Virgin Boss Buys Island For Staff.
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Virgin Boss Buys Island For Staff.
Virgin boss buys island for staff.
The Age.
May 16 2003.
Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson has bought an island off Queensland's sunshine coast for Virgin staff worldwide to share.
Sir Richard told reporters in Perth that he and two others paid around $5 million for the 25-acre island, which is called Makepeace Island.
"When I think of the achievement that all of the staff have done down here - airfares have halved and hundreds and thousands of more people are travelling, who never have been able to travel before - none of that could have been possible had it not been for the staff," he said.
"As a thank you what we have done is we have bought a beautiful island off Noosa island for the staff ... where they can come and party and go away for weekends."
Virgin Blue currently employs around 2,500 people in Australia.
Virgin Blue chief executive Brett Godfrey added that the airline was stepping up its campaign to provide more air travel alternatives for business travellers.
The airline will offer early morning departures from Perth to Melbourne and Sydney from September 15 and October 27 respectively.
He added that the airline would take delivery of a number of new Boeing 737 new generation aircraft, two of which are earmarked to overnight in Perth in preparation for the new early morning services.
- AAP
The Age.
May 16 2003.
Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson has bought an island off Queensland's sunshine coast for Virgin staff worldwide to share.
Sir Richard told reporters in Perth that he and two others paid around $5 million for the 25-acre island, which is called Makepeace Island.
"When I think of the achievement that all of the staff have done down here - airfares have halved and hundreds and thousands of more people are travelling, who never have been able to travel before - none of that could have been possible had it not been for the staff," he said.
"As a thank you what we have done is we have bought a beautiful island off Noosa island for the staff ... where they can come and party and go away for weekends."
Virgin Blue currently employs around 2,500 people in Australia.
Virgin Blue chief executive Brett Godfrey added that the airline was stepping up its campaign to provide more air travel alternatives for business travellers.
The airline will offer early morning departures from Perth to Melbourne and Sydney from September 15 and October 27 respectively.
He added that the airline would take delivery of a number of new Boeing 737 new generation aircraft, two of which are earmarked to overnight in Perth in preparation for the new early morning services.
- AAP
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Oh to have money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hope you clean up after yourself AN LAME, what? Can't handle the fact that VB are emmensly successful?
Just hope VB staff can take friends to the Virgin Island.
Hope you clean up after yourself AN LAME, what? Can't handle the fact that VB are emmensly successful?
Just hope VB staff can take friends to the Virgin Island.
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I'm guessing Sir Dick didn't buy the island just for his staff. I wonder if there is a resort on there or he's putting one on there? If so some cheap accom for his staff is good publicity. You've got to give it to the man, he is a first class bull****ter!!
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Who was it that said morale has no bearing on a company's success (or similar words)
That's right. It was Jimmy Bowtie...
Not his exact words. However, they are about as accurate as Bob Hawke saying "No Australian child will be living in poverty by (whenever)".
IMHO, a company's performance is directly affected by staff morale. Any sensible employer knows that.....
Staff goodwill cannot be measured.
Not his exact words. However, they are about as accurate as Bob Hawke saying "No Australian child will be living in poverty by (whenever)".
IMHO, a company's performance is directly affected by staff morale. Any sensible employer knows that.....
Staff goodwill cannot be measured.
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Having written my previous:
This comes from another message board:
There you go. Balanced reporting.
Sir Richard should have added as he made the announcement at Perth that none of his perth staff or staff at any of the other airports in Australia apart from syd,mel,adl and bne, will be able to use his "island" as they are contractors and don't in fact work for virign. So many of the people that committ to the success of DJ at places like cairns, maroochy, darwin, canberra, perth, gold coast, alice, broome, hobart, launy etc will not be able to take advantage of this magnificent offer as they are not employed by virgin. He missed that bit out of his press conference!
Evertonian
Okay, here's the first things I thought of;
1. Is there an oil field near it?
2. Will he seceed(?) from Oz & create a tax haven?
3. Will he pay the FBT for the hard working staff of his?
As appealing as this sounds, I'd still rather have Hugh Heffner as my boss!
1. Is there an oil field near it?
2. Will he seceed(?) from Oz & create a tax haven?
3. Will he pay the FBT for the hard working staff of his?
As appealing as this sounds, I'd still rather have Hugh Heffner as my boss!
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Guests will sleep in tents or tree houses
Sat "Daily Telegraph"
Island for Virgin staff
17may03
VIRGIN boss Sir Richard Branson likes his Australian staff so much he's bought them their own island.
The 10ha Queensland hideaway five minutes from Noosa will be redeveloped as a holiday destination for the exclusive use of Virgin employees.
Sir Richard, whose personal fortune is estimated to be more than $3 billion, kicked in the $5 million or so to buy Makepeace Island as a personal thank you to staff.
While other airlines struggled to stay solvent last year, Virgin tripled its profits, making $110 million.
The island will be redeveloped as an "eco-friendly" resort, with plans to retain the 1911 Queenslander house for entertainment and meals.
Guests will sleep in tents or tree houses.
=========================================
Sat "The Courier Mail"
River prize now a Virgin island
17may03
NOOSA'S only privately owned island has been bought by flamboyant Virgin Group chief Richard Branson for redevelopment as a staff retreat.
The 9.2ha Makepeace Island, in a broad stretch of the Noosa River, just upstream from Tewantin on the Sunshine Coast, does not have bridge access.
Sir Richard is believed to have bought the island from his own Virgin Blue Australian boss Brett Godfrey within the past week, with Mr Godfrey reportedly buying it from long-term owners, Brian and Beverley Spencer about six months ago.
When they originally listed the island for sale in 1997, the Spencers were seeking "offers in excess of $3 million".
Mr Spencer, an internationally recognised artist, and his wife had been living there since 1980.
A spokeswoman for Sir Richard said he would not reveal his actual purchase price, only that his total investment in Makepeace, including development, would be $5 million.
The existing Queenslander house would be for shared entertainment and meals and plans were being made for camping and training facilities, treehouse accommodation, nature walks, tennis courts and water-themed activities such as fishing, sailing
and water-skiing.
============================================
Island for Virgin staff
17may03
VIRGIN boss Sir Richard Branson likes his Australian staff so much he's bought them their own island.
The 10ha Queensland hideaway five minutes from Noosa will be redeveloped as a holiday destination for the exclusive use of Virgin employees.
Sir Richard, whose personal fortune is estimated to be more than $3 billion, kicked in the $5 million or so to buy Makepeace Island as a personal thank you to staff.
While other airlines struggled to stay solvent last year, Virgin tripled its profits, making $110 million.
The island will be redeveloped as an "eco-friendly" resort, with plans to retain the 1911 Queenslander house for entertainment and meals.
Guests will sleep in tents or tree houses.
=========================================
Sat "The Courier Mail"
River prize now a Virgin island
17may03
NOOSA'S only privately owned island has been bought by flamboyant Virgin Group chief Richard Branson for redevelopment as a staff retreat.
The 9.2ha Makepeace Island, in a broad stretch of the Noosa River, just upstream from Tewantin on the Sunshine Coast, does not have bridge access.
Sir Richard is believed to have bought the island from his own Virgin Blue Australian boss Brett Godfrey within the past week, with Mr Godfrey reportedly buying it from long-term owners, Brian and Beverley Spencer about six months ago.
When they originally listed the island for sale in 1997, the Spencers were seeking "offers in excess of $3 million".
Mr Spencer, an internationally recognised artist, and his wife had been living there since 1980.
A spokeswoman for Sir Richard said he would not reveal his actual purchase price, only that his total investment in Makepeace, including development, would be $5 million.
The existing Queenslander house would be for shared entertainment and meals and plans were being made for camping and training facilities, treehouse accommodation, nature walks, tennis courts and water-themed activities such as fishing, sailing
and water-skiing.
============================================
Last edited by Wirraway; 17th May 2003 at 03:46.
BIK
"I'm alright Jack, how about you?"
Coolangatta ground staff similar.
I wonder if Godfrey`s fixed costs are 30% less than Dixons? Buying an island that doesn't generate an income stream, greater than 3million price tag, requires a serious wage!
Good on you Branson, about time you invested some money on some infrastructure.
"I'm alright Jack, how about you?"
Coolangatta ground staff similar.
I wonder if Godfrey`s fixed costs are 30% less than Dixons? Buying an island that doesn't generate an income stream, greater than 3million price tag, requires a serious wage!
Good on you Branson, about time you invested some money on some infrastructure.
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I wonder if Godfrey`s fixed costs are 30% less than Dixons? Buying an island that doesn't generate an income stream, greater than 3million price tag, requires a serious wage!
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Team Building & Training
Sir Dick has come up trumps for his employees with plans for training camps and team building programs to be hosted on the island instead of in conference centres and hotels..... Huge cost saving here, Dick really knows how to manage.
I am informed that there will be hotel accommodation available in the future where all staff can come and relax and party on Virgin Island.. And for the sum of an invisaged $34.95 per person per night I think that is really reasonable. Bring your girlfriends, boyfriends, mothers and kids. $$$$$$$
Bet Sir Dick turns a big profit with a set up like that after all there isn't too much that he touches that doesn't make money.....
Good on him for scooping the headlines and the morale soring effect that his employees are currently experiencing. Nothing is free however $34.95 per night isn't that bad. For me give me a company hotel in the city at ID rates..
Sir Dick has come up trumps for his employees with plans for training camps and team building programs to be hosted on the island instead of in conference centres and hotels..... Huge cost saving here, Dick really knows how to manage.
I am informed that there will be hotel accommodation available in the future where all staff can come and relax and party on Virgin Island.. And for the sum of an invisaged $34.95 per person per night I think that is really reasonable. Bring your girlfriends, boyfriends, mothers and kids. $$$$$$$
Bet Sir Dick turns a big profit with a set up like that after all there isn't too much that he touches that doesn't make money.....
Good on him for scooping the headlines and the morale soring effect that his employees are currently experiencing. Nothing is free however $34.95 per night isn't that bad. For me give me a company hotel in the city at ID rates..
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Virgin's philosophy has always been to put its employees before profits.
Keep staff morale happy, which in turn increases productivity which then generates profits.
However, in all Virgin pursuits, the staff tend to get paid less than what they would at a competitor, so all these "other" benefits are some what necessary.
I do feel sorry for those poor unsuspecting aero-carians at Perth yesterday holding up the pictures of Dick's new island. They looked rather excited aswell.
Ohwell, perhaps there one off christmas present this year will be a trip to the island.
O/T, but tomorrow is the first day that Aero-Care Perth are soley responsible for the handling of Skywest Airlines. Good Luck all.
Keep staff morale happy, which in turn increases productivity which then generates profits.
However, in all Virgin pursuits, the staff tend to get paid less than what they would at a competitor, so all these "other" benefits are some what necessary.
I do feel sorry for those poor unsuspecting aero-carians at Perth yesterday holding up the pictures of Dick's new island. They looked rather excited aswell.
Ohwell, perhaps there one off christmas present this year will be a trip to the island.
O/T, but tomorrow is the first day that Aero-Care Perth are soley responsible for the handling of Skywest Airlines. Good Luck all.