Board of Directors
MR. ABDULLA GHIYAS RIYAZ
CHAIRPERSON
Mr. Abdulla Ghiyas was appointed as a Board of Director of Visit Maldives Corporation on 11th July 2024.
He is the Chair of the PATA Maldives Chapter, the PATA Face of the Future 2018, and the current President of the Maldives Association of Travel Agents & Tour Operators (MATATO). Over the past several years, he has led MATATO, having been involved with the NGO for nearly 18 years in roles ranging from Board Member to Treasurer to Vice President.
In his current role, he has supported the independent non-profit organization with a variety of activities, including advocacy, training, recognition, familiarization trips, international trade shows, destination marketing, government lobbying, and whistleblowing.
With 20 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry, Abdulla Ghiyas became the youngest Board Director of the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) from 2014 to 2018. In 2010, Junior Chamber International (JCI) Maldives recognized him as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons in the Maldives. In 2018, he was named PATA Face of the Future. Additionally, he serves as the Deputy at the Consulate of the Republic of Seychelles to the Maldives.
A serial entrepreneur, Ghiyas leads travel businesses and startups in the Maldives. In 2019, he was named one of TTG Asia’s 45 Trendsetters in Asia / Agents of Change. He has been featured in various interviews and global leading news outlets, including CNN and BBC.
MR. IBRAHIM SHIUREE
CEO & MANAGING DIRECTOR / EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Mr Ibrahim Shiuree was appointed as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director (CEO & MD) and Board of Director of Visit Maldives Corporation on 13th June 2024.
Mr Shiuree brings a diverse professional background spanning infrastructure development, project management, and industry engagement. He has served as Director Projects and Infrastructure at United Development Pvt Ltd since 2011, where he has overseen strategic planning and performance monitoring across major national projects, including the development and expansion of regional airports such as Fuvahmulah, Dharavandhoo, Ifuru, Kooddoo, Kudahuvadhoo, and Kulhudhuffushi.
His professional contributions extend to industry and community leadership, including his role as an Executive Board Member of the Maldives National Association of Construction Industry since 2017, where he supports sector development and standards. He also serves as Vice President of the Table Tennis Association of Maldives, contributing to the promotion and development of the sport at both national and international levels.
Mr Shiuree has also achieved distinction in sports, earning multiple national and international accolades, including the National Youth Award at the age of 16 and several medals in international competitions. He is a recipient of the National Award of Recognition for his contribution to sports development and the promotion of professional sportsmanship.
He holds a Master of Business Administration specialising in Public Relations and Communication from Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, Malaysia.
MS. MAHA NASEER
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ms. Maha Naseer was appointed as a Board of Director of Visit Maldives Corporation on 26th December 2024.
A highly accomplished culinary professional, Ms. Maha brings a wealth of experience spanning various culinary domains. With more than 10 years of experience in the tourism industry, she has held key positions, showcasing her leadership skills and culinary expertise.
Currently serving as a Freelance F&B Consultant and Entrepreneur, Ms. Maha has demonstrated her culinary expertise in different capacities. She has successfully navigated roles as a Freelance F&B Consultant and Pastry Designer, contributing her innovative thinking to projects at renowned establishments such as Fihalhohi Island Resort and Amilla Fushi Maldives. Additionally, her dedication to the culinary arts extends to teaching, where she has served as an instructor, sharing her knowledge and skills with aspiring chefs.
Maha’s remarkable achievements include being recognized as the first Maldivian to receive the prestigious “Master Chef” recognition by the World Master Chef Society. Her strategic thinking and organizational skills were further honored during her term of service as the Secretary General of The Chefs Guild of Maldives from 2019 to 2023.
Maha, a proud graduate in culinary arts and cuisine from Singapore Creative Culinaire (2014), holds a MasterChef certification from the World MasterChef Society (2022). Additionally, her commitment to the art of baking is evident through her graduation from the prestigious Lavonne Academy of Baking Science and Pastry Arts in 2017.
MS. AMINATH VULAU MOHAMED NAZIM
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ms Aminath Vulau Mohamed Nazim was appointed as a Board of Director of Visit Maldives Corporation on 16th January 2024.
Ms Nazim brings over 15 years of experience in the hospitality and tourism sector, with professional exposure in both the Maldives and the United Kingdom. She is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Hotel 78 Group Pvt Ltd, a community tourism operator that owns and manages hotels, restaurants, and speedboat services across multiple islands. She is recognised as one of the pioneering female leaders within the community tourism sector.
Her leadership experience extends across corporate boards, corporate society boards, and social sector boards, including serving as chairperson of one of the first corporate society boards in the Maldives. Her work reflects a strong understanding of organisational governance, stakeholder engagement, and the evolving dynamics of the tourism industry.
Ms Nazim’s professional strengths are rooted in strategy development and research, supported by her ongoing doctoral studies. Her work demonstrates a focus on data-driven marketing approaches and a practical understanding of market requirements, informed by her experience as a business owner and operator within the tourism sector. Her combined international and domestic exposure enables her to apply cultural insight and operational knowledge to enhance customer understanding and service delivery.
She completed her undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Hospitality and Tourism Management at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Innovative Tourism at the University of Primorska, Slovenia.
Ms Sabeeha Ahmed
Chief Operating Officer / Executive Director
Ms. Sabeeha Ahmed was appointed to the Board of Directors of Visit Maldives Corporation (VMC) on 29 October 2025. She has served as Chief Operating Officer of VMC since December 2023.
A tourism marketing professional with expertise in the Maldives’ luxury resort segment, Ms. Sabeeha has a proven record of generating demand through trade partnerships and integrated campaigns. At VMC, she has overseen the destination-marketing portfolio, spanning multi-market campaigns, trade activations, and brand governance, and now focuses on business development and enterprise growth, including revenue diversification and strategic partnerships that strengthen the Maldives brand globally.
With over a decade of experience in the tourism sector, Ms. Sabeeha has achieved commercial success with leading hospitality groups such as Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Crown & Champa Resorts, Accor, and Jumeirah Group. She has led sales, key account strategy, and distribution for island resort portfolios, which has strengthened her expertise in strategic planning, market development, and luxury resort positioning.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Tourism Management from Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (Malaysia), providing a strong industry-focused foundation for her leadership in destination marketing and business development.
Ms Aishath Ali
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ms Aishath Ali was appointed as a Board of Director of Visit Maldives Corporation on 26th April 2026.
Ms Ali brings over three decades of extensive experience in the tourism sector, having served in multiple senior leadership roles at the Ministry of Tourism. She currently holds the position of Director General at the Destination Management and Quality Assurance Department, where she oversees tourism standards, compliance, licensing, safety, crisis management, and stakeholder partnerships.
Her career reflects a strong progression through key strategic and operational roles, including Acting Permanent Secretary and Assistant Director General. She has played a central role in shaping national tourism policies and frameworks, contributing to multiple Tourism Master Plans and leading destination promotion and marketing initiatives at both national and international levels.
Ms Ali has also represented the sector across various national committees and boards, contributing to environmental, education, and tourism policy development. Her experience includes coordinating closely with national institutions and leading cross-sector initiatives that strengthen the Maldives’ tourism ecosystem.
She holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Suffolk, and a Diploma in Business Administration from Anglia Ruskin University.
Ms Aishath Malha
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ms Aishath Malha was appointed as a Board of Director of Visit Maldives Corporation on 26th April 2026.
Ms Malha is a finance and advisory professional with experience in internal audit, risk management, financial analysis, and asset valuation. She currently serves as a Treasury Management Analyst at the Ministry of Finance and Planning, where she contributes to financial asset management and sovereign fund operations.
She has previously held roles at Crowe Maldives Advisory, progressing to Manager within a short period, where she led advisory engagements across resort valuations, risk frameworks, and audit processes for both public and private sector entities. Her experience reflects a strong analytical approach to business processes, financial planning, and governance structures.
In addition to her professional work, Ms Malha contributes to academia as a part-time lecturer, supporting higher education programmes in accounting and finance. Her combined experience across advisory, public finance, and teaching positions her with a well-rounded perspective on financial systems and organisational performance.
She holds a Master of Science in Accounting and Finance with distinction from the University of the West of England, a BSc in Applied Accounting with First Class Honours from Oxford Brookes University, and is a member of ACCA.
Mr Ali Shinan
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Mr Ali Shinan was appointed as a Board of Director of Visit Maldives Corporation on 26th April 2026.
Mr Shinan brings extensive experience in tourism policy, planning, and public sector management, currently serving as Director General at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation. His career spans over a decade in senior government roles, including Deputy Director General and Director of Planning at the Ministry of Tourism.
He has played a key role in shaping national tourism strategies, including contributions to multiple Tourism Master Plans and leading strategic initiatives such as diversification and localisation projects. He also served as a focal point for major international collaborations, including projects with UNDP and other development partners.
Mr Shinan’s experience includes leading coordination efforts during critical periods, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and managing inter-agency programmes that support tourism resilience and development. His expertise covers policy development, investment facilitation, stakeholder engagement, and destination planning.
He holds a Master of Public Policy in Public Management from the KDI Graduate School of Public Policy and Management, and a Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Marketing from Bangalore University.
Ms Hudha Faheem
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ms Hudha Faheem was appointed as a Board of Director of Visit Maldives Corporation on 26th April 2026.
Ms Faheem is a strategic communications professional with experience in public sector communication, policy engagement, and stakeholder relations. She currently serves as a Communication Specialist at the Ministry of Finance and Planning, where she leads communication strategies for national reform initiatives and economic policy programmes.
Her work focuses on translating complex policy frameworks into clear public messaging, while strengthening transparency, public awareness, and trust. She has worked closely with international partners such as the World Bank and ADB, and has contributed to high-level government communications, including national budgets and medium-term fiscal strategies.
Ms Faheem has also held roles in stakeholder relations and public communications at the Auditor General’s Office, where she contributed to policy development, social media strategies, and institutional communication frameworks. Her experience spans media relations, crisis communication, and public engagement initiatives.
She holds a Master of Business Administration, a Bachelor of Business in Management and Marketing, and a Diploma in Business from the Maldives National University.