International HR and AI Experts to Speak at Maldives HR Convention 2026

The Maldives Association of HR Professionals (MAHRP) has announced the international speaker line-up for the 6th National HR Convention & EXPO 2026, which will be held in Malé at the Maldives National University Central Auditorium. The convention will bring together HR professionals, business leaders and industry stakeholders from across the region to explore emerging trends shaping the future of work, leadership and organisational transformation.

According to MAHRP, the event will feature global experts with experience in leadership development, digital transformation and artificial intelligence in human resource management. The convention aims to create a platform for dialogue and knowledge sharing on how organisations can adapt to evolving workplace dynamics and technological change.

Daniël Heerkens

Daniël Heerkens, a seasoned marketing and sales leader with more than 15 years of experience driving growth across the Asia Pacific region, will be among the featured speakers. He currently serves as Managing Partner at JH Growth Partners, where he provides CMO and commercial representative as a service solutions to organisations.

Heerkens previously served as Global Marketing and Partnership Director at Singapore based fintech unicorn Coda Payments. Earlier in his career, he founded and successfully exited a regional boutique digital marketing agency with operations in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

His client portfolio includes companies such as CNN, Ping An, AXA, Maybank, UMobile, Scoot, Abbott and UOB Kay Hian. Beyond corporate leadership, Heerkens is an HRD Corp Malaysia accredited trainer and has trained more than 5,000 marketing and business leaders through programmes delivered with institutions such as General Assembly and NTU Executive Education in Singapore. He also serves as the Marketing and Communications Chair of the Executives’ Global Network chapter in Singapore.

Dr. Nadir Zafar

Dr. Nadir Ali Zafar, Managing Director of the Singapore Leaders Network at the Human Capital Leadership Institute, will also speak at the convention. The Singapore Leaders Network is a national leadership initiative managed by the institute and supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board.

Zafar joined the institute from UAE based education technology company Alef Education, where he served as Chief Operating Officer and helped grow the organisation from a start-up into an award winning company serving several hundred thousand students.

Over a career spanning more than two decades, Zafar has held senior leadership roles across education, technology and corporate sectors. Prior to Alef Education, he worked at GEMS Education where he served on the senior leadership team and later led corporate development initiatives in Singapore. He has also worked closely with senior leadership at major shipping and media companies in the Middle East region. His professional experience spans multiple countries including the UAE, India, Thailand and Singapore.

Zafar holds a Bachelor of Business Management in Marketing from the Singapore Management University, an MBA from INSEAD and a Doctor of Education in Leadership and Innovation from New York University. He has also served on the board of a London listed global education company and held leadership roles within several professional and alumni organisations.

Larissa Murmann

Larissa Murmann, Digital Chief HR Officer for Unilever International, will also join the speaker line-up. Unilever International is the company’s fastest growing global business unit, with a turnover of USD 1.3 billion and more than 500 employees worldwide.

With more than 15 years of experience in the human resources field, Murmann focuses on culture and leadership transformation, organisational development and digital transformation to support business growth. Her career has taken her across multiple international markets including Switzerland, the United States, Argentina, Spain, Mexico and Singapore, giving her a broad global perspective on human resource management.

Murmann’s work at Unilever International centres on building a culture that combines high performance, strong employee care and digital innovation. She is also known for exploring unconventional approaches to HR agility and the future of work.

Outside her corporate career, Murmann is an opera singer who has recorded several albums and is a certified business coach. She has also completed certification in AI for Business Strategy at MIT and is currently pursuing further studies with the National University of Singapore’s Chief Data, Analytics and AI Officer programme. In addition, she has founded her own company, InfinAIte Frequency.

The 6th National HR Convention & EXPO 2026 will take place at the Maldives National University Central Auditorium in Malé and is expected to attract HR practitioners, corporate leaders and professionals interested in strengthening leadership, innovation and talent development within their organisations.

Registrations for the convention are currently open. Interested participants can secure their seats by registering through the official link: https://forms.office.com/r/B7qt3JfZi8?origin=lprLink. The event is expected to serve as a platform for exchanging ideas and exploring strategies shaping the future of HR and business leadership.