Mohamed Riyaz Removed from MACL Board Following Board Restructuring

Mohamed Riyaz, has been removed from the board of Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), following a decision by the Privatisation and Corporatisation Board (PCB). The removal coincided with an expansion of the MACL board from seven to nine members.

While no official explanation was provided, Riyaz’s departure comes amid growing internal debate over MACL’s involvement in government-led development projects. Riyaz had reportedly opposed the company’s participation in initiatives outside its core airport operations, including land reclamation and infrastructure construction.

One such initiative is the formation of Peninsula Infrastructure, a MACL subsidiary created to oversee selected development projects aligned with presidential pledges. Riyaz is said to have raised concerns about MACL’s role in executing these projects, which some view as beyond the scope of its original mandate.

MACL has recently assumed broader responsibilities, including the management of all regional airports following the dissolution of the Regional Airports Company Limited (RACL). These changes have prompted scrutiny from industry observers regarding governance, transparency, and operational priorities.