In our latest company interview, we sat down with Rosa McNeill, Head of Client Services, to find out more about what she does for Minerva Cayman, where she is from, and what she thinks of Cayman.
Where are you originally from?
Rosa: I grew up in South West England and spent a large part of my childhood on my grandparents’ farm in Dorset. A childhood spent here was Blytonesque: endless fun with a pack of cousins, friends, dogs and ponies. The cousins are now scattered across the globe from Sri Lanka to Kenya and even Australia but our ties to home are still strong, as demonstrated by having 46 of us round the table for Christmas dinner in 2019.
My family also lived in Las Palmas for a number of years when I was growing up which means I feel very at home living the island life! I was at boarding school from the age of eight and my best friend Freya, my most frequent visitor in Cayman, had the bed that was next to mine the day I first arrived.
What did you do before joining Minerva Cayman?
Rosa: My experience comes from a range of areas from boutique hotels to luxury fashion and events. I worked in my family’s hotels in Italy before attending university, during the holidays and after graduating. Then I gave into the lure of London and started a career in fashion, rapidly rising through the ranks to become Head of Bridal. I was placed in charge of the family’s and friends’ database, looked after bespoke orders and dressed various VIPs. Anyone who has worked in the fashion industry knows it’s incredibly fun and glamorous but also incredibly poorly paid so, with dreams of owning my own house one day, I also pursued a freelance career in events management alongside.
I was privileged enough to work on a huge range of events from the London 2012 sailing venue to some truly spectacular weddings and parties (several with budgets of £5 million or more). As this side of my career gathered pace, I made the decision to switch to become a project manager, initially going inhouse with my main freelance client before moving to an exclusive private members’ club in London.
I am fortunate enough to have worked alongside and supported some truly inspirational individuals and families before making the move to my new home with Minerva Cayman in the Cayman Islands.
What has surprised you most about working for Minerva Cayman?
Rosa: Coming from the fast pace of England, it was quite a surprise to see just how differently time passes in Cayman and the unique set of challenges being based in the Cayman Islands brings. I found my first week eye-opening as seemingly simple tasks can take so much longer in Cayman even though everything is so close! I can see why our busy clients rely on Minerva Cayman to handle all their tasks.
What do you enjoy most about the work you do?
Rosa: The diversity. I can be sourcing rare vintage jewellery one day and planning a large scale event or logistics for a fleet of luxury cars the next. From the mundane to the stunning, no two days are the same and if, as the saying goes, variety is the spice of life, then life at Minerva Cayman has a touch of Cayman’s very best scotch bonnet pepper! I am also very fortunate to work as part of the most fantastic team; no two of us are from the same place, coming from places as different as Jamaica and France. It is excellent to have such a huge range of life experiences and different cultures… although I have yet to get my head around ackee and codfish for breakfast!
Where is your favourite place to be?
Rosa: The drive up the mountain to Cervinia in the Valle d’Aosta never fails to make my heart soar! My father grew up there and the array of uncles, aunts, cousins and friends gained over several happy years working for my family’s hotels make this breath-taking place even more special. In addition, my little (6’2) brother has just moved back after seven years in London with the temptation of the winter ski season being too much to resist! Working for Zio (uncle) James from the age of eighteen gave me early insight on just how creatively you need to think to get the job done; from moving hot tubs with helicopters to hosting the Swedish Royal Family, I was certainly thrown in at the deep end but I can’t think of a better grounding to have had in the luxury world.
I also have a deep love for the sea; sailing, swimming, diving and surfing are some of my favourite things to do. Fortunately, one of the many perks of living in Cayman is that you are never far from the sea. I sail most Sundays and regularly race on Wednesday evenings after work.
What is your personal philosophy?
Rosa: “Hope for the best, be ready for the worst and prepare to pivot.” With what we do flexibility is key. No two requests are the same and each comes with its unique set of challenges. A lot of lateral thinking is required to get the job done.
