Magnums Academy
Our Elite Team
Josephine Ive
Principal and Trainer Josephine Ive is a renowned industry professional in the world of luxury service.
Josephine’s prestigious career includes her prominent position as the UK’s first female butler where her clients included British High Court Judges and guests HM Queen Elizabeth, HM The Queen Mother, and many other high profilers.
Josephine has been an Australian resident since 1986 and has taken her culinary and service skills across the globe where she is highly sought after as a hospitality guru, food writer, cookery, Champagne & wine connoisseur, author, and as world professional in luxury butler training. Josephine is noted for sensitively guiding students with her vast wealth of knowledge, her superior attention to detail, and a refreshing teaching method that encompasses traditional Butler Service training with modern forward-thinking topics.
Josephine is well-known in Australia, South East Asia, the Middle East, China, and beyond as a highly - respected trainer of professional butlers, valets, and luxury yacht stewards. 7 Star Service ™ standards that Josephine has developed are applied to all Magnums Academy training programs.
Mark Johnson
Senior Associate Trainer and Course Advisor, Mark Johnson is a well-known industry professional in the world of luxury service and butler services.
As a native of the United States Mark has traveled the world sharing his service skills in luxury 5-star resort hotels on four continents; including Australia, Asia, Europe and North America. Mark’s career encompasses private corporate consulting in Fortune 100 and 500 companies in the United States as well as in private service to international financiers, authors and celebrities, Fortune 100 company executives and private families.
Having studied with Magnums Academy, Mark is well known for guiding students with his attention to detail and his wealth of knowledge from private service and serving as a general manager for a luxury boutique retreat in New Mexico. Utilizing his traditional butler training and skills, a sense of humour and his hands-on management of private estates, Mark brings a candor and unique insight in to the world of luxury service. 7 Star Service Standards implementation and guidance are the basis of all Mark’s training and hands-on service approach.
Lauren Norton
Senior Associate Trainer, Lauren is a yachting veteran of 12 years. She spent 9 years working as the chief stewardess aboard M/Y GU and M/Y Madam Gu.
Having studied with the British Butlers Institute in London, Lauren has been traveling around the world to deliver training to private households, yachts, 5-star hotels, and royal palaces. as a butler and luxury yacht service trainer since 2017. In 2018 she opened Trilogy Luxury Training in Durban North, South Africa. Lauren has a passion for what she does and loves to share her knowledge with others to help them achieve in their role while inspiring them to always strive to deliver the highest standards, particularly Magnums Academy’s 7 Star Service™.
​Relocating to Queensland with her family in early 2022, Magnums Academy is delighted to announce and welcome former Magnums Academy student, Lauren, to the Magnums Academy team to deliver our signature programs in the fine art of being a butler in the British Style with her amazing flair and professionalism.
Bryen Li
Associate trainer. Bryen was educated in Hong Kong and trained in Europe before starting his career in hospitality Bryen Li achieved a Master of Arts in Protocol and Soft Diplomacy Skills. Once he started his career in hospitality, he realized that his passion is for butler service and protocol. To gain more valuable experience, he spent some time in the Middle East and Maldives working from Butler to Operations Manager of a major resort. During his work as a butler, he offered outstanding service to his clients including celebrities, Royal families, and world famous businessmen. Starting in 2011, he decided to dedicate himself as a Butler/House Manager to one of Hong Kong’s wealthiest families.
A culmination of experience in luxury hospitality and private households makes Bryen a natural asset to Magnums Academy as a multi-skilled professional butler. He passionately shares his knowledge to others who share Bryen’s passion for luxury 7 Star Service service.
Kim Woodey - Senior Associate Trainer, Yacht Service
Kim Woodey joins the Magnums Academy team as a Professional Yacht Association GUEST accredited Yacht Interior trainer. She brings with her almost ten years of experience working predominantly as Chief Stewardess and Purser onboard large motor yachts. These watercraft have cruised all over the globe.
In this capacity, Kim was involved in all aspects of the daily running of these vessels — both private and chartered — as well as refit and new build projects. As such, she has firsthand knowledge of the special challenges Superyacht stewards and stewardesses may face when they are deployed.
Having trained shore side, Kim is ideally suited to help her students gain an in-depth understanding and proficiency of the highest levels of service, housekeeping, and organisational skills. Kim prides herself on providing a relaxed yet focused learning environment.