Vanessa Branson (born 3 June 1959) is an English businesswoman and the founder of the Marrakech Biennale.
Vanessa Branson | |
|---|---|
.png) Branson in 2016 | |
| Born | Vanessa Gay Branson 3 June 1959[1] |
| Other names | Vanessa Devereux |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Spouse |
Robert Devereux
(m. 1983; div. 1997) |
| Children | 4 |
| Mother | Eve Branson |
| Relatives | G. A. H. Branson (grandfather) Richard Branson (brother) |
| Website | vanessabranson |
Early life
editBranson is the youngest child of Eve Branson (née Evette Huntley Flindt; 1924–2021), a former ballet dancer and air hostess,[2] and Edward James "Ted" Branson (1918–2011), a barrister.[3] She was educated at Box Hill School.[4][5] Her brother is founder of Virgin Group, Richard Branson.[6]
Career
editBranson opened and ran the Vanessa Devereux Gallery on Blenheim Crescent in London from 1986 until 1991.[7] She had married Robert Devereux in 1983 and they had four children before divorcing in 1997.[5][8]
Between 1999 and 2004, Prue O’Day and Branson curated the Wonderful Fund collection which was first shown at the Museum of Marrackech.[9] Branson is the co-owner of a luxury boutique hotel in Marrakech, El Fenn, which she purchased in 2002 with entrepreneur Howell James.[6][10][11] In 2005 she became the president and founder of the Arts in Marrakech Festival, now known as the Marrakech Biennale.[11][12] In October 2014, Branson was awarded the royal distinction of Officer of the Ouissam Aalouite[13] at the occasion of the ceremony inaugurating the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rabat for her contributions to Moroccan arts and culture.[14]
Branson also owns and runs Eilean Shona, an island on the west coast of Scotland at the entrance to Loch Moidart.[15] In collaboration with the Royal Society of Sculptors, a members-only residency has been created — a month-long opportunity for the winning member to live on the island and reflect upon and respond to the natural environment.[6][16]
Branson's memoir, One Hundred Summers, was published in May 2020.[4][17]
References
edit- ^ "Companies House". Companies House. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ "Eve's Story". The Eve Branson Foundation. Archived from the original on 16 October 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
- ^ "Edward Branson". The Daily Telegraph. London. 8 May 2011. Archived from the original on 8 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
- ^ a b Law, Katie (14 May 2020). "Vanessa Branson on family, her new memoir and why her brother Richard is no 'wizened tycoon'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- ^ a b Phillips, Caroline (3 October 2005). "Vanessa Branson: Aiming to outshine her famous brother". Independent. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
- ^ a b c Dodds, Rosanna (10 December 2021). "Unlocking the magic of Eilean Shona". Financial Times. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- ^ Frankel, Claire (1 November 1987). "The Artful Lodgers on London's Portobello Road". The Washington Post. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
- ^ "Devereux, Robert Harold Ferrers, (Born 11 April 1955), Chairman, New Forests Company Holding LTD, since 2007; Founder and Director, African Arts Trust, since 2012". Who's Who. 2008. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U247465.
- ^ Gleadell, Colin (14 February 2000). "It's wonderful being a patron". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 November 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
- ^ "El Fenn:Our history". El Fenn. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- ^ a b Milner, Catherine (25 February 2014). "Vanessa Branson: Marrakech Biennale interview". Financial Times. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
- ^ "Marrakech Biennale: History". Marrakech Biennale. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
- ^ "Vanessa Branson". Bloomsbury. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- ^ Sebastian, Shevlin (16 February 2015). "The Joy of Art". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- ^ Bragg, Alice (14 November 2016). "Britain's most romantic island hideaway". Condé Nast Traveller. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
- ^ "Eilean Shona Residency | Royal Society of Sculptors". sculptors.org.uk. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- ^ Cole, Olivia (23 May 2020). "Vanessa Branson's memoir is a perfect 1980s time capsule". GQ Magazine. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
Further reading
edit- Branson, Vanessa (19 May 2020). One Hundred Summers. pp. 1–368. ISBN 9781912914142.