Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi has appointed Iain McCormack as its new General Manager.
With a wealth of luxury hospitality experience spanning an impressive four decades, Iain’s expertise and insight will be a valuable asset to one of the newest luxury openings in the Maldives.
Having spent extended periods of time in Asia working with international hospitality companies such as Leading Hotels of the World and IHG as well as in the Maldives as the General Manager of Soneva Gili (now Gili Lankanfushi), Iain joins the first property in the Maldives by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts with an inherent understanding of what makes the archipelago’s hospitality industry so unique.
Most recently Iain served as the Global Group Director of the Karma Group, an award-winning international travel and lifestyle hospitality brand. In his role, he had full strategic control of the group’s 27 boutique and luxury resorts, including implementing brand standard systems, setting up structured sales and marketing plans, and driving the development division.
During his time in Asia, Iain had served as the Consultant General Manager at Naman Retreat, in Danang Vietnam, and as the General Manager at InterContinental Danang, Vietnam, contributing to the resort’s multiple accolades, including winning “World’s Leading Luxury Resort” in 2014 and 2015.
In addition to Asia, the Southampton College graduate had also worked in key leadership roles in hotels across the UK and Caribbean, including the Gleneagles Hotel, The Metropole Hotel and Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort.
Part of AccorHotels, the stunning new Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi offers 112 luxury villas, each with a private pool. Sirru Fen Fushi, which means ‘secret water island’ in the local Dhivehi language, is set on an exceptionally lush island bursting with flora and fauna. The picturesque locale is also surrounded by powder white sand beaches, peppered with thatched-roofed villas overlooking an endless turquoise sea.
The all-villa resort located in the northern Shaviyani atoll is ideal for couples or families, and features 200 metres of infinity pools as well as luxury safari-style tented villas nestled in the island’s lush interior jungle.
A newcomer to the Maldives booming tourism industry, AccorHotels is on a major expansion drive, with three existing properties and two under development in the island nation.
The French multinational hotel group took over the management of Dhevanafushi from Dubai-based hospitality group Jumeirah last year, with plans to reposition the luxury resort under the iconic Raffles Hotels and Resorts brand.
Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort, the only resort in the Maldives with direct access to an airport, welcomed the first group of tourists in August 2017. The resort, located in the southern Gaafu Alif atoll, was officially inaugurated in September 2017.
AccorHotels has also signed up to manage another resort being developed in Gaafu Alif atoll.
Set to open next year, the Pullman Maldives Maamutaa resort is a traditional ‘one island, one resort’ property located a 10-minute speedboat ride away from its sister property, the Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort. The five star resort will offer upscale modern facilities such as two swimming pools, a sunset bar overlooking the lagoon, a luxury spa, a state-of-the-art fitness centre, a kids club, beach playground, tennis courts, gourmet restaurants, organic gardens, a dive centre and a water sports centre.
Alongside Raffles, Pullman, Sofitel, Swissôtel and MGallery, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts is part of the luxury brands portfolio of AccorHotels. With 75 properties in 24 countries, hotels under the Fairmont banner offer guests an extraordinary place that is created by combining unique architecture and structure, expressive decor and artistry, magnificent features and exceptional service all in one great location.