An appointment confirmed by Soneva Group
Soneva has officially confirmed the appointment of Pieter Van Der Hoeven as General Manager of Soneva Fushi. The group praised a leader who, it said, brings decades of international hospitality experience, having led resorts and teams across Asia and the Indian Ocean.
In its statement, Soneva said that Pieter Van Der Hoeven remains guided by a thoughtful and intuitive approach to hospitality, driven by teams who know their destination intimately. The group added that what attracted him to Soneva is what continues to inspire it today: the belief that hospitality is, above all, about people, a sense of place, and the moments that matter most.
The appointment comes a few months after that of Joanna Flint as Chief Commercial Officer of the group, reflecting a steady strengthening of Soneva’s leadership team.
A career spanning three decades across Asia and the Indian Ocean
Pieter Van Der Hoeven has built his career with internationally recognised names including Peninsula Hotels, Six Senses, Anantara, Outrigger, Raffles and Minor Hotels. His general management roles have taken him to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Mauritius and Hong Kong.
He began as General Manager of the Six Senses properties Evason Hideaway and Evason Resort in Hua Hin, Thailand, before joining Outrigger in Phuket, where he led the opening of Outrigger Serenity Terraces and Outrigger Laguna Phuket Villas. He subsequently held regional commercial roles for Outrigger Asia Pacific, before taking the helm of Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Phnom Penh, later also overseeing Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor.
He joined Outrigger Mauritius Beach Resort in 2015, where he turned around a previously struggling property, before moving to the Anantara group in Vietnam. There he led the opening of Anantara Quy Nhon Villas, then took on the role of General Manager and Regional General Manager for Indochina at Minor Hotels, overseeing eight Anantara and Avani properties across Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. He also launched The Vietage, a luxury train service designed to boost regional tourism. In 2022, Travel + Leisure named him Vietnam’s number one General Manager.
Wafaifo Resort Hoi An: from concept to operation
From September 2022 to August 2026, Pieter Van Der Hoeven served as Managing Director of Wafaifo in Vietnam, overseeing the entire project from concept through opening and operation. There he built a new hospitality brand combining accommodation, dining, wellness and community engagement, culminating in the opening of Wafaifo Resort Hoi An, a 118-room property with several dining concepts and family-oriented wellness facilities.
In partnership with Verita Life, he also developed Central Vietnam’s first integrated longevity and recovery centre. The facility offers advanced wellness technologies, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, infrared sauna, red light therapy, floatation therapy, intravenous vitamin treatments and personalised health assessments.
Soneva Fushi, a benchmark of Maldivian island luxury
Soneva Fushi is one of the founding properties behind the Maldives’ luxury positioning, with Soneva Group establishing itself as a leading name in sustainable hospitality across the archipelago and in Thailand. Pieter Van Der Hoeven’s appointment continues the strengthening of governance that began with the arrival of Joanna Flint as CCO, as the group operates within the portfolio of KSL Capital Partners, which also holds Beaumier and Baillie Lodges among its hospitality assets.
A holder of a Bachelor of Business in Marketing from the University of South Australia, Pieter Van Der Hoeven now takes charge of a resort whose history is closely intertwined with the development of Maldivian luxury tourism.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Pieter Van Der Hoeven appointed General Manager of Soneva Fushi, Maldives
Announced directly by Soneva via LinkedIn
Previously Managing Director of Wafaifo Resort Hoi An, Vietnam (2022-2026), led from concept to opening
Career spans senior GM roles at Minor Hotels/Anantara, Raffles, Outrigger and Six Senses across Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Mauritius
At Wafaifo, pioneered Central Vietnam’s first integrated longevity and recovery centre with Verita Life
Named Vietnam’s number one General Manager by Travel + Leisure in 2022
Holds a Bachelor of Business in Marketing, University of South Australia
