MAHRP L&D Conference to Feature Prominent Keynote Speakers

The Maldives Association of Human Resources Professionals (MAHRP) will bring together a prominent line-up of international and local keynote speakers for its 6th Learning & Development Conference 2026, scheduled to take place on 5 September.

Held under the theme “Learning Beyond Borders: Transforming Talent for the Future of Work,” the full-day conference will explore how organisations can strengthen talent, leadership and workplace capabilities as the world of work continues to evolve.

Registration is now open for the conference, which will be held at the MNU Business School Auditorium in Malé. The event is expected to attract HR professionals, business leaders, learning and development practitioners, and professionals with an interest in organisational performance and people development.

This year’s keynote speakers are Heather Hansen, George Anderson, May Leng Kwok and Athif Ibrahim, bringing expertise across communication, high-performance leadership, organisational culture, learning and development, and hospitality.

Global communication specialist Heather Hansen is a TEDx speaker, trainer, author and founder of the Global Speech Academy. She was also named to the Thinkers50 Radar Class of 2024, which recognises emerging thinkers shaping the future of management and leadership.

Hansen works with professionals and organisations to strengthen communication, leadership presence and workplace effectiveness. Her work focuses on helping leaders and teams communicate with greater confidence and clarity while navigating increasingly diverse and rapidly changing work environments.

Her approach centres on helping professionals “show up, speak up and inspire action”, with a particular emphasis on building more innovative, inclusive and effective teams.

Keynote speaker and author George Anderson will bring his expertise in high-performance teams, personal development and organisational transformation to the conference.

With a background spanning engineering, coaching and endurance sport, Anderson combines practical tools with science-backed approaches to performance and wellbeing. He delivers keynote presentations and training programmes to organisations around the world, helping professionals develop sustainable habits that support both wellbeing and long-term performance.

His work explores how individuals and organisations can develop the behaviours, mindsets and systems required to achieve sustainable high performance.

May Leng Kwok, Chartered FCIPD, will bring extensive experience in organisational culture, leadership and people development to the conference.

With around 20 years of experience in the professional development and education sectors, May Leng has worked extensively in human resources and learning and development across Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

Her experience includes management and market development roles, as well as working with organisations and partners to strengthen leadership capability, professional skills and workplace practices. Her work places particular emphasis on building capability, developing effective mindsets and strengthening people-management practices to create stronger leaders and organisational cultures.

Representing the Maldives among the keynote speakers is Athif Ibrahim, Cluster Training and Quality Assurance Manager at Sun Siyam Resorts.

Athif has more than 14 years of experience in the Maldivian hospitality industry and has worked with several leading resort brands throughout his career.

He began his hospitality career at One&Only Reethi Rah before spending more than a decade in Front Office operations. He later joined LUX South Ari Atoll* as Assistant Manager of Training and Quality Assurance, where he contributed to the resort’s efforts that culminated in it receiving a five-star rating from Forbes Travel Guide in 2024.

Athif joined Sun Siyam Iru Veli as Learning and Development Manager in January 2024 and subsequently progressed through training and quality assurance leadership roles. In July 2026, he was appointed Cluster Training and Quality Assurance Manager, overseeing training and quality assurance at both Sun Siyam Iru Veli and Sun Siyam Vilu Reef.

Beyond his hospitality career, Athif is also a speaker, writer and endurance athlete. He writes on leadership, human resources, learning and development, motivation, psychology, philosophy, personal growth and athletics.

The programme will explore several areas shaping the future of learning and work, including workplace transformation, artificial intelligence and the human experience in learning, competency-based learning and development, high-performance culture, leadership development and organisational capability.

Participants will also have the opportunity to take part in practical masterclasses and interactive learning experiences designed to provide insights and approaches that can be applied within their own organisations.

Alongside the learning sessions, the conference is expected to provide a platform for professionals from different industries to network, exchange ideas and discuss emerging challenges and opportunities in human capital development.

rganisations registering five or more participants will also be offered the MAHRP member rate as a special group benefit. Individual participants may register through the official registration form at , while group registrations can be arranged by contacting Admin@mahrp.org or Events@mahrp.org.