
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.


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.

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.
Travel + Leisure hosts the second annual World’s Best Summit in New York City for the , curated by Editor-in-Chief Jacqueline Gifford.
El Fenn launched their Curated Art Weekends in January 2025 as a perfect way for participants to immerse themselves in Africa’s exciting arts scene. Vanessa Branson led the first weekend, with a deep dive into El Fenn’s art collection, visits to the best galleries and artists in Marrakech
The second Everland Climate event was held at Lippering Farm with a group of influential global leaders.
A parent-teacher initiative at The American School in Marrakech, the school welcomed Vanessa Branson on 17 May 2023 for this masterclass.
Vanessa founded a new initiative to bring people together and create a growing revolution.
Branson, a major four-part documentary about the Virgin Group founder’s extraordinary adventures in business and life, on HBO and Sky Documentaries.
At the 5th edition of the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi, Vanessa was in the panel discussion Redefining the Role of Collector as well as In Conversation with Dr Nadim Samman about her book and cultivating transnational art communities.
Far North Podcast, episode 5, season 2 - Matt and Pete discuss land ownership and private islands with Vanessa Branson
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.
Vanessa Branson in conversation with Anthony Horowitz and tells the story of one of Britain’s most extraordinary and famous families – her own.
Vanessa Branson in conversation with Kathleen Carragher about Eilean Shona and the writing retreats on the island.
The British Moroccan Society held a members event 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 2020.
Vanessa in conversation with Tony Kearney on BBC Radio Scotland about Scotland's colonial past, being an ally & her famous family.
Vanessa Branson and Matthew Bannister in conversation to launch the publication of One Hundred Summers.
The release of The Rift, a moving documentary by Vanessa’s son, Louis Devereux.
Sapling Spirits, the world’s first climate positive vodka, launches their online marketplace for environmentally friendly drinks.