Yesterday, the Virgin Group announced that Marie Aastrup Duffy, a former general manager of La Residencia in Deya, will provide consultancy for Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Limited Edition in connection with projects here in Majorca.
Branson is advised on all development plans for Majorca and other properties across the globe by a team of experts. The team is led by Jon Brown, the CEO of Virgin Limited Edition, who oversees all of the Virgin Limited Edition properties, and Joe Margison, who leads the property team at Virgin Management and is responsible for hotel investments across the world.
Jon Brown was previously the director at La Residencia from 2000 to 2002 and has worked for Virgin since 1998 and in the hospitality industry for over 37 years. Marie previously worked at La Residencia, which was owned by Branson until 2002 and she has over twenty years experience in the industry. Marie also worked as managing director of Gripsholms Vardshus & Hotel and Storliens Hogfjallshotell, Sweden.
She has extensive experience in the development of exclusive properties across the world. Marie says: "I’m delighted at the prospect of providing consultancy to Sir Richard Branson and working with the excellent team at Virgin and Virgin Limited Edition to share my knowledge and expertise in the industry. I look forward to seeing what the future plans hold."
Key to the future plans is Branson's Son Bunyola project. At the tail end of 2015 he repurchased the 4,000-acre Son Bunyola estate in Banyalbufar and plans to push ahead with his luxury project. He has spoken about his wish to create the "best eco-resort in Europe" on the estate.
4 comments
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He deserves a break here as this place is fantastic, also the one he bought beside it. He is obviously bringing out the top team that made such a success of La Res before. Smart move...
I don’t think he needs lessons in greasing palms. Isn’t he slowly being handed most of the UK health service contracts and funding the remainders campaign, apart from prohibiting the sale of the Daily Mail on Virgin trains. No he is well accustomed to how business and politics work. Glad the old house will be saved though..
Sadly he'll be seen as an 'outsider', he's unlikely to 'grease palms', and politicians and hoteliers with vested interests will oppose him all the way in both subtle and unsubtle ways until once again he'll be forced to give up. I earnestly hope I am wrong!
They treated him appallingly before. They lost the last 15 years of amazingly FREE high end publicity because they prevented this project going ahead. Thank goodness someone has learnt.This beautiful old house has had another 15 years of the elements ruining its interior as rain was already coming in. Branson will do a truly amazing, stunning and beautiful transformation.I do not agree with how the Virgin Brand rips off customers in Virgin Media, and Virgin Sport Clubs - however, at least the illegal extra charges I paid will now be used to help transform this building for future generations.