In this month’s Amani Star, we shine the spotlight on Sunette van der Merwe, Group Operations and Business Development Manager at Amani Spa & Wellness. Sunette brings three decades of experience across hospitality, spa management, and wellness leadership — across Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Her story is marked not only by personal growth but by strategic insight into wellness as a powerful business tool, long before it became a global trend.
Grounded in Self: What Wellness Means to Her
Ask Sunette what wellness is, and she’ll speak not about products or programmes, but about awareness and connection. Wellness, for her, is being in tune — with the body, the mind, the emotions, and the environment around you.
“It’s not something out there. It’s not a trend. It’s about reconnecting to what we’ve always had — the innate intelligence of the body, the guidance of nature, the strength in silence.”
Her own wellness practice is grounded in nature. Cycling, hiking, and time outdoors are not fitness routines — they are where she finds clarity and presence.
The Personal Shift: From Loss to Leadership
Sunette’s journey into wellness deepened in 2013, when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. The experience prompted a complete reassessment of what it means to live well. Her mother, a trained nurse with deep spiritual wisdom, had encouraged her to take a Reiki course — a shared moment that opened the door to a more intuitive, connected way of living.
“Watching her navigate illness with grace changed everything. That was the turning point. Wellness was no longer an interest — it became a way of life.“
This personal awakening laid the foundation for the kind of leader Sunette would become — one who operates with empathy, clarity, and a desire to truly impact lives.
A Career Spanning Cultures and Modalities
Sunette’s professional journey has taken her across the globe, with rich experience managing spas and wellness operations in Saudi Arabia, the Maldives, Malaysia, and South Africa. Her international exposure has given her rare insight into both traditional and emerging wellness modalities:
- In Saudi Arabia, she worked at Luthan Hotel & Spa, one of the first wellness-focused properties in the region. There, she was mentored by a powerful naturopathic spa director who introduced her to Ayurvedic and Eastern wellness philosophies — including colour therapy and naturopathy. The challenge was operating in a highly conservative space where energy work and spiritual language were taboo — and learning how to translate wellness into tangible experiences without spiritual language.
- In Malaysia, she led the development of the spa and wellness concept at the prestigious Datai Langkawi. Collaborating with Malay naturalist Irshad Mobarak and wellness historian Dr. Abdul Ghani, she helped develop the first wellness programme rooted in traditional Malay healing. This included forest bathing (“Mandi Embun”), ancient massage techniques, and Qi Gong-inspired movement rooted in nature.
- In the Maldives, she managed spa teams across three resorts with no prior spa management experience, learning operations from the ground up. Stock take, staffing, training, cultural nuance — it was her operational bootcamp.
- In South Africa, she has brought this global insight home, guiding Amani’s operational teams and expanding the brand’s capabilities far beyond treatment rooms.
“Every culture has its own language for healing. But the principles are the same: presence, intention, connection, and respect for the body.”
Aligned Purpose: Sunette & Amani’s Shared Vision
Amani’s core purpose is to transform people’s lives through wellness — and this vision is deeply aligned with Sunette’s personal philosophy.
“Whether it’s a guest, a colleague, or someone I meet on a ride — I want every interaction to uplift, even in a small way. That’s where transformation starts.”
Her commitment to transformation is not idealistic — it’s deeply practical. From operational excellence to emotional intelligence, she ensures that systems, people, and spaces are aligned to support meaningful change.
“Transformation doesn’t happen in a single treatment. It happens in how a person is greeted, how they feel seen, how they are supported to step into a better version of themselves. That’s what Amani stands for, and that’s what I live for.”
Her day-to-day work at Amani brings this purpose to life — guiding teams, shaping experiences, and anchoring strategy in something that is not only effective, but deeply human.
The Business of Wellness: Where Strategy Meets Soul
Sunette is passionate about the fact that Amani is no longer just operating spas — it is now designing wellness strategies for global hospitality brands. She’s currently playing a key role in the rollout of wellness programmes across high-profile developments in Africa and the Middle East, including a major upcoming project in Saudi Arabia aligned with Vision 2030.
“We’re being invited to shape entire guest experiences from the ground up. This is about embedding wellness into the very fabric of hospitality — into design, operations, food, guest flow, training, and environment.”
This shift allows her to bring her entire international playbook to the table — not just as theory, but as lived experience.
“It excites me because it brings everything I’ve learnt — from forest therapy in Asia to energy sensitivity in Saudi — into one cohesive offering. We’re not just talking about wellness. We’re architecting it.”
Employee Wellness: Beyond Perks and Programmes
Sunette’s leadership extends beyond guest-facing experiences. She is deeply invested in creating real structures of support for employees across the Amani ecosystem.
“True employee wellness is about connection to purpose. People need to know why they matter. They need to feel seen.“
She encourages leaders to start with:
- Clarity of Vision: Ensure each staff member understands how their work contributes to the greater purpose of the brand.
- Human-Centric Policies: Build flexibility into structures. Wellness days. Emotional check-ins. Honest conversations. “Support your people before they reach breaking point.“
- Real-World Wellness: Move beyond token gestures. Bring in motivational speakers. Share practical tools. Start team rituals.
- Respect for Individual Realities: “In female-weighted industries, recognise the reality of hormones, parenting, cycles. Create space for life.”
Leaders also need to walk the talk… “You can’t lead from burnout. You can’t pour from empty. We need to live what we expect others to deliver.”
A Guiding Principle
“What else is possible?”
This simple question, Sunette says, opens up solutions where others see dead ends. It’s a principle she applies in leadership, strategy, and life.
“There’s always another path. The body knows. The heart knows. Sometimes we just have to listen.“
Sunette van der Merwe brings grounded wisdom, global experience, and strategic acumen to every part of Amani’s evolution. As the brand steps into a new era of wellness-led hospitality, her voice remains one of clarity, integrity, and deep care.
