Roxy Jacenko’s sister-in-law Sophie Curtis gets caught in Kokomo crossfire
Roxy Jacenko’s sister-in-law has been drawn into the ugly spat that took place on a Fijian island this month.
Entertainment
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Sophie Curtis, the sister-in-law of Roxy Jacenko, has been drawn into the ugly spat that took place on a Fijian island this month after it emerged Curtis has the PR account for the exclusive island.
Curtis, sister of convicted insider trader Oliver Curtis – who is Jacenko’s husband – was on Thursday still listed on the Kokomo Island website as a marketing contact for the luxury destination.
On Friday, Curtis denied industry talk that she organised Jacenko’s trip in an attempt to promote the island via Jacenko’s social media feed, only to unwittingly find herself caught in the crosshairs when her sister-in-law decided to take to social media about some well-heeled guests.
“(PR company) Black did not organise Roxy’s trip to Kokomo Private Island and it was not part of the resort’s PR program,” Curtis, who works at Black, clarified.
Jacenko made headlines two weeks ago when the veteran influencer posted to Instagram of her run-in with wealthy Melbourne businessman Graham Smorgon and his wife Annette.
The Smorgons, like Jacenko, were staying on Lang Walker’s private six-star island when Jacenko complained that an older couple or someone in their party had “shushed” her while she was conducting a video conference call.
Insulted and angry, Jacenko promptly turned her camera on the couple and posted a candid image of the Smorgons, who it’s understood she didn’t recognise, to Instagram along with a lengthy rant.
Hours later she deleted the post with sources suggesting she did so to avoid legal action and left the island prior to her planned check-out.
This column has learnt the Smorgons are longtime associates of billionaire property developer Walker whose daughter-in-law Camille Walker runs the resort.
Their comfort and privacy are expected to have been a priority to island management.
Graham Smorgon and Lang Walker have been associates since 1998 when the men and two other parties formed a consortium that won the contract to develop Melbourne’s Docklands precinct.
The men later walked away from the $1.5bn development proposal after negotiations with the Victorian government soured.
Sisters-in-law and rival PR consultants Jacenko and Curtis are these days understood to have a hot and cold relationship after Jacenko first befriended the younger Curtis about 12 years ago before later setting her sights on Curtis’s brother.
The relationship is unlikely to be improved by news Curtis, the daughter of multi-millionaire mining executive Nick, has invested in her boss Naomi Parry’s communications agency, Black.
Parry last week confirmed the women became business partners this year.
In January, Curtis was named managing director of Black.
Parry remains “director and founder” however sources claim Curtis is poised to succeed her.
The appointment will likely come as a stunning snub to Jacenko who has chased Black’s premium client list for the best part of two decades.
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