News Desk
MALÉ, Maldives — Mohamed Ali Janah, a prominent Maldivian business leader and principal advisor to President Mohamed Muizzu on trade and investment, has been featured in Forbes magazine, shining a spotlight on the remarkable economic transformation of this island nation.
Mr. Janah’s appearance marks the first time a Maldivian business leader has been prominently featured in Forbes, underscoring both his personal achievements and the country’s growing economic significance on the global stage.
The Forbes article highlights Mr. Janah’s role in reshaping the Maldives’ labor market and economy, transitioning from a fishing-based economy to a luxury tourism powerhouse in just one generation.
“The experience of the Maldives might seem dissimilar, but how the labor market has transformed and where we are going is a microcosm of the future of work,” Mr. Janah told Forbes. “We will see these changes everywhere. Just they happened here first in this small country.”
Mr. Janah, who heads the Maldives Federation of Employers and is the country’s leading construction magnate, has been instrumental in developing the nation’s high-end resort industry. His company, Hotels and Resort Construction, has built numerous luxury properties across the Maldives, including a stake in the Waldorf Astoria Maldives.
The Forbes feature traces Mr. Janah’s journey from his early days of repairing resort walls to becoming a key figure in the country’s hospitality sector. “They were very basic two or three-star resorts that often needed repairs to the walls as they were made from sea sand and coral, and I saw that as an opportunity,” he recounted in the article.
Mr. Janah emphasized the unique challenges of operating in the Maldives, telling Forbes, “If your resort is 250 miles from the nearest international airport, everything needs to come via boat or seaplane.”
The article also highlights the Maldives’ commitment to sustainability, a principle Mr. Janah has championed in his developments. “Sustainability is at the core of our approach and always has been. You don’t destroy the natural surroundings just to build a resort,” he said.
As the Forbes piece notes, the Maldives’ economic evolution has brought both opportunities and challenges. The country now boasts some of the highest earnings per capita in Asia, but it also grapples with immigration issues and the balance between local and foreign workers.
Mr. Janah’s feature in Forbes comes at a time of further economic diversification for the Maldives. The article mentions recent initiatives, including the establishment of the Maldives International Financial Services Authority and plans for new economic zones, which Mr. Janah sees as potential game-changers for the country.
In addition to his business roles, the Forbes article notes Mr. Janah’s positions as special advisor to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Country Chair of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC). These roles underscore his influence beyond the Maldives, as he shares insights on economic development with other small island nations.
The Forbes feature on Mr. Janah not only highlights his personal achievements but also serves as a window into the broader story of the Maldives’ economic transformation. As this island nation continues to evolve, it offers valuable lessons for countries seeking to reinvent their economies in a rapidly changing global landscape.
