Image: Private Cliff Reserve, one of Soneva's private residences

The Soneva Group, the new company formed following the divestment of the Six Senses and Evason brands, has announced it is to focus on the development of resorts with private residences.

The move will see the group relinquish management of Soneva Gili, which is being sold by majority shareholders Capital Holdings and HBOS to a new owner.

Following the sale, Soneva will focus on developing the private residence portfolio at Soneva Fushi and Soneva Kiri, as well as opening new privately-owned resorts. Soneva Gili was the only Soneva resort not to include private residences.

A deal to sell the management contracts of the majority of Six Senses and Evason branded resorts and spas has already been announced and is scheduled to close within the next few weeks.

Sonu Shivdasani, chair and CEO of the Soneva Group, said: "This is in keeping with our decision to focus on developing private residences at Soneva branded resorts. Soneva Gili did not offer that potential.

"We will also focus on developing further Soneva resorts that will include a significant number of residential options."

He added that the group is currently looking at other remote but accessible islands to re-create an additional resort in the Maldives with the potential to sell overwater private residences in keeping with the new strategy.