About Us

Ever since its inception in 2003, XO Private has always set out to be different, distinctive and refreshingly innovative in many ways. Today, this certainly hasn’t changed.

About XO Private

XO PRIVATE

We believe that people create travel, we believe in genuine connections.

It all started with the idea of connecting luxury travel products with guaranteed affluent travellers. This resulted in the design and production of most inspiring coffee table books made available only to the most discerning of travellers via a closed network of high-profile corporate lifestyle partners (e.g. private banks, a helicopter manufacturer, luxury car manufacturers, private jet charter operators, superyacht charter companies, etc.). In absolutely no time, The Private Collection portfolios became highly coveted and developed into genuine collector items among the travelling elite worldwide to this very day.

Over the past 15 years, the luxury travel industry and world at large have experienced a tremendous leap forward through the high-paced rise and development of wireless telecommunications and the Internet. In other words, it was time for the XO Private team to differentiate itself and start pioneering once more by embracing this exciting new future with the launch of a membership-style platform that perfectly integrates what today’s connected world of high-end travel trade professionals requires and expects.

In its drive to continuously add value and provide a guaranteed return on investment, XO Private now connects the world of luxury travel by bringing together the most unique forms of accommodation, incredible experience operators and knowledgeable destination specialists with the most sought-after, creative travel designers worldwide.

Additionally, all XO Private Members are offered a wide range of most attractive, cost-effective services stimulating most valuable industry connections, including a prominent, shared presence at numerous of the leading, appointment-driven travel trade shows around the globe.

In other words, XO Private still successfully stands out within the high-end travel industry with its refreshingly distinctive, innovative approach that delivers on its promises.

Yvan Vermeesch

Owner & Managing Director

A Belgian by birth, Yvan Vermeesch grew up in Uganda where his father worked for Sabena, Belgium’s national airline. Despite the country’s exotic allure, the Vermeesch family was soon the only expat family holding out, under the increasingly hairy dictatorship of Idi Amin Dada.After fleeting stints in Kenya, Burundi and South Africa, and rediscovering his roots studying back in Belgium, Yvan Vermeesch found himself restless for more travel adventures this time with an entrepreneurial twist. In his early twenties, he decided to try his hand at exporting Belgian speciality beers to the Caribbean until the notion was swiftly knocked on the head by a local brewing monopoly. With barely time to lick his wounds, Yvan Vermeesch ran into a multi-millionaire entrepreneur with a penchant for Belgian beer. After having been introduced to a few of this businessman’s close associates, he soon returned home with a fistful of exclusive rental contracts for some of the finest luxury villas and yachts of the West Indies. And thus Oxygen, his first bespoke tour operator, was born.

To cut a meandering tale short, he then galloped through the corporate meetings and incentives industry, creating his own incentive house, before co-founding the Privilege Fair, a luxury and lifestyle show in Antwerp, Belgium.

After moving to Prague in 2002 to explore new opportunities, Yvan Vermeesch founded XO Private, a luxury publishing and marketing company, producing a yearly bespoke tome featuring the world’s most extraordinary properties. The series soon became a must-have publication adorning the coffee tables of the world’s travelling elite.

A lot has happened since these heady days. XO Private has enjoyed a tremendous growth around the globe and like a chameleon, kept pace with the ever-evolving face of high-end travel. Successfully steering the company into the digital age, Yvan Vermeesch takes great pride in connecting the finest players within the travel and lifestyle industry via a variety of most powerful, yet innovative and inspirational channels that turn ordinary journeys into extraordinary ones

Isabelle Van Passel

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Born in the Flemish part of Belgium, yet speaking French at home, Isabelle enjoyed a bilingual upbringing. Over the years, this knack for languages developed into a passion and English, German, Spanish and Catalan soon followed suit. Isabelle is always studying another language when she sets foot in a new country in order to be able to get fully immersed in the culture and revel in it.

Given her fondness for words and books, studying Law was a logical choice. After completing a Bachelor of Laws in Antwerp followed by a Masters of Laws in Leuven, Isabelle obtained a Master in European Law (LLM) in Madrid in the Spanish language, as well as one in Equality Rights.

Hailing from Antwerp, location of the second largest Port in Europe, she went on to combine both languages and law by practicing maritime law, commercial and international contract law as a barrister in Belgium after having been granted a Bar Law Practicing Licence. Never shy of getting deeply involved, Isabelle simultaneously launched a Juvenile Law Magazine in Belgium with other lawyers and has been the editor for a couple of years.

On the verge of becoming a partner in the prestigious law firm, Isabelle realised that she was not ready to settle in Belgium yet. Offering legal services independently whilst travelling the world seemed became her new way of life. Whilst in Prague, she joined the XO Private family in 2002 as editor of The Private Collection series of coffee table books, and a couple of years in, opened the Palma branch and moved to Mallorca.

With the rise of social media, Isabelle enlisted for a course in London to facilitate the transition to online publishing. Always eager to develop new skills and innovate, she recently specialised in Legal Design Thinking, to write legal content with a more human-centred approach.

Whenever Isabelle is not with her head in a book, you can find her braving the waves on her stand up paddle board.

Zoila Checa

communications executive

Zoila's heart beats to the rhythm of a storyteller from the shores of Mallorca, her native Spanish island in the midst of the Mediterranean. Trilingual in English, Spanish and Catalan since she was born, as well as versatile and extremely curious by nature, her world and mind has always been filled with mounts of books, words, and globetrotting adventures. Even in her childhood, it was common to see her writing her own short stories or even staging her newest theatrical show at home.

Needless to say, as soon as she finished her studies at her British school in Mallorca, she relocated to Southwest London to pursue her double Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism & Media, Culture and Identity at Roehampton University. That’s where she discovered not only a second home, but also her passion for magazine and travel writing in particular, which ultimately earned her an award in Excellence in Journalism upon graduating.

Not long after, digital marketing waltzed into her life and turned her into a skilled social media specialist and content creator, leading her to work in various tourism marketing agencies representing illustrious luxury travel and hotel brands.

Concurrently, she also delved further into the magazine industry, which continues to be a significant part of her life. Her lifestyle, architecture, and travel articles are frequently featured in well-known publications like SPEND IN Magazine.

'Where the Sky Ends,' her collection of short-form poetry, soon followed suit and was published in print. Nevertheless, something was still missing. Zoila's aspirations extended beyond writing; she had a lifelong desire to act on screen. This led her to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge in this art form. The journey brought her back to London, where she earned a Diploma in Screen Acting at Actors Studio UK, then to Ibiza for the ECI acting school, and later to Bernard Hiller's renowned Masterclass in Los Angeles. Finally, she completed her Master's degree at Madrid's Central de Cine.

Embracing a nomadic lifestyle, Zoila began to blend her acting pursuits with her freelance writing for magazines and online platforms. But fate had more in store for her – and that's where Yvan and Isabelle come into the picture. In 2023, following an initial, fun meeting and a warm cup of coffee, Zoila joined the XO Private team as Communications Executive.

Clara Estevez

account executive

Born in the vibrant blend of Chilean, French, and Spanish cultures, Clara has traversed the globe, gathering diverse experiences that have profoundly shaped her perspective. This unique cultural tapestry granted her the ability to seamlessly connect with individuals from various backgrounds, a skill invaluable in her journey in the realm of travel.

Clara's academic journey led her from a literature degree to a master's in communication and marketing in Paris. She navigated the digital communication landscape at the prestigious Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche. Later, her path diverged into environmental activism, where she orchestrated impactful campaigns and events against plastic pollution in a prominent NGO.

This eclectic journey culminated in a role as an Account Executive at XO Private. Clara's unconventional background, combines global experiences and empathetic understanding, uniquely positioning her to create meaningful connections.

Clara's contribution at XO Private is about crafting narratives, weaving dreams, and transforming destinations into unforgettable experiences. With her, every interaction becomes a possibility, every place becomes a story, and every journey becomes an adventure of a lifetime.

XO Private Ambassadors

It all starts with authentic connections.
The XO Private ambassadors are experts in making these real connections happen and are always on the look-out to innovate and grow within the bespoke travel industry, and the XO Private Brand. Connecting with our community is a powerful thing and we believe that every connection can spark something amazing.”

Gabriela Markova

Gabriela Markova is a hotellier with over 18 years of experience. Growing up in turns in Czech Republic, Paraguay and Switzerland, she had all supposition to end up in the travel & tourism industry. Gabriela entered the world of luxury hotellerie by joining Mandarin Oriental Group, where she stayed nearly a decade, before moving to Velaa Private Island in the Maldives. End of 2018 Gabriela moved to Prague, where she founded GM Selection.

Rachele Belladelli

Rachele Belladelli is the owner of Unique Retreats, a sales and marketing consultancy firm for small luxury hotels. With a degree in Economics and a passion for hospitality, prior to launching her firm she has gained her experience working as DOSM for luxury iconic properties in Italy and Spain. Italian born, with an international upbringing Rachele has returned to Italy in 2000 where she currently resides.

Laura Rodriguez

Laura is a multicultural polyglot fluently speaking English, French, Spanish and Catalan. With over 27 years of experience in tourism, she has always been focussing on developing foreign markets using her marketing and commercial skills. She has managed departments of several leading companies in different sectors in tourism such as e.g. theme parks, luxury hotels, cruise lines, boutique hotels and ski resorts. She has vast experience and loves design and lifestyle.

Vivian Chambers

Vivian Chambers started her career with JP Morgan Chase after graduating with a degree in finance. She soon discovered that her passion lay in the hospitality industry, and shortly after joined The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. where she was responsible for Event Marketing & Management on a global platform. Vivian was instrumental in maintaining the LHW brand and creating market awareness for their portfolio of hotels. Vivian’s determination, unrelenting drive and commitment to her clients are unrivaled in the industry.

Yeishan Goel

As Chief Executive of THRS India & GCC, Yeishan has spent over a decade in decoding the luxury travel & hospitality trends in Asia. He is well known for his expertise in consultative sales, creative marketing, travel trade engagement, and brand development which stems from his passion for understanding the evolving tourism and lifestyle landscape in the world. Yeishan spent his early years in consulting assignments with McKinsey & Co, Dell, and Wipro, the Indian tech giant. He fell in love with luxury travel when he set up his first hospitality focussed business and now remains invested in several new industry segments in India and the Middle East.

Elena Vetrova

Elena Vetrova’s career in the travel industry started back in 1996. After graduating from Lomonosov Moscow State University with a degree in Economic geography and International tourism, Elena felt the passion for expanding the definition of «travel» in Russia. She firstly joined TTG Russia publication, which focuses on travel industry news (hotels, destinations, airlines and others) and a few years later she founded Travel Media representative company. Elena's extensive work experience, great product knowledge and determination enabled many foreign hoteliers to introduce their products to the Russian market as well as for the Russian travel industry to rely on Elena’s expertise in much key decision making.