Stepping into her role as the chairperson of Models Group in the wake of a profound personal loss, Natalina Vaz, is the custodian of a monumental legacy left by her late husband Peter Vaz, the founder of the company that created a niche for itself as a prestigious brand in Goa. The Goan reviews how Models Group, under the collective leadership of Natalina and her children Danira and Nathan, is steering today, towards a future defined by modernisation, sustainability and purpose...
For the Vaz family, the task now is bigger than changing the skyline; it is defining the blueprint for a better tomorrow. “Peter wanted more than houses. He wanted a better Goa. Our task is to carry that dream forward, crafting communities and a future that is prosperous, sustainable, and true to the soul of this place,” concludes Natalina.
‘Models’ is a known brand in Goa when one thinks of buying a dream home. However, Models Group is not restricted to constructing apartments, albeit with its team of over 600 professionals, the group’s footprint extends to hospitality, leisure ventures and sports. Over the past 35 years, there is a track record of over 70 completed projects in Goa in key locations – at Panaji, Miramar, Dona Paula, Porvorim, Caranzalem, Taleigao and Colva. Today a clientele of 13,500 plus stand as a testament to the group’s enduring values of quality, trust and innovation.
In the heart of Panaji, from the seventh-floor office of the Karim Mansion, a new chapter is being rewritten – initiated by the late Peter Vaz, and after him, his better-half Natalina Vaz and children Danira and Nathan are now taking the legacy forward. Natalina's path is closely linked to the legacy of Peter, and the evolving vision of their children. After Peter’s passing in December 2020, she took on the role of chairperson. “I knew I had to uphold what Peter built while guiding it into the future,” says Natalina.
Change of leadership
Natalina, a leader who stepped into her role as chairperson not through a planned, gradual handover but in the wake of profound personal loss, has become the custodian of a monumental legacy left by her visionary husband. Joined by daughter Danira and son Diogo Nathan, as partners and directors, she anchors a leadership team that blends legacy with forward-thinking vision.
Natalina’s entry marked a pivotal moment for the group, a transition from a spirited, founder-led entity to a multi-generational family enterprise. She faced dual challenges of honouring a formidable past while steering the company toward a future defined by modernisation, sustainability and purpose.
As Goa knows, the story of the Models Group is a narrative of audacious ambition, strategic diversification and a deep-seated commitment to the community that extends far beyond the blueprints of its many developments. Charting a steady path of progress across real estate, hospitality, and sports, the group’s growth reflects a legacy of innovation, anchored in its founder’s vision and carried forward by a new generation of leadership.
Defining milestones
Some of Natalina’s most defining milestones achieved are – Marine Heights (Building 03), Models Centrium, Models Courtyard, Models Vista Views, the flagship luxury villa project Models Evora and the ultra-premium Alta Mira, to name a few. In hospitality, she expanded the group’s presence with standout ventures like Courtyard by Marriott, the boutique B&B O’Pierre, the seafront restaurant, Sea Pebbles and the elegant Isabella.
Among them, Models Courtyard and Courtyard by Marriott are especially personal for the Vaz family. “Launched in the wake of Peter’s passing and amidst the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, these projects were delivered against all odds,” recalls Natalina who, transforming grief into purpose, delivered these landmark developments with Danira and Nathan by her side.
Dynamic GenNext
Under Danira’s direction the group is fast becoming known for something more: experience-driven living. Danira leads from the front in design, branding, hospitality and customer engagement—areas where detail is everything and emotion matters just as much as engineering. Her role straddles both the creative and the strategic.
Armed with a degree in engineering and a pragmatic mindset, Diogo Nathan has become the operational backbone. He oversees project execution, legal and regulatory compliance and financial planning, ensuring that every development is delivered with technical accuracy, structural integrity and fiscal discipline.
Nathan is also the driving force behind Sporting Clube de Goa. For Nathan, Sporting Clube de Goa is more than a football club; it’s a living legacy of his late father’s greatest passion. “This club is my father’s dream and mine too. Every match, every training session, every milestone we reach is a step toward completing what he started," says Nathan whose leadership has propelled the club to enter a dynamic new chapter.
The ‘Peter Vaz’ legacy
No account of the Models Group or the Vaz family is complete without honouring the legacy of the late Peter Vaz, the visionary who laid its foundation. His life was a remarkable tale of ambition and grit, rooted firmly in the soil of Goa. Hailed as one of the most successful first-generation Goan entrepreneurs of his time, Peter charted his own course early in life. At just 21, with a diploma in civil engineering, ambitious Peter left a secure government job as a junior engineer and in 1989, co-founded Models Real Estate Developers with his close friend and colleague, Edgar Afonso. They began with modest housing projects.
Gradually, Peter forayed into real estate to build high-quality homes and to transform Goa’s urban landscape. Over the next three decades, he brought this vision to life, delivering 60 plus projects, including apartments, villas and commercial hubs, earning widespread trust for their quality and timely completion. Many of these became landmarks, and the name ‘Models’ became synonymous with well-built homes in Goa.
“Peter had an uncanny ability to spot potential in a piece of land or a rundown building and re-imagine something beautiful,” recalls Natalina. His entrepreneurial drive was not limited to real estate. In 1996, he ventured into hospitality with the launch of Sonesta Inns, a boutique resort in Candolim. In 1999, he pursued another lifelong passion: football by acquiring and rebranding the local football club Cidade de Goa FC as Sporting Clube de Goa. By the mid-2000s, Peter’s vision of a multi-sector group was fully realised with the venture into real estate, hospitality, and the entertainment sector.
By 2020, the name Models had become a symbol of trust, and Peter’s contributions to Goan life extended well beyond business. “Peter always believed the best was yet to come,” Natalina reflects. “The moment one project is completed, he’d already be planning the next two.”
A bond beyond business
Central to this legacy is the enduring partnership between Peter Vaz and Edgar Afonso. “Edgar is family to us,” says Natalina, underscoring the profound relationship shared by Peter and Edgar. What began in the late 1980s as a professional collaboration between two young colleagues evolved into a powerful partnership rooted in shared values and shared dreams.
Together, they envisioned a real estate company built by Goans for Goans; one that would uphold transparency, trust and integrity in every project. Over the decades, their bond transcended business. It was grounded in deep respect, honesty and a commitment to excellence that continues to guide Models Group to this day.
Setting new benchmarks
The story of Models Group mirrors Goa’s own transformation—bold ambitions, rapid expansion and an ongoing dialogue between heritage and progress. What began as Peter’s singular vision has evolved into a diversified enterprise now guided by a second generation.
With Danira and Nathan injecting fresh momentum, the company balances two mandates: safeguarding a powerful legacy and setting new benchmarks for innovation. Looking ahead, Models Group is positioning itself for a changing Goan market. Upcoming ventures, especially in luxury and sustainable living, reflect the expectations of a more discerning clientele.
