Sonu Shivdasani and his wife opened their first property, Soneva Fushi in 1995, which redefined tourism in the Maldives and is considered as a pioneer for luxury and environmental responsibility. He is an alumnus of Eton College and a graduate of Oxford University. During his time at Oxford, Sonu met his Swedish-born wife, Eva. They fell in love with the Maldives and leased an island there in 1990. After some effort and considerable good luck, their first resort, Soneva Fushi, opened in 1995. They also launched Six Senses Resorts & Spas and Evason Hotels Group with properties across Southeast Asia and Europe. Sonu has pioneered greater environmental accountability within the hospitality sector and beyond and is known as one of the global leaders to promote sustainable hotel development and sustainable practices.

After championing greater environmental accountability in the hospitality sector for more than two decades, Sonu was honoured as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to tourism, sustainability and charity in the King’s New Year Honours 2023 Overseas and International List.