June 2025: Gili Lankanfushi, the pioneer of sustainable, barefoot luxury in the Maldives, is delighted to announce the appointment of Florian Leven as Director of Operations. In this role, Leven will oversee the day-to-day operations of Gili Lankanfushi, drawing on over 25 years of international hospitality experience across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America.
“We are delighted to welcome Florian Leven to the Gili family,” commented Rodrigo Buanafina, Resort Manager at Gili Lankanfushi. “With his strong leadership skills and proven track record in luxury hospitality, we know he will play a pivotal role in strengthening the resort’s operational excellence while elevating the special Gili experience.”
Leven joins Gili Lankanfushi from Vietnam, where he held the position of Director of Operations at the five-star Mia Luxury Collection based in Ho Chi Minh City. Prior to this, he spent over a decade as General Manager of various luxury hotels and resorts, including The Capra, a luxury boutique hotel in Saas-Fee, Switzerland, The Legian Sire in Lombok, Indonesia and The Chedi Al Bait, UAE.
“I’m thrilled to join the team at Gili Lankanfushi,” said Leven of his appointment. “Known as one of the world’s most prestigious luxury resorts and a pioneer of sustainable hospitality in the Maldives, it’s truly an honour to be playing a part in the property’s latest chapter.”
Leven joins the Gili Lankanfushi Maldives team at an exciting time for the resort, which was recently awarded Gold Certification by EarthCheck, the world’s leading scientific benchmarking, certification and advisory group for sustainable travel and tourism, in recognition of its sustainability practices.
Gili Lankanfushi enjoys an unspoilt island location in the Maldives’ North Malé Atoll, just 20 minutes by speedboat from Malé airport. Perfectly suited for couples, families, solo travellers and groups alike, the resort combines rustic eco-design, unparalleled service and stunning natural scenery with a laid-back-luxury, ‘no news, no shoes’ philosophy.
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About Gili Lankanfushi, Maldives
This award-winning eco-resort comprises 45 sumptuous overwater villas, including seven Crusoe Residences and The Private Reserve, one of the most exclusive and largest overwater villas in the world. Following the 2019 refurbishment, gazing out at the crystal-clear blue waters of the Indian Ocean from this private island has never been so luxurious. All categories of villas and residences come with a dedicated Mr/s Friday butler service, catering for guests every need. Rustic eco-design, unparalleled service, stunning natural surroundings and a laid-back luxury ‘no news, no shoes’ philosophy have guests returning for more of this sustainable paradise. Gili Lankanfushi has a hard-to-rival location: an unspoiled island in a large lagoon in the North Malé atoll, which is a 20-minute speedboat ride from Malé. This iconic Maldivian island is perfectly suited for couples, families, solo travellers and groups who are bound to “arrive as guests, leave as friends and return as family,” per the Gili philosophy.
For more information, please visit www.gililankanfushi.com
