President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has carried out a major cabinet reshuffle, restructuring and consolidating ministries, which saw four new individuals appointed to ministerial positions. Below are brief profiles of the new appointees.
Heena Waleed
Appointed as the Minister of Arts, Culture, and Heritage, Heena Waleed previously served as the Chief Spokesperson at the President's Office and the Managing Director of the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA).
Before entering politics during former President Abdulla Yameen’s Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) administration, Heena had a long career in journalism. She worked for many years at Television Maldives (TVM) and Public Service Media (PSM), where she held senior roles including Head of News and Executive Editor.
Key institutions under her ministry's mandate include the Dhivehi Language Academy and the National Museum.
Geela Ali
Geela Ali, appointed as the Minister of Health and Welfare, most recently served as the Maldives' Ambassador to Belgium and Head of Mission to the European Union (EU).
Geela began her career in the civil service within the health sector, eventually serving as the Permanent Secretary of the Health Ministry in 2010. She transitioned to the foreign service in 2015.
She holds a Master of Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and recently completed a degree in Sharia and Law from Avid College.
Ali Shareef
Ali Shareef, appointed as the Minister of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy, previously served as the administration’s Special Envoy for Climate Change.
Prior to his appointment as Special Envoy, Shareef spent many years as a Director at the Environment Ministry.
As a climate change specialist, he has represented the Maldives at high-level international forums, including the COP30 conference in Brazil.
Iruthisham Adam
The new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Iruthisham Adam, was serving as the Maldives' Ambassador to the United Kingdom prior to this appointment. She has many years of experience in the foreign service.
In addition to her extensive diplomatic career, Iruthisham previously served as the Minister of Health and the Minister of Youth and Sports during the Yameen administration.
During her tenure in the foreign service, she also served as the Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations.
