Necker Island (British Virgin Islands) world, the challenge begins at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas with the top 10 new innovations progressing to the finals at Necker Island where Branson joins the judging panel along with technology figures and investors from Silicon Valley. The Necker Cup, an exhibition tennis tournament held at the end of the tennis season, has been held on the island annually since 2012. In February 2017, former U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle visited Necker as guests of Sir Richard Branson. On August 22, 2011, The Great House burned down in a blaze believed to be
Jacques Necker by his contemporaries for his fabulous wealth. He owned a capital of six or eight million livres and used Château de Madrid as a summer house. In 1775, he published his "Essai sur la législation et le commerce des grains", in which he attacked the physiocrats, like Ferdinando Galiani, and questioned the laissez-faire policies of Turgot. In May, after the 'Flour War' Turgot had made too many enemies and was succeeded by Clugny de Nuis, who already died in October. On 22 October 1776 Necker was appointed as the "Directeur du trésor royal" on Maurepas’ recommendation. On 29 June 1777,