Who is Joe Fournier, the billionaire who wants to succeed Olivia Valère?

British billionaire Joe Fournier is the person who has set out to fill the long shadow left by businesswoman Olivia Valère in the Marbella nightlife scene. The owner of the Bonbonniere club, a project that will replace the famous nightclub on the Istán road next summer, is a renowned athlete who has fallen in love with the Costa del Sol and is eager to make a mark in the era.

Born in London in 1983, the hospitality and nightlife entrepreneur lives in Dubai, although he travels frequently to Marbella and Madrid (where he also plans to open another club). He began his career playing basketball. From a young age, he caught the attention of scouts in his city and soon competed at the highest level - he was captain of the English team on 43 occasions - although an untimely injury forced him to retire earlier than desired.

This setback, however, did not turn him away from the world of sports but rather shifted his focus to the fitness sector with the opening of various personal training gyms. He owned 14 clubs and trained personalities such as Madonna or Gwyneth Paltrow, although in 2012 he decided to sell them all to fully immerse himself in the hospitality and nightlife industry.

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In 2015, he decided to become a professional boxer and began competing in the light heavyweight category. Since then, he maintains an undefeated record, with eleven victories by knockout and some memorable fights behind him, such as the one he had in 2017 against Wilmer Mejía in the Dominican Republic, which earned him the vacant international light heavyweight belt of the WBA.

At the business level, Fournier is a serial entrepreneur. He started in his hometown with the openings of Whisky Mist, The Rose Club, Bonbonniere London, and Streaky Gin, businesses he closed after Brexit as he disagreed with that decision.

In 2014, he landed in Mykonos (Greece) with Bonbonniere, where he has been one of the deans of nightlife for ten years, and in 2021 he took this concept to Tulum (Mexico). In addition to the Marbella project - which will open together with the Mexican group Mandala - he is also working on the opening of another similar club in Madrid.

Currently, the British businessman combines his business role with notable philanthropic activity. He is also an avid art collector for several years, a hobby he started almost by accident. Among other works, he owns pieces by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei and Damien Hirst, the most prominent member of the collective The Young British Artists.