Mohamed Shahyb, an esteemed figure in the field of journalism, has been appointed as the Chief Spokesperson at the President’s Office. This appointment comes in response to growing concerns regarding the prolonged delay in appointing a government spokesperson.
Shahyb’s appointment was made at the state minister level, according to the President’s Office. Shahyb has previously served as a member of the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) during the administrations of former Presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.
Shahyb, with his three-decade-long career, is renowned for his contributions to the journalism sector, particularly in nurturing and training a substantial number of emerging journalists.
He began his career in the government in 1987, serving as an attaché at the Maldives’ High Commission in Colombo, Sri Lanka. His career trajectory includes a stint at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a position at the National Centre for Linguistics and Historical Research.
He then joined the local newspaper ‘Haveeru,’ where he served in numerous senior roles. With the advent of ‘Haveeru Online,’ Shahyb assumed the role of editor and also edited ‘Huvaas,’ the sister magazine of Haveeru. In 2020, he launched ‘Adhives,’ an online magazine.
Shahyb was honored with the National Award of Recognition in 2004 for his outstanding contributions to news and information dissemination. In 2007, he was again awarded the National Award of Recognition for his contributions to Dhivehi literature and the Dhivehi language.
In 2019, Shahyb was the recipient of the prestigious ‘Alimas Galan’ journalism award, an accolade reserved for the nation’s top journalists.
In his new capacity, Shahyb will serve as the Chief Spokesperson under Ibrahim Khaleel, the Minister at the President’s Office for Strategic Communications.