Richard Branson’s Virgin Islands retreat of Necker has served as the tropical getaway for everyone from Nelson Mandela and Princess Diana to the Obamas and Harry Styles. But when it isn’t the plaything of A-listers, the island serves as the location for a high-stakes retreat for the airline that keeps Necker’s lights on.
If Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss’s comments are anything to go by, the retreats give an indication of how billionaire Branson operates a boardroom.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Weiss gave an insight into how Virgin Atlantic bosses use their time at the annual “Necker Summit,” which also ropes in senior bosses from minority owner Delta.
“There are formal presentations, and yes there is pressure. But forging, cementing, and strengthening our partnership is not just done in a meeting room. It is also done playing Perudo after dinner,” said Weiss, referring to the dice game its makers say is based on a mix of “guesswork, bluff and, luck.”
Perudo is also called “Liar’s Dice” and involves players secretly rolling dice and taking turns to guess on the outcome of each other’s rolls. They get eliminated when their bids are successfully challenged and they are left with no dice. Branson played the game with family in 2017 when they were stranded on the island during Hurricane Irma, according to a now unavailable blog post reported by Business Insider.
When Virgin and Delta leaders convene on Necker to play Perudo, there is usually one clear winner.
“Of course, Richard. He must win. But once in a while we find another person who wins,” Weiss told the FT.
It’s likely Weiss meant that Branson’s skills at the game and notorious competitiveness mean he normally comes out on top, rather than an implication that nervous associates let the Virgin kingpin win.
Indeed, Weiss says Branson, who no longer holds an executive position at the airline, remains a “copious note taker” and is constantly in communication with Weiss over WhatsApp and other forms of communication.
“It’s the nagging little detail and the big opportunities and everything in between. Sometimes it is very intense and sometimes he has other things he is concentrating on,” said Weiss.
This year’s Necker Island retreat, which occurred in March, played out under the positive mood music of record results for Virgin Atlantic. The airline raked in £2.6 billion ($3.3 billion) in passenger revenue last year and enjoyed its highest profits in its 40-year history.
One day, it could be Branson’s kids holding court on Necker over a game of Perudo.
Speaking to the Times last year, Branson indicated he planned to hand control of the airline to his daughter Holly and his son Sam.
“I plan to keep it in the family and they plan to keep it in the family,” Branson said.