dinner (additional cost / included on full board)

9:00pm-onwards

NETWORKING: AHICE ‘After Dark’ networking bar at Hard Rock Hotel (pay as you go)

Note: Program is subject to change

Wednesday 14 October 2026

Crossroads ballroom, Hard Rock Hotel Maldives
11:00am-onwards

REGISTRATION at Crossroads.

11:45am-12:40pm NETWORKING LUNCH at Crossroads.
Presented by
12:40pm-12:45pm WELCOME TO THE AHICE MALDIVES TOURISM INVESTMENT CONFERENCE with emcee ANDREW CAMERON, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group Head of Investment Sales, Asia, JULIEN NAOURI, and AHICE Group President, Chair and Convenor, JAMES WILKINSON.
12:45pm-1:00pm KEYNOTE: to be revealed.
1:00pm-1:10pm KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: MALDIVES, BY THE NUMBERS by STR Sales, South & Southeast Asia, RACHEL CHEU.
1:10pm-1:20pm

KEYNOTE Q&A: S Hotels and Resorts Chief Executive Officer, MICHAEL MARSHALL, in conversation with Group President – AHICE Global Conferences and Editor-In-Chief, HM and Wayfarer magazines, JAMES WILKINSON.

1:20pm-1:40pm PANEL SESSION: THE ASIA-PACIFIC INDUSTRY OUTLOOK. What to expect in the Maldives for 2026 and beyond by leading executives.
Hosted by:
• JAMES WILKINSON, Group President – AHICE Global Conferences and Editor-In-Chief, HM and Wayfarer magazines
Panelists:

• NITESH PANDEY, Chief Operating Officer – Asia Pacific (APAC), The Lux Collective
• RAMESH BAPPOO, Head of Operations, SSEA, La Vie Hotels and Resorts
1:40pm-2:10pm PANEL SESSION: THE MALDIVES DEVELOPMENT OUTLOOK. What to expect in the Maldives for 2026 and beyond by leading executives.
Hosted by:
• Speaker to be revealed

Panelists:
• BHARAT RATANPAL, Director – Development, South Asia, Middle East & Africa, Preferred Hotels & Resorts
• KATE LOH, Head of Development, Pan Pacific Hotels Group
• RAMZY FENIANOS, Chief Development Officer APAC, Radisson Hotel Group
• RUWANI WEERASINGHE, Director Asset Management and Acquisition, La Vie Hotels and Resorts
2:10pm-2:30pm

KEYNOTE Q&A: JLL Hotels and Hospitality Group Head of Investment Sales, Asia, JULIEN NAOURI, in conversation with an executive to be revealed.

2:30pm-2:55pm PANEL SESSION: THE MALDIVES OPERATORS’ OUTLOOK. What to expect in the Maldives for 2026 and beyond by leading executives.
Hosted by:
• PAUL GORMAN, General Manager, Luxury Escapes
Panelists:
• FREDERIC BROHEZ, Chief Operating Officer, Pulse Hotels and Resorts

• IBRAHIM FARHAD, Director of Retail, Crossroads Maldives
• JOHN ALLANSON, General Manager, Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort
• JOHN ROGERS, General Manager, LUX* South Ari Atoll 

2:55pm-3:20pm NETWORKING: Afternoon tea and coffee.
Presented by
3:20pm-3:40pm

PANEL SESSION: BRANDED RESIDENTIAL. What to expect in the Maldives for 2026 and beyond by leading executives.
Hosted by:
• 
Speaker to be revealed
Panelists:
• GIANFRANCO BIANCHI, Chief Executive Officer, The One Atelier
• MARCO BONINI, Director Branded Residences, Six and Six
• 
Speaker to be revealed

3:40pm-3:55pm

KEYNOTE Q&A: SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT. Candela Regional CEO – Asia-Pacific, BJÖRN ANTONSSON, in conversation with Enzyme Consulting Founder and CEO, ANDREW CAMERON.

3:55pm-4:15pm

PANEL SESSION: HOT TECHNOLOGY. What to expect in the Maldives for 2026 and beyond by leading executives.
Hosted by:
• ANDREW CAMERON, Founder and CEO, Enzyme Consulting

Panelists:
• AMIT PESHAWARIA, VP of Sales, APAC, Duetto
• DANIEL MOURAD, General Manager – APAC, Canary Technologies
• SHELLIA CHANG, Sales Director, ANZ & Pacific – Hospitality, Infor

4:15pm-4:30pm

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: THE MALDIVES REAL ESTATE MARKET OUTLOOK. What to expect in the Maldives for 2026 and beyond.
• Speaker to be revealed

4:30pm-5:00pm

PANEL SESSION: MALDIVES INVESTMENT OUTLOOK.  What to expect in the Maldives for 2026 and beyond by leading executives.
Hosted by:
• Speaker to be revealed
Panelists:
• KIERAN BESTALL, Managing Director – Private Equity, Ares Management
• MOHAMED KHALEEL, Managing Director of Pulse Hotels and Resorts & CEO of Manta 
• Speakers to be revealed

5:00pm-5:15pm

INDUSTRY Q&A: MATI Secretary General, ASAD ALI, in conversation with AHICE Group President and Chair and Convenor, JAMES WILKINSON.

5:15pm-5:30pm

KEYNOTE Q&A: EXPANDING THE AUSTRALIAN MARKET TO THE MALDIVES. Maldivian General Manager, Commercial (International), MOHAMED SAFFAH and Luxury Escapes Chief Revenue Officer DANIEL MONK, in conversation with AHICE Global Conferences Group President and Editor-In-Chief, HM and Wayfarer magazines, JAMES WILKINSON.

5:30pm-7:30pm

NETWORKING drinks and bites at Hard Rock Hotel Maldives.
Presented by

7:45pm-9:30pm

NETWORKING dinner at Hard Rock Hotel Maldives (additional cost / included on full board)

9:30pm-onwards

NETWORKING: AHICE ‘After Dark’ networking bar at Hard Rock Hotel (pay as you go)

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

Want to get more information and discuss commercial opportunities?

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