Jean-Luc Naret takes the helm of the future Amanolu
Luxury hospitality group Aman has welcomed Jean-Luc Naret, who officially announced his appointment on 3 November 2026.
The French executive joins the group as General Manager to oversee the development of Amanolu, a new property in the Maldives scheduled to open in late 2027.
In a LinkedIn post, Jean-Luc Naret described the appointment as a new chapter in his career and highlighted his particular attachment to the Maldives, where he has previously held senior management responsibilities.
His appointment comes more than a year before the resort’s anticipated opening, providing an important period in which to prepare the operational organisation, recruit teams and implement the brand’s service standards.
The precise scope of his responsibilities during the pre-opening phase was not detailed in his announcement.
A return to the Maldives after One&Only Reethi Rah
For Jean-Luc Naret, the appointment represents a return to a market he already knows well.
Between November 2014 and October 2017, he served as General Manager of One&Only Reethi Rah, one of the Maldives’ luxury resorts.
During this period, he worked on the property’s international positioning, guest experience and operational standards.
His experience in the Maldives forms part of a career largely devoted to island destinations and high-end hospitality.
Before joining One&Only Reethi Rah, Jean-Luc Naret notably led Heritage Resorts at Domaine de Bel Ombre in Mauritius between August 2011 and July 2014.
Earlier in his career, he also held senior management positions at One&Only Le Saint Géran in Mauritius and The Residence Mauritius, where he contributed to the property’s operational development.
His knowledge of Indian Ocean resort operations is particularly relevant to the forthcoming opening of Amanolu.
From the Michelin Guide to La Réserve: a career spanning hospitality and luxury brands
Jean-Luc Naret’s career extends well beyond hotel operations.
From September 2003 to August 2011, he served as Managing Director of the Michelin Guides.
During those eight years, he played a role in the Michelin Guide’s international expansion, particularly in North America and Asia.
This experience placed him at the intersection of gastronomy, qualitative assessment and international brand development.
Following his time at Heritage Resorts and One&Only Reethi Rah, he joined La Réserve Hotels & Spas, serving as CEO from November 2017 to October 2019.
His responsibilities included the collection’s international positioning, consistency of the guest experience and service standards within the ultra-luxury segment.
Alongside his operational roles, Jean-Luc Naret developed an advisory business serving owners, investors, family offices and luxury brands through his company JLN & CO between 2019 and 2026.
World of Volvo: experience beyond traditional hospitality
Before joining Aman, Jean-Luc Naret had served as President of World of Volvo in Sweden since March 2025.
He left the position in October 2026.
The role involved developing a concept bringing together the automotive world, hospitality, gastronomy, culture and brand experiences.
One of his objectives was to establish World of Volvo as an experiential destination, extending beyond its original function as a space dedicated to the automotive industry.
This experience outside traditional hospitality illustrates the broadening of his career towards the creation and management of brand experiences.
A career rooted in leading luxury hospitality establishments
Educated at the École hôtelière de Paris, Jean-Luc Naret also completed the General Management Program at Cornell University in 1992.
His professional career began notably with the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, where he worked as Assistant to the Operations Manager between 1982 and 1984.
He subsequently continued his career at Hotel Bora Bora and then at Le Bristol Paris, where he became Executive Assistant Manager.
He went on to hold several senior leadership positions at prestigious hospitality properties, including:
- One&Only Le Saint Géran, Mauritius: General Manager, from 1990 to 1995.
- Trianon Palace Versailles: General Manager, from 1995 to 1996.
- The Residence Mauritius: General Manager, from 1996 to 2000.
- Sandy Lane, Barbados: Managing Director, from 2000 to 2002.
- Serena Hotels: Group Operations Director, from 2002 to 2003.
These responsibilities enabled him to gain experience across diverse hospitality environments, from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, as well as Europe and Africa.
Jean-Luc Naret is also a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour.
LTH Analysis | An appointment focused on operational expertise and pre-opening leadership
The appointment of Jean-Luc Naret to lead Amanolu presents several noteworthy characteristics from a hotel development perspective.
The first is his knowledge of the Maldives and luxury resort operations in the Indian Ocean.
Properties in these destinations face particular challenges involving logistics, recruitment, training, service quality and operational organisation.
The second is his experience with luxury brands and their international positioning.
His career combines hotel management, oversight of hospitality collections, brand development and advisory work for property owners.
Finally, his appointment comes sufficiently far ahead of the announced opening to position his arrival within the resort’s preparation phase.
For a luxury hotel development, the pre-opening period is critical: recruiting teams, establishing procedures, building a service culture and preparing the commercial launch.
By appointing Jean-Luc Naret, Aman is bringing in an executive who understands both the operational demands of Maldivian resorts and the positioning challenges facing international luxury hospitality brands.
At a Glance
Appointment: Jean-Luc Naret joins Aman as General Manager for Amanolu in the Maldives.
Start date: 3 November 2026.
Scheduled opening: Late 2027.
Previous position: President of World of Volvo, Sweden, from March 2025 to October 2026.
Hospitality background: Former CEO of La Réserve Hotels & Spas and General Manager of One&Only Reethi Rah.
Other leadership experience: Former Managing Director of the Michelin Guides, with a career spanning luxury hospitality, gastronomy and brand experiences.
