Isn’t Life Wonderful

art

Founding President of the Marrakech Biennale, Vanessa created North Africa’s only trilingual arts festival. Prior to this, , she was co-founding curator with Prue O'Day of the Wonderful Fund Collection. Her other cultural projects have included the establishment and co-direction of the Portobello Arts Festivals and founded the Vanessa Devereux Gallery in London.

books

Vanessa’s memoir One Hundred Summers was published on 21 May 2020 and is now available for order from all local bookstores or online. Signed copies are available from Lutyens and Rubinstein on Kensington Park Road, London as well. One Hundred Summers was also recently reviewed in GQ UK.

hotels

In 2002, along with her business partner Howell James CBE, she developed an ancient crumbling palace in the centre of Marrakech into a beautiful boutique hotel - El Fenn. She also owns and runs Eilean Shona, a tidal island on the west coast of Scotland at the entrance to Loch Moidart where J M Barrie wrote the screenplay for Peter Pan.

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talks

Vanessa is sought after as a keynote speaker and event chair. She has given many keynote speeches, including TEDx Marrakech and Casablanca, DLD Women’s Conference and the IDDUK & GAIA Arts & Culture in Nigeria.

News

Featured

May 17

Master class

Vanessa was invited to give an inspirational master class to the students of The American School of Marrakech, followed by a Q&A session.

Dec 22

SproutClub News

Vanessa founded a new initiative to help bring people together and create a growing revolution. Sign up here for more information and news for our Spring launch.

Dec 4

Branson, HBO Series

A major four-part documentary about the Virgin Group founder’s extraordinary adventures in business and life, including exclusive interviews with Vanessa and other family members.

Oct 23

Culture Summit Abu Dhabi

Vanessa Branson was a guest speaker at the fifth edition of Culture Summit Abu Dhabi 2022 at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi.

May 20

3 days in Ukraine

Organised by writer and curator, Gianluigi Ricuparati, of Museums for Ukraine and the Milano XXIII Triennale Ukrainian Pavilion, a 3 day trip to Ukraine to discuss the work of cultural institutions and initiatives to protect Ukrainian cultural heritage and identity during the war. Read the detailed account here.

Nov 4

The Everland Summit

As Cop26 starts in Glasgow, we welcome a group of influential global leaders to Shona for an opportunity to gather, reflect and converse together with the aim to contribute to essential systems change now and in the future.

May 25

Far North Podcast, Season 2, Private Islands

Vanessa Branson in conversation with Matt and Pete on land ownership and the buying and owning of a private island in the Highlands. The podcast can be listened to here.

Oct 28

Petworth Festival 2020

Vanessa Branson in conversation with Anthony Horowitz and tells the story of one of Britain’s most extraordinary and famous families – her own. Listen to an extract from the talk here.

Oct 21

The Afternoon Show, BBC Radio Scotland

Vanessa Branson in conversation with Kathleen Carragher about Eilean Shona and the writing retreats on the island.

Oct 14

British Moroccan Society

BMS members are invited to hear Vanessa Branson talk about her newly published memoir, “One Hundred Summers: A Family Story,” at the National Liberal Club on Wednesday 14th October from 7.30pm.