Sonu Shivdasani, the Founder and CEO of Soneva Resorts and Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, has been recognised as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for his contributions to tourism, sustainability, and charitable causes in the New Year Honours list for 2023.
A native of England and an alumni of Eton College and Oxford University, Sonu and his wife Eva, who was born in Sweden, fell in love with the Maldives during their time at Oxford. In 1995, they opened their first resort, Soneva Fushi, in the Baa Atoll, which blended luxury hospitality with a commitment to the environment. The resort, which was designed to resemble a "castaway" destination, went on to revolutionise the tourism in the Maldives.
“Receiving an OBE is an incredible honour and I share it with all of Soneva’s friends and family. This recognition reinforces our founding vision, which is placing purpose over profit,” explained Sonu Shivdasani, Founder and CEO of Soneva. “We believe that true luxury is about time well spent, so we strive to make every moment memorable for our guests without losing sight of our intention to contribute to communities near and far and protect our precious planet.”
The Evason hotel group, which has a number of iconic properties spanning Southeast Asia and Europe, was established in 1997 after Sonu and Eva launched Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas in the same year. In 2012, Sonu and Eva's "One Owner, One Operator, One Philosophy" strategy saw the sale of management contracts for both businesses.
Soneva has long advocated for increased environmental accountability in the tourism industry and beyond. A two percent environmental charge is added to each stay at its resorts, Soneva Fushi, Soneva Jani, and Soneva Kiri, all of which are carbon neutral. The Soneva Foundation, a non-profit trust registered in the UK, receives the revenues and uses them to support meaningful projects all around the world and offset carbon emissions.
Soneva and the Soneva Foundation also provide funding to Soneva Namoona, an independent non-governmental organisation (NGO) in the Maldives, for significant initiatives that support the elimination of single-use plastics, enhance recycling efforts, and encourage the development of the country's future environmental leaders.
Sign In