At Villa Park, the power never really stops.

Air conditioning, desalinated water, lighting across a two-kilometre island, all running quietly in the background. Most of it goes unnoticed unless something breaks.

Abdul Rasheed Ali has spent more than 25 years making sure it doesn’t.

He joined the island before it fully became a resort. Since then, he has moved through every stage of its development. Today, as Chief Engineer, he oversees everything that keeps it running, from generators to water systems to long-term sustainability projects.

Abdul Rasheed Ali began his journey after moving to Malé at a young age, where early responsibility and a technical family background shaped his path into engineering.

“I moved to Malé when I was about 12,” he says.

“At that time, you studied, but you also worked. That was normal.”

He grew up in a family where technical work was part of daily life. His father was a blacksmith, and his brothers became engineers. That environment shaped his direction early on.

After school, he entered technical training at VTC, then moved into electrical and electronics with further support and sponsorship.

He joined Villa Park in 1997 as an Assistant Electrician during pre-opening and progressed through multiple roles before becoming Chief Engineer.

“When I arrived, the island was still being cleared,” he says.

“It wasn’t a resort yet.”

The work was direct. Clearing land, building infrastructure, setting things up from the beginning.

Within a month, he was promoted. Then again.

Assistant Electrician became Electrician. Then Senior. Then Chief Electrician. Eventually Engineer, followed by more than a decade as Deputy Chief Engineer before stepping into his current role.

“I’ve seen every stage of the island,” he says.

Villa Park operates complex engineering systems across a large island, managing energy, water and infrastructure for hundreds of guests and staff.

Villa Park operates complex engineering systems across a large island, managing energy, water and infrastructure for hundreds of guests and staff.

Villa Park is one of the largest resort islands in the Maldives.

At full capacity, it supports hundreds of guests and a large operational team. Everything runs through engineering.

Power systems, water production, cooling, transport. All managed in-house.

“We don’t rely on external contractors,” he says. “That’s something we take seriously.”

His team handles everything from electrical balancing to generator overhauls.

Villa Park is focusing on solar energy, efficiency systems and new technologies to reduce emissions and move towards carbon neutrality.

Sustainability is no longer a side project.

The island has installed more than 2,400 solar panels, contributing significantly to its energy supply. The next phase includes expanding solar systems into the lagoon.

“We are trying to run the whole island on solar,” he says.

Other systems are being tested alongside that.

Smart air conditioning controls, energy-efficient fuel systems, and ongoing adjustments to reduce consumption across the island.

“It’s about improving step by step,” he says.

Villa Park produces its own desalinated water and has reduced single-use plastic through in-house systems and operational changes.

Water is produced on the island.

Up to 800 tonnes a day, depending on demand.

“We manage everything ourselves,” he says.

Plastic reduction has followed similar logic.

Glass bottles have replaced thousands of single-use plastics each month. It’s not a visible change, but it has a measurable impact.

His day starts early and involves constant oversight of operations, team coordination and adapting to the needs of the resort.

He wakes up around 4:30am.

Exercise, breakfast, then a full check across the island before meetings begin.

After that, the day depends on what’s happening.

“I have to stay alert,” he says.

With a team of more than 50 across different departments, the role doesn’t follow a fixed routine.

He emphasises commitment, ownership and the ability to find practical solutions, even without ideal resources.

“Training is only part of it,” he says.

“You need to apply it.”

His approach is straightforward.

Take responsibility. Stay committed. Find solutions.

“We don’t stop work because something is missing,” he says. “We find another way.”

At Villa Park, most of the systems that matter aren’t visible.

But they’re constant.

And they’ve been shaped, over time, by the same person.