Portrait of Sonu Shivdasani
i. Biography
The craft question in Sonu Shivdasani’s background is less about service than about structure: Eton College, Institut Le Rosey, and Oxford University formed an education that brought discipline, range, and cross-border fluency to his work. That foundation shows in the kind of hospitality he went on to build — not as an operator inside existing systems, but as a founder shaping the systems themselves. In Six Senses Resorts & Spas, where he was founder and former CEO until 2012, and later in Soneva, where he became founder and CEO, the work is framed around making hospitality carry more than comfort alone.
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The present-tense role matters here because the business logic is still being set by the same hand: Sonu Shivdasani is described as Founder and CEO of Soneva, and the record also names him co-founder and CEO. That continuity points to a model of leadership built from inception rather than management after the fact. The same pattern appears with Sosei, which he also founded. Across those ventures, the through-line is not expansion for its own sake, but the repeated act of creating an enterprise and defining its terms from the start.
The operating principle is stated directly in his own words: “It must serve and contribute to the society in which it operates and should not negatively impact the environment in which it is located.” For an artisan in hospitality, that is a working rule, not branding — a way of tying guest experience to social obligation and environmental limits. Another line sharpens the sensibility behind it: “Japan's extraordinary culture of attention has shaped my thinking for decades.”
Attention, in this frame, is a craft discipline: noticing details, setting standards, and understanding how small adjustments affect the whole of a place. Sonu Shivdasani is associated with sustainable luxury hospitality, a pairing that names the tension in his work plainly. Luxury points to finish, ease, and a high standard of experience; sustainable keeps that standard in conversation with responsibility. In practice, the two are held together rather than separated, which is what gives his career its shape.
Signature
Sonu Shivdasani is associated with sustainable luxury hospitality.
In Their Words “It must serve and contribute to the society in which it operates and should not negatively impact the environment in which it is located.” “The biggest challenge was dealing with people who had no interest in sustainability and getting them on board.”
Recognition
Sonu's honors include Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). He and Eva Shivdasani opened Soneva Fushi in 1995. he and Eva Shivdasani opened Soneva Fushi in 1995.
FAQ
Asked of Sonu
What is Sonu Shivdasani's current role?
Sonu Shivdasani is Founder and CEO.
Where did Sonu Shivdasani train or study?
Sonu Shivdasani trained at Eton College and Institut Le Rosey.
What recognition has Sonu Shivdasani received?
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
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