Richard Branson

• Born: 18 July 1950
• Birthplace: Surrey, England
• Best Known As: Founder of the Virgin business empire

A billionaire businessman with a taste for derring-do, Richard Branson is the founder and CEO of the mega-corporation known as the Virgin Group. Branson's first business was music: he began selling records by mail order in 1970, opened a shop in London in 1971, and in 1972 added a music studio. Virgin Records was launched a year later and soon became force in the music business, signing hot 1970s and '80s acts like the Sex Pistols, Phil Collins and Boy George. Rather than rest on his laurels, Branson branched out into a dizzying array of businesses bearing the Virgin name: Virgin Atlantic airways, Virgin Megastores (sellers of music and books), Virgin Mobile (phone service), along with cosmetics, car sales, health clubs, and many other concerns. Jovial, aggressive, and never shy about self-promotion, Branson put himself at the forefront of the Virgin publicity machine and made himself one of the best-known businessmen in Britain and the world. Branson also has made a hobby of record-breaking travel adventures: in 1986 he made the fastest-ever crossing of the Atlantic Ocean on his boat Virgin Atlantic Challenger II and a year later became the first to cross the Atlantic in a hot air balloon in his Virgin Atlantic Flyer. In the 1990s he also joined fellow-businessman Steve Fossett in several failed attempts to circle the globe non-stop in a hot air balloon. In 2006 he made headlines by pledging to devote all personal profits from his transporation companies for 10 years to developing renewable energy technologies. Branson's autobiography, Losing My Virginity, was published in 1998. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1999.

The first artist to sign with Virgin Records was Michael Oldfield, whose album Tubular Bells was featured on the soundtrack of the movie The Exorcist and subsequently sold over 15 million copies... According to his autobiography, Branson is dyslexic... Virgin Music was sold to Thorn EMI in 1992; Branson started a fresh label, V2, in 1996.

Executive, Virgin

Nationality: British.

Born: July 18, 1950, in Shamley Green, Surrey, England.

Education: Attended Stowe School, 1964–1967.

Family: Son of Edward (barrister) and Eva Huntley-Flindt (dancer and flight attendant) Branson; married Kristen Tomassi, 1972 (divorced 1979); married Joan Templeman, 1989; children: two.

Career: Student, 1966–1970, editor; Virgin, 1970–, executive.

Awards: Knighthood, Queen Elizabeth II, 2000.

Publications: Losing My Virginity 1998.

Address: 120 Campden Hill Road, London, United Kingdom, W8 7AR; http://www.virgin.com.

Richard Branson founded Virgin, a loosely knit family of more than two hundred companies, as a mail-order record business in 1970. As CEO or majority shareholder, he developed successful ventures in music, air travel, financial services, retail marketing, telecommunications, and other fields. Branson's idiosyncratic approach to business and his risk-taking personal life made him a British folk hero as well as one of his nation's wealthiest men. Under Branson's supervision the Virgin group fostered creativity among its employees and allowed the Virgin brand to evolve and diversify with the marketplace.

Teenage Entrepeneur

Branson overcame dyslexia as a child and began to show his entrepreneurial talents early. Born into a middle-class English family, he displayed both a natural intelligence and a competitive spirit on the playing field. His first business ventures included growing Christmas trees and breeding birds. As he reported in his autobiography, "Losing My Virginity," chafing under authority Branson left boarding school at age 16. At the time his headmaster reportedly told him, "Branson, I predict that you will either go to prison or become a millionaire."

In 1966 Branson launched Student, a youth-oriented magazine. As the editor Branson interviewed John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Vanessa Redgrave, and other celebrities. He also started the Student Advisory Center, a nonprofit referral service for troubled youth. In 1970 local authorities charged the center with obscenity for using the words "venereal disease" in its promotional material. Branson was successful in getting the charges dropped, setting a precedent for his future battles with authority.

After selling Student to a larger company in 1970, Branson started a mail-order record company, Virgin Mail. The following year he opened a retail store, which by 1972 had become a chain of 14 shops around the United Kingdom. Charged with evading purchase taxes on import record sales, Branson escaped prosecution by paying an out-of-court settlement. Saddled with $90,000 in fines and debts, a sobered Branson expanded his chain of stores and purchased a small castle in Wales, turning it into a recording studio. His next project was to launch a record company of his own. With his cousin Simon Draper as the creative director and Nik Powell as the business manager, Branson inaugurated Virgin Records in 1973. Among the label's first releases was Mike Oldfield's album Tubular Bells, which topped the U.S. charts in 1974 and sold more than 13 million copies. Virgin had suddenly become one of the most successful independent record companies in the United Kingdom. Despite his image as a "hippie capitalist" dabbling in business, Branson proved an astute negotiator from the start, signing his artists to long contracts, acquiring worldwide rights to recordings, and owning copyrights for as long as possible.

Risky Ventures and Daring Exploits

After its impressive start Virgin Records entered a stagnant period in the mid-1970s. Branson failed to sign such established acts as the Rolling Stones and had to rely on Oldfield's sales to keep the label profitable. Matters did not begin to improve until Virgin signed the Sex Pistols in 1977. Undaunted by the punk band's controversial image Branson sold 100,000 copies of the single "God Save the Queen" in one week. Virgin did not pull out of the doldrums until it released Culture Club's debut album in 1982. The phenomenal popularity of the lead singer Boy George helped the band to sell 1.4 million albums in the United Kingdom the following year. Hit albums and singles from Phil Collins and the Human League also did well for Virgin. The label quadrupled its size in four years. Branson used his earnings to launch a Virgin American record label and to invest in new ventures, including Virgin Vision (a film and video distribution company), Virgin Games (a computer games publisher), Virgin Rags (a clothing line), Vanson Property (a property development company), and several London-area nightclubs.

In February 1984 Branson was approached by the American attorney Randolph Fields with an offer to invest in a new transatlantic airline. Despite the objections of his business partners, Branson was immediately intrigued by the possibility. Rather than adopt Fields's initial idea of an all-businessclass airline, Branson envisioned a low-cost carrier that would compete with People Express. The decision to pursue the project caused ill feelings with Draper and other Virgin staff members and met with disfavor with Branson's bankers. It was something of a personal triumph for Branson when, on June 22, 1984, Virgin-Atlantic Airways embarked on its maiden flight between London's Gatwick Airport and Newark, New Jersey. From a single leased aircraft Virgin-Atlantic slowly grew during the 1980s, adding routes to Los Angeles and Tokyo while seeking access to London's Heathrow Airport. Branson emphasized his company's commitment to service by talking with customers during flights. He was even known to dress as a flight attendant and serve refreshments.

To help promote the airline Branson began to raise his media profile by performing promotional stunts and feats of daring. In 1985 he was rescued off the coast of Ireland when his powerboat Virgin Atlantic Challenger crashed during an attempt to break the transatlantic speed record. A year later Branson succeeded in breaking the record with Virgin Atlantic Challenger II. In 1987 Branson set out with the aeronaut Per Lindstrand on a transatlantic hot-air balloon trip, crashing into the Irish Sea after making it across the ocean. The pair completed the first successful transpacific hot-air balloon ride in 1991, although they ended the trip stranded on a frozen Canadian lake before being rescued. Such death-defying adventures won Virgin invaluable publicity and emphasized Branson's image as a fearless risk taker.

Not all of Branson's corporate moves turned out as he had hoped. In 1985 Branson took Virgin public, attracting 100,000 applications for shares. While he gained greater financial stability, Branson disliked the restraints of working with a board of directors. "Previously, I had always felt confident about any decision we made, but now that Virgin was a publicly quoted company, I began to lose faith in myself," he recalled. "I felt uneasy about making the rapid decisions I had always made and wondered whether every decision should be formally ratified and minuted at a board meeting." Branson fought with the board over paying out large dividends rather than reinvesting profits in new projects, as Virgin had previously done. The October 1987 stock market crash helped to convince Branson to buy back his company. He announced Virgin's management buyout in July 1988 and began to seek investors, including the British retailer W. H. Smith and the Japanese media company Fujisankei, for joint ventures. These relationships were especially important in establishing a chain of Virgin Megastores, which were devoted to music as well as other Virgin consumer items, across Europe, North America, and Japan. Also in 1988 Branson launched Virgin Hotels and a new music division, Virgin Classics.

Unique Corporate Structure and Freewheeling Style

By the late 1980s Virgin's unorthodox corporate structure was well established. Behind the Virgin logo was a constantly multiplying array of wholly owned subsidiaries and outside partnerships, Branson always maintaining a controlling interest. Each business remained independent though linked to others with similar concerns. "Outside accountants would immediately look at our 200 buildings, 200 switchboards, and all that comes with them and say, 'You're bleeding money'," Branson told Betsy Morris in an interview for Fortune. "But I say, 'Look at what you get!' People who have worked for small companies and then big companies will tell you that it's not as much fun. In a small company, you can create a different kind of energy. People feel cared for."

Branson oversaw his operations from his residences in London's Holland Park and on Necker Island in the Caribbean. In most cases he supervised each business's startup phase, delegated management, and stepped back in only as a troubleshooter. An exception was Virgin's airline and travel businesses, of which Branson remained CEO. Branson kept informal lines of communication open even as his roster of companies kept growing. "We don't have formal meetings," he told David Sheff of Forbes. "People who leave companies with formal structures don't leave because of salaries. If they come up with a good idea, they're told to wait until the next meeting…. With Virgin, we make decisions on the phone. If you've got a good idea and I like it, you can get on with it." Branson prided himself on treating his employees well. During one difficult financial period he was able to persuade some staff members to take sabbaticals to avoid layoffs. He was known for recognizing talent at any level within the Virgin ranks. In 1996, for instance, he promoted a Virgin-Atlantic flight attendant to run Virgin Bride, the largest bridal shop in Europe. Branson became known for dropping in on employees and writing down their comments about Virgin's problems in a small notebook he kept with him at all times. The notebook remained with Branson even as others adopted laptop computers and personal digital assistants—Branson never embraced computer technology.

Lacking conventional business school training, or even a high school diploma, Branson continued to make huge financial decisions according to his own whimsical methods. "In the same way that I tend to make up my mind about people within thirty seconds of meeting them, I also make up my mind about a business proposal within thirty seconds and whether it excites me," he wrote in Losing My Virginity. "I rely far more on gut instinct than researching huge amounts of statistics." This approach was criticized by members of his own staff, according to Des Dearlove's book Business the Richard Branson Way. Some employees referred to Branson's method of trusting his own instincts without conducting further market research as "VSO," or "Virgin's system of one."

Perhaps Branson's most radical achievement was to make his own freewheeling, antiestablishment personality synonymous with the Virgin brand. Whatever caught his eye, whether it was a punk band, an airline, or a line of cosmetics, Branson marketed with style and playfulness. The challenge of entering a new field became part of the game and only added to the Virgin mystique. Assessing Branson's goals and methods for Forbes, Betsy Morris wrote, "Branson likes being a disruptor—taking on industries that charge too much (music) or hold consumers hostage (cellular) or treat them badly and bore them to tears (airlines). His goal was never to be the most profitable." Branson said much the same thing in Losing My Virginity, noting, "First and foremost, any business proposal I like must sound fun. If market is served by only two giant corporations, it appears to me that there's room for some healthy competition…. I love giving big companies a run for their money—especially if they're offering expensive, poor-quality products."

Vindication and Expansion in the 1990s

Virgin-Atlantic became Branson's chief personal focus during the 1990s. In July 1991 he reached his key goal of expanding service to London's Heathrow Airport. This achievement was a signal victory in Branson's bitter struggle with British Airways, which had sought to block Virgin-Atlantic's growth through political influence and underhanded tactics. Among the latter was the establishment of an espionage unit to spy on Branson and harass Virgin customers in person and by telephone. Lord King, the British Airways chairman, spread rumors that his competitor was about to go bankrupt. Virgin's chronic cash flow problems lent credence to these stories. In 1992 Branson made the painful decision to sell Virgin Music Group to Thorn-EMI for approximately $1 billion to keep Virgin-Atlantic aloft. The sale brought Branson immense personal wealth and enabled him to upgrade his airline with such luxuries as seat-back video screens, full-sized sleeper seats, in-flight massages and manicures, and free ground transportation by limousine. Virgin-Atlantic's problems with lenders and overdrafts continued, however, as did the ongoing battle with British Airways. The British press wondered whether Branson had finally taken on a battle he could not win. An editorial in the London, England, Sunday Telegraph wondered whether Branson was "too old to rock 'n' roll, too young to fly" (March 15, 1992). Branson fought back, casting himself as an upstart David against a greedy Goliath. He continued to accuse British Airways of unethical tactics, prompting Lord King to question Branson's truthfulness publicly. Branson sued British Airways for libel in December 1992, and British Airways offered the highest uncontested libel payment (£610,000) in British history. Branson shared the settlement with the Virgin-Atlantic staff. The court victory marked a turning point for the airline. By the end of the 1990s it had become the third-largest European carrier and the most profitable company in the Virgin group.

Branson emerged from his fight with British Airways an immensely popular figure. A May 1993 survey conducted by TSB ranked Branson the number one role model for Britain's young people. In the mid-1990s Branson branched out with joint ventures as diverse as financial services (Virgin Direct), Internet services (Virgin Net), spirits (Virgin Vodka), and soft drinks (Virgin Cola). Some companies fared better than others. Virgin Trains, Branson's British express rail franchise, gained a reputation for poor service. An attempt with the television personality David Frost to take over the independent U.K. television network ITV was halted by the British government. Despite stumbles Branson's empire kept growing, partnering with Malaysia Airlines to expand Virgin-Atlantic into Southeast Asia and Australia and entering into an agreement with the copy shop giant Kinko's to open locations in Britain and France. Branson remained a presence in the pop music world, creating a new music label, V2 Records while remaining nonexecutive president of the EMI-owned Virgin Music Group. In November 1997 Virgin Music Group oversaw the production of the commemorative album Diana, Princess of Wales Tribute, which raised more than $100 million for charity.

By 1998 Branson's golden touch showed signs of fading. Except for Virgin-Atlantic most of the Virgin corporate family was floundering. Virgin Vodka was withdrawn, and Virgin Cola struggled to find a market. Publicly traded companies such as the Brussels-based airline Virgin Express and the U.K. clothing retailer Victory Corporation did poorly on the stock market. Critics wondered whether the middle-aged Branson could continue to play the role of the brash outsider to a younger generation of consumers. Branson responded by cutting his losses with some companies and launching new ones. In 1999 Virgin Cinemas sold its U.K. theaters to a French company for £215 million. Also in 1999 Branson sold 49 percent interest in Virgin-Atlantic to Singapore Airlines for $960 million, reportedly to help finance weaker Virgin companies. He also hired a new strategy chief, Gordon McCallum, to bring greater discipline and focus to marketing the Virgin brand overall.

Branson took a financial beating, according to some estimates having lost more than half of his personal fortune by 2001. (His net worth was estimated by his financial advisers to be $2.6 billion in 2003.) Branson continued, however, to dream up new ventures, including a chain of U.K. health and fitness clubs (Virgin Active) and an online music service (Virgin Digital). One project, Virginstudent.com, was a youth-oriented Web site that recalled Branson's Student days. In interviews Branson dismissed talk that the Virgin brand had become overextended. "That's been said for about 30 years," he told Gyles Bandreth of the Sunday Telegraph. "I'm not somebody who believes in money sitting on deposit in bank accounts. When I make money I reinvest it straight away in new ventures. We're Britain's largest group of private companies. Last year we turned over about £3 billion. In three years time I expect that to be £6 billion" (February 25, 2001).

During the period of retrenchment Branson remained a high-profile spokesman for the Virgin group. His stature as one of the world's most famous and influential businessmen appeared to survive his setbacks. Branson became Sir Richard when he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000. He continued to champion causes such as his ultimately unsuccessful campaign in 2003 to save the Concorde aircraft. In March 2004 Branson signed a contract with Fox Television to star in his own reality series involving several aspiring billionaires sharing adventures with him around the world. Well into his third decade as an entrepreneur Branson continued to blur the line between business and pleasure, money making and gamesmanship. "He's not driven like other people. He's driven to do stuff," the Virgin executive Tom Alexander told Betsy Morris for Forbes. "The money is the byproduct. If it makes money, well, then great, because then he can go off and do more stuff. Doing nothing is not an option. If you've ever been on holiday with him, it's hard work."

Sources for Further Information

Bandreth, Gyles, "How Does It Feel to Fail, Richard?" Sunday Telegraph, February 25, 2001.

Branson, Richard, Losing My Virginity, New York: Times Books, 1998.

Cowe, Roger, "Virgin: A Brand Too Far?" Marketing, September 17, 1998.

Dearlove, Des, Business the Richard Branson Way, New York: AMACOM, 1999.

Jackson, Tim, Virgin King, London: HarperCollins, 1994.

Morris, Betsy, "What a Life," Fortune, October 6, 2003.

Sheff, David, "Richard Branson: The Interview," Forbes, February 24, 1997.

—Barry Alfonso

Charismatic entrepreneur Richard Branson (born 1950) became well known when his daredevil business tactics were upstaged by his death defying antics as a sportsman.

Founder and mastermind of the Virgin business enterprise, Richard Branson hewed a reputation as one of the most popular personalities in all of England. The charismatic Branson attracted crowds and media attention everywhere, not only in the course of his business exploits but also for his adventurous lifestyle. At the height of his popularity, Branson's name was touted for prime minister, and even monarch, of his native Britain. Tongue-and-cheek aside, Branson's financial escapades were serious business, and his adventurous personal nature projected an aura that seemed larger than life.

Richard Branson was born on July 18, 1950 into a middle class family in the English county of Surrey. Branson was the oldest of three siblings. His father, Edward (Ted) Branson was an attorney, in the tradition of the Branson family ancestry. Most agree that Branson inherited his Nordic looks as well as his adventurous spirit from his mother, Eve Branson, a one-time dancer and actress, and a former flight attendant. So energetic and spirited was Eve Branson, that she learned to fly gliders at a time when few women drove cars. She flew so well, in fact, that she trained with the Royal Air Force (RAF) cadets for duty during the Second World War. The Branson children were raised to be hearty, active, and brave.

Richard Branson was not adventurous by nature. Out of concern, his mother left him alone in the countryside one day, with instructions to find his own way home through the fields of Devon. Branson was only four at the time, and a neighboring farmer eventually discovered the boy and alerted the Bransons to retrieve their son. Young Richard, who spent that day chasing butterflies, was enamored by the exhilaration of freedom at such a young age. Years later, when his parents enrolled him at Stowe boarding school in Buckingham, he found the environment too restrictive. He dropped out of high school and moved to London, where he made his living as a publisher and later opened a retail record business.

A Young Entrepreneur

After Branson arrived in London in 1967, at the age of 17, he undertook his first business venture. He published a magazine called Student, for young activists. The first issue was published in January 1968, and reached a printing of 100,000 copies at the peak of its popularity. Student was an excellent business vehicle, and resulted in a positive business experience for Branson.

Branson started his second business in 1970, a mail-order retail record company called Virgin Mail. The unfortunate occurrence of a British postal strike in 1971 forced Branson to realign his fledgling record company from a mail-order supplier into a successful discount record retailer in London. Branson's initial ventures into capitalism were encouraging, but generated "red ink" at the onset. As Branson saw his business debt swell to approximately $20,000 he devised an illicit pseudo-export scam that allowed him to evade the tax payments on his merchandise. For a time he eluded the authorities but was eventually brought to justice and to jail. It cost him (and his mother) $45,000 in bail to secure his freedom. In time and with perseverance he worked his way out of accrued business debts of $90,000, including fines and back taxes owed to the government.

Virgin Records

In 1973, Branson expanded his business interests and established Virgin Records in part to provide a recording vehicle for a talented friend, Mike Oldfield. Through the new Virgin Records enterprise, Oldfield recorded an album featuring the tune "Tubular Bells," and the record became the soundtrack for the classic horror movie, The Exorcist.

In 1977, Branson signed the Sex Pistols to Virgin Records, a shrewd business move that plunged the small recording company into the mainstream of the punk rock era. Censors from radio and other media immediately banned one of the Sex Pistols earliest hits with Virgin Records, an irreverent tune called "God Save the Queen." The Sex Pistols, determined to make their music heard, retaliated with a "free concert" on the Thames River that resulted in 100,000 in record sales within one week. Following the scandalous success of the Sex Pistols, Virgin Records easily attracted a variety of the most popular artists of the times, including Boy George and the Culture Club, who sold 1.4 million records in the U.K. in 1983. Branson went on to sign contracts with singers and guitarists including Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Janet Jackson, and the Rolling Stones. By 1983, Branson's Virgin empire included 50 diverse companies.

In keeping with his radical business ethic, Branson established an international airline in June 1984, with a single leased airplane. The airline, Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited, survived the threat of foreclosure and in time grew into the world's third-largest transatlantic carrier.

Secrets of Success

Virgin enterprises are a conglomeration of wholly owned subsidiaries and outside partnerships. Branson maintains a controlling interest in every company that he starts. Virgin interests include retail stores, a travel group, an entertainment group, a hotel enterprise, financial services, cinemas, radio stations, and Virgin European Airways. Branson runs the empire from the old villa where he lives with his family in London's Holland Park. Each business is a separate venture. He oversees each startup company, then delegates management and moves on. Branson relies on creative investment schemes and extremely private holdings. He retains control as CEO of his travel ventures, even as he acquires capital for his railway system venture. Branson strategically keeps each company small and controllable, despite the conglomerate structure, and operates each enterprise as an individual small business. His companies offer employees a pleasant work environment and the renegade Branson eschews computers; informal communication is the hallmark of the Virgin regime. The personal needs of employees take precedence, and even at times of dire financial straits, Branson humanely sidesteps layoffs.

Virgin Travel Interests

In 1992, after 22 years at the helm, Branson reluctantly sold his Virgin Music Group to Thorn-EMI for a sum near one billion dollars. He made the sacrifice in the interests of Virgin Airlines which was in a state of financial disaster. Branson used the money in part to upgrade the airline with new amenities and services including seat-back videos, complimentary headsets, toiletries, stand-up bars, full-sized sleeper seats; luxury services such as masseuses, manicure, and free ground transportation by limousine were also introduced. British Airways, number one competitor to Virgin Atlantic, resorted to unduly aggressive competition against Branson's business savvy. In January 1993, Branson won a judgment of nearly one million dollars in a suit against British Airways for unfair competition.

Traditional investors fail to comprehend Branson's privately held Virgin resources that comprise an intricate web of trusts and holding companies which span the Atlantic Ocean into the British Virgin Isles. In 1998, Branson further unnerved financial pundits when he invested his own private interests into a series of rail lines including British Rail. As with many Branson business endeavors, the investments were in conflict with every traditional business tactic and mainstream corporate practice, yet Branson ably accomplished his ends. Branson's unique business style prompted David Sheff to comment in Forbes that Branson is, "One of the world's most fertile businessmen [with] highly unorthodox methods."

In 1999, and less than 30 years after the original conception of the Branson Virgin businesses, Branson boasted over 200 Virgin Megastores worldwide and a soft drink business-Virgin Cola-in direct competition with Coca-Cola. All told, Branson employed 24,000 employees in 150 companies, with revenues totaling an estimated five billion dollars each year from the entire Virgin Group-including the music stores and airline. The Virgin empire was last valued at an estimated $1.5 billion, and was the largest privately owned business in England.

Adventure and Thrill Seeker

Branson is as well known for his death-defying "near-miss" accidents as for his business acumen. In 1987, he made his "virgin" parachute jump just weeks before embarking on a trans-Atlantic balloon voyage with co-pilot Per Lindstrand in the largest balloon ever made-replete with eight burners and twelve miles of fabric. In preparation for the balloon flight, Branson took a skydiving lesson and nearly killed himself when he inadvertently unhooked his own parachute. A courageous jump instructor rescued Branson in mid-air. Shortly afterward, Branson made the balloon trip from Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine, across the Atlantic to Ireland for the first trans-Atlantic crossing in a balloon. Branson attempted a landing upon arrival in Ireland, but encountered severe problems with the wind and narrowly escaped a harrowing death in the icy Atlantic Ocean.

In 1991, Branson became the first person to cross the Pacific Ocean in a balloon. He traveled nearly 7,000 miles between Japan and Canada, and clocked speeds as high as 240 miles per hour. The trip was fraught with tense moments, including the loss of two fuel tanks. The loss of balloon altitude control caused the crew to reach treacherous altitudes, well over 40,000 feet. Pilot and co-pilot later missed their landing goal by 2,000 miles. Originally headed for Los Angeles, they landed in a remote part of the North Canadian Rocky Mountains instead.

In January 1997, Branson made one of his first attempts to successfully circumnavigate the earth in a hot-air balloon. By December 1998, he was on his fourth attempt. Along with Lindstrand and Steve Fossett, Branson set out to be the first in history to accomplish the feat. Fossett and Branson-one-time adversaries in the race to circumnavigate-left Marrakech, crossed through Asia Minor and Asia and into the Pacific before a hurricane downed the crew off the coast of Hawaii.

For these and other exploits, Branson was cited by Business Week, as a new breed of "daredevil" CEO that needs to be curtailed by boards of directors in the interests of shareholders, in order to forestall pending doom that often accompanies such antics. Branson certainly fit the bill; he is an avid skier and speedboat racer, in addition to his skydiving and ballooning exploits.

In 1979, Branson purchased an island in the Caribbean. The land parcel, called Necker, consists of 74 acres. He purchased the land for $300,000, and since that time invested $20 million into customizing the island complete with a ten-bedroom house, two guest houses, a desalinization plant, generator facilities, and imported foliage to intersperse with the indigenous neckerberry bushes that give the island its name. He rents the island for as much as $20,500 per night. His guests include many of the most prominent personalities in the world: the late Diana, Princess of Wales, director Steven Spielberg, actor Mel Gibson, and movie and television maven Oprah Winfrey.

A media phenomenon, Branson remains unaffected and dresses casually, in comfortable clothes. He was married to Kristen Tomassi in 1972; they divorced in 1976. In 1989, Branson wed Joan Templeman of Glasgow-He arrived at the wedding ceremony hanging from a helicopter. The couple has two children, Holly and Sam. Branson published his autobiography, Losing My Virginity, in 1998.

Further Reading

Business Week, January 11, 1999, p. 50(1).

Forbes February 24, 1997, p. S94(7).

Management Today, April 1998, p. 38(5).

People, November 2, 1998 p. 141.

Playboy, February 1995, p. 114(5).

Sports Illustrated, February 12, 1999, p. 186.

Time, June 24, 1996, p. 50(4).

Quotes:

"What's the quickest way to become a millionaire? Borrow fivers off everyone you meet."

"Business opportunities are like buses, there's always another one coming."

"If you can run one business well, you can run any business well."

Sir Richard Branson
Richard Branson at Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer planned takeoff
Born	18 July 1950 (1950-07-18) (age 58) Blackheath, London, United Kingdom
Residence	London, England, UK
Nationality	British
Occupation	Chairman of Virgin Group
Net worth	▲$2.4 billion
Spouse(s)	Joan Templeman (1989–present) Kristen Tomassi (1972–1979), divorced
Children	Holly Branson (28), Sam Branson (25)

Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (born 18 July 1950) is an English industrialist, best known for his Virgin brand of over 360 companies. Branson's first successful business venture was at age 16, when he published a magazine called Student.^[1] He then set up an audio record mail-order business in 1970. In 1972, he opened a chain of record stores, Virgin Records, later known as Virgin Megastores and rebranded after a management buyout as Zavvi in late 2007.

With his flamboyant and competitive style, Branson's Virgin brand grew rapidly during the 1980s -- as he set up Virgin Atlantic Airways and expanded the Virgin Records music label. Richard Branson is the 236th richest person according to Forbes' 2008 list of billionaires, with an estimated net worth of approximately US$2.4 billion.^[2]

Contents 1 Early life 2 Record business 3 Business ventures 4 Personal life 5 Humanitarian initiatives 6 World record attempts 7 Television, film, and print 8 Politics 9 Business practices 10 Honours 11 See also 12 Notes 13 References 14 External links

Early life

Branson was born at Stonefield Nursing Home in Blackheath, South London, the son of barrister Edward James Branson and Eve Branson (née Huntley Flindt).^[3] His grandfather, the Right Honourable Sir George Arthur Harwin Branson, was a judge of the High Court of Justice and a Privy Councillor.^[4] Branson was educated at Scaitcliffe School (now Bishopsgate School)^[5] until the age of thirteen. He then attended Stowe School until he was seventeen. Branson has dyslexia and had poor academic performance as a student, but discovered his ability to connect with others.^[6]

Record business

Branson started his first record business after he traveled across the English Channel and purchased crates of "cut-out" records from a record discounter.^{[citation needed]} He sold the records out of the boot of his car to retail outlets in London. He continued selling cut-outs through a record mail order business in 1970. Trading under the name "Virgin" he sold records for considerably less than the "High Street" outlets, especially the chain W. H. Smith. The name "Virgin" was a selling point because records were sold in a new condition (unlike in other shops where records were being handled when listened to in record booths).^{[citation needed]} At the time many products were sold under restrictive marketing agreements which limited discounting, despite efforts in the 1950s and 1960s to limit so-called resale price maintenance.^[7] In effect Branson began the series of changes that led to large-scale discounting of recorded music. Branson and some colleagues were discussing a new name for his business when one suggested that it should be called "Virgin" since they were all virgins to business.^{[citation needed]}

Branson eventually started a record shop in Oxford Street in London and, shortly after, launched the record label Virgin Records with Nik Powell. Branson earned enough money from his record store to buy a country estate, in which he installed a recording studio. He leased out studio time to fledgling artists, including multi-instrumentalist Mike Oldfield.

In 1971, Branson was arrested and charged for selling records in Virgin stores that had been declared export stock. He settled out-of-court with UK Customs and Excise with an agreement to repay the unpaid tax and fines. Branson's mother Eve re-mortgaged the family home to help pay the settlement ^[8].

Virgin Records' first release was Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells, which was a best-seller and British LP chart topper. The company signed controversial bands such as the Sex Pistols, which other companies were reluctant to sign. It also won praise for exposing the public to obscure avant-garde music such as the krautrock bands Faust and Can. Virgin Records also introduced Culture Club to the music world. In the early 1980s, Virgin purchased the gay nightclub Heaven. In 1991 in a consortium with David Frost, Richard Branson had made the unsuccessful bid for three ITV franchisees under the CPV-TV name. The early 80's also saw his only attempt as a producer- on the novelty record "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" by Singing Sheep. The recording was a series of sheep baaing along to a drum machine produced track, and even made the charts at #42 in 1982.

In 1992, to keep his airline company afloat, Branson sold the Virgin label to EMI for $1 billion. Branson says that he wept when the sale was completed since the record business had been the genesis of the Virgin Empire.^{[citation needed]} He later formed V2 Records to re-enter the music business. This was later sold to Zavvi, which has since closed all stores permanently.

Business ventures

Main article: List of Richard Branson's business ventures

Branson formed Virgin Atlantic Airways in 1984, launched Virgin Mobile in 1999, Virgin Blue in Australia in 2000. He was 9th in the Sunday Times Rich List 2006, worth just over £3 billion. Branson wrote in his autobiography of the decision to start an airline:

“

My interest in life comes from setting myself huge, apparently unachievable challenges and trying to rise above them...from the perspective of wanting to live life to the full, I felt that I had to attempt it.

”

In 1992, Branson took what many saw as being one of his riskier business exploits by entering into the railway business. Virgin Trains won the franchises for the former Intercity West Coast and Cross-Country sectors of British Rail. Launched with the usual Branson fanfare with promises of new high-tech tilting trains and enhanced levels of service, Virgin Trains soon ran into problems with the rolling stock and infrastructure it had inherited from British Rail. The company's reputation was almost irreversibly damaged in the late 1990s as it struggled to make trains reliably run on time while it awaited the modernisation of the West Coast Main Line, and the arrival of new rolling stock.

Virgin acquired European short-haul airline Euro Belgian Airlines in 1996 and renamed it Virgin Express. In 2006 the airline was merged with SN Brussels Airlines forming Brussels Airlines. It also started a national airline based in Nigeria, called Virgin Nigeria. Another airline, Virgin America, began flying out of the San Francisco International Airport in August 2007. Branson has also developed a Virgin Cola brand and even a Virgin Vodka brand, which has not been a very successful enterprise. As a consequence of these lacklustre performers, the satirical British fortnightly magazine Private Eye has been critical of Branson and his companies (see Private Eye image caption).^[9]

After the so-called campaign of "dirty tricks" (see expanded reference in Virgin Atlantic Airways), Branson sued rival airline British Airways for libel in 1992. John King, then-chairman of British Airways, counter-sued, and the case went to trial in 1993. British Airways, faced with likely defeat, settled the case, giving £500,000 to Branson and a further £110,000 to his airline and had to pay legal fees of up to £3 million. Branson divided his compensation (the so-called "BA bonus") among his staff.

On 25 September 2004, Branson announced the signing of a deal under which a new space tourism company, Virgin Galactic, will license the technology behind Spaceship One—funded by Microsoft co-Founder Paul Allen and designed by legendary American aeronautical engineer and visionary Burt Rutan—to take paying passengers into suborbital space. Virgin Galactic (wholly owned by Virgin Group) plans to make flights available to the public by late 2009 with tickets priced at US$200,000 using Scaled Composites White Knight Two.

Branson's next venture with the Virgin group is Virgin Fuels, which is set to respond to global warming and exploit the recent spike in fuel costs by offering a revolutionary, cheaper fuel for automobiles and, in the near future, aircraft. Branson has stated that he was formerly a global warming skeptic and was influenced in his decision by a breakfast meeting with Al Gore.^[10]

Branson has been tagged as a "transformational leader" in the management lexicon, with his maverick strategies and his stress on the Virgin Group as an organization driven on informality and information, one that is bottom-heavy rather than strangled by top-level management.

On 21 September 2006, Branson pledged to invest the profits of Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Trains in research for environmentally friendly fuels. The investment is estimated to be worth $3 billion.^[11][12]

On 4 July 2006, Branson sold his Virgin Mobile company to UK cable TV, broadband, and telephone company NTL/NTL:Telewest for almost £1 billion. As part of the sale, the company pays a minimum of £8.5 million per year to use the Virgin name and Branson became the company's largest shareholder.^{[citation needed]} The new company was launched with much fanfare and publicity on 8 February 2007, under the name Virgin Media. The decision to merge his Virgin Media Company with NTL was in order to integrate both of the companies' compatible parts of commerce. Branson used to own three quarters of Virgin Mobile, whereas now he owns 15 percent of the new Virgin Media company.^[13]

In 2006, Branson formed Virgin Comics and Virgin Animation an entertainment company focussed on creating new stories and characters for a global audience. The Company was founded with author Deepak Chopra, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and entrepreneurs Sharad Devarajan and Gotham Chopra.

Branson also launched the Virgin Health Bank on 1 February 2007, offering parents-to-be the opportunity of storing their baby's umbilical cord blood stem cells in private and public stem cell banks after their baby's birth.

In June 2006, a tip-off from Virgin Atlantic led US and UK competition authorities to investigate price-fixing attempts between Virgin Atlantic and British Airways. In August 2007, British Airways was fined £271 million over the allegations. Virgin Atlantic was given immunity for tipping off the authorities and received no fine - a controversial decision the Office of Fair Trading defended as being in the public interest.^[14]

On 9 February 2007, Branson announced the setting up of a new Global science and technology prize—The Virgin Earth Challenge—in the belief that history has shown that prizes of this nature encourage technological advancements for the good of mankind. The Virgin Earth Challenge will award $25 million to the individual or group who are able to demonstrate a commercially viable design which will result in the net removal of anthropogenic, atmospheric greenhouse gases each year for at least ten years without countervailing harmful effects. This removal must have long term effects and contribute materially to the stability of the Earth's climate.

Branson also announced that he would be joined in the adjudication of the Prize by a panel of five judges, all world authorities in their respective fields: Al Gore, Sir Crispin Tickell, Tim Flannery, James Hansen, and James Lovelock. The panel of judges will be assisted in their deliberations by The Climate Group and Special Advisor to The Virgin Earth Prize Judges, Steve Howard.

Richard Branson got involved with soccer when he sponsored Nuneaton Borough for their January 2006 FA Cup 3rd round game against Middlesbrough. The game ended 1-1 and the Virgin brand was also on Nuneaton Borough's shirts for the replay which they eventually lost 2-5.^{[citation needed]}

In August 2007, Branson announced that he bought a 20 percent stake in Malaysia's AirAsia X^[15].

Branson in April 2009 at the OC launch of Virgin America

On 13 October 2007, Branson's Virgin Group sought to add Northern Rock to its empire after submitting an offer which would result in Branson personally owning 30% of the company, changing the company's name from Northern Rock to Virgin Money.^[16] The Daily Mail ran a campaign against his bid and Liberal Democrats' financial spokesperson Vince Cable suggested in the House of Commons that Branson's criminal conviction for tax evasion might be felt by some as a good enough reason not to trust him with public money. ^[17]

On 10 January 2008, Branson's Virgin Healthcare announced that it would open a chain of health care clinics that would offer conventional medical care alongside homeopathic and complementary therapies.^[18] The Financial Times reported that Ben Bradshaw, UK's health minister, welcomed the launch. "I am pleased that Virgin Healthcare is proposing to work with GPs to help develop more integrated services for patients."

In February 2009, Branson's Virgin organisation were reported as bidding to buy the former Honda Formula One team. Branson later stated an interest in Formula One, but claimed that before the Virgin brand became involved with Honda or any other team, Formula One would have to develop a more economically efficient and environmentally-responsible image. At the start of the 2009 formula one season on March 28, it was announced that Virgin would be sponsoring the new Brawn GP team,^[19] with discussions also underway about introducing a less "dirty" fuel in the medium term.^[20]

Personal life

Branson with Shaun White in April 2009

He is the eldest among his siblings Lindi and Vanessa. His brother Ted followed in his father's footsteps and became a barrister. Branson's mother, Eve, worked in the theatre, as a glider pilot instructor, and as a flight attendant.

Branson had poor academic records, contrasted with excellent performance in sports.^[21]

Branson was originally married to Kristen Tomassi but is now married to his second wife, Joan Templeman, with whom he has two children: Holly (b. 1981), a doctor, and Sam Branson (b. 1984). The couple wed, at Holly's suggestion when she was eight years old, in 1989 at Necker Island, a 74-acre (300,000 m²) island in the British Virgin Islands that Branson owns. He also owns land on the Caribbean Islands of Antigua and Barbuda.

In 1998 Branson released his autobiography entitled Losing My Virginity, an international bestseller.

Branson was deeply saddened by the disappearance of fellow adventurer Steve Fossett in September 2007, and the following month wrote an article for Time magazine entitled "My Friend, Steve Fossett."^[22]

Humanitarian initiatives

In the late 1990s, Branson and musician Peter Gabriel discussed with Nelson Mandela their idea of a small, dedicated group of leaders, working objectively and without any vested personal interest to solve difficult global conflicts.^[23]

On 18 July 2007, in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nelson Mandela announced the formation of a new group, The Elders, in a speech he delivered on the occasion of his 89th birthday. The founding members of this group are Desmond Tutu, Graça Machel, Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Jimmy Carter, Li Zhaoxing, Mary Robinson, and Muhammad Yunus.^[23] The Elders is independently funded by a group of "Founders", including Branson and Gabriel.

Desmond Tutu serves as the chair of The Elders— who will use their collective skills to catalyze peaceful resolutions to long-standing conflicts, articulate new approaches to global issues that are causing or may cause immense human suffering, and share wisdom by helping to connect voices all over the world. They will work together over the next several months to carefully consider which specific issues they will approach.

In September 2007, Richard Branson chaired the jury of the first Picnic Green Challenge, a €500,000 award for best new green initiative, set up by the Dutch "Postcode Loterij" (ZIP code Lottery) and the PICNIC Network of creative professionals. The first Green Challenge was won by Qurrent with the Qbox.

Branson was the first celebrity guest for the popular charity fund raisers, Reserve Dinners, raising over $75,000 in one evening towards his Virgin Unite charity. ^[24]

In March 2008, Richard Branson hosted an environmental gathering at his private island, Necker Island, in the Caribbean with several prominent entrepreneurs, celebrities, and world leaders. They discussed global warming-related problems facing the world, hoping that this meeting will be a precursor to many more future discussions regarding similar problems. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales, and Larry Page of Google were in attendance.^[25]

In May 2009, Richard Branson was targeted in a fundraising campaign by FBi Radio, a Sydney-based independent, non-profit radio station. The station launched Ask Richard, which asked listeners to convince Branson to donate $1 million (AUD) by using attention-grabbing and creative means. [4]

On May 8, 2009, Branson took over Mia Farrow's hunger strike in protest of the Sudanese government expulsion of aid groups from the Darfur region.^[26] He concluded his scheduled 3 day fast on May 11.

World record attempts

A 1998 attempt at an around-the-world balloon flight by Branson, Fossett, and Lindstrand ends in the Pacific Ocean on 25 December 1998.

Richard Branson made several world record-breaking attempts after 1985, when in the spirit of the Blue Riband he attempted the fastest Atlantic Ocean crossing. His first attempt in the "Virgin Atlantic Challenger" led to the boat capsizing in British waters and a rescue by RAF helicopter, which received wide media coverage. Some newspapers called for Branson to reimburse the government for the rescue cost. In 1986, in his "Virgin Atlantic Challenger II", with sailing expert Daniel McCarthy, he beat the record by two hours. A year later his hot air balloon "Virgin Atlantic Flyer" crossed the Atlantic. This was the largest balloon at 2.3 million cubic feet (65,000 m³), and the first hot-air balloon crossing the Atlantic. It reached 130 miles per hour (209 km/h).

In January 1991, Branson crossed the Pacific from Japan to Arctic Canada, 6,700 miles (10,800 km), in a balloon of 2,600,000 cubic feet (74,000 m³). This broke the record, with a speed of 245 miles per hour (394 km/h).

Between 1995 and 1998 Branson, Per Lindstrand and Steve Fossett made attempts to circumnavigate the globe by balloon. In late 1998 they made a record-breaking flight from Morocco to Hawaii but were unable to complete a global flight before Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones in Breitling Orbiter 3 in March 1999.

In March 2004, Branson set a record by travelling from Dover to Calais in a Gibbs Aquada, in 1 hour, 40 minutes, and 6 seconds, the fastest crossing of the English Channel in an amphibious vehicle. The previous record of six hours was set by two Frenchmen.^[27] The cast of Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond, attempted to break this record in an amphibious vehicle which they had constructed, and, while successfully crossing the channel, did not break the record of Branson.

In September 2008 Branson and his children made an unsuccessful attempt at an Eastbound record crossing of the Atlantic ocean under sail in the 99 feet (30 m) sloop Virgin Money .^[28] The boat, also known as Speedboat, is owned by NYYC member Alex Jackson, who was a co-skipper on this passage, with Branson and Mike Sanderson. After 2 days, 4 hours, winds of force 7 to 9 (strong gale), and seas of 40 feet (12 m), a 'monster wave' destroyed the spinnaker, washed a ten-man life raft overboard and severely ripped the mainsail. She eventually continued to St. George's, Bermuda.^[29]

Television, film, and print

Branson at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival.

Branson has guest starred, usually playing himself, on several television shows, including Friends, Baywatch, Birds of a Feather, Only Fools and Horses, The Day Today, a special episode of the comedy Goodness Gracious Me and Tripping Over. Branson made several appearances during the nineties on the BBC Saturday morning show Live & Kicking, where he was referred to as 'the pickle man' by comedy act Trev and Simon (in reference to Branston Pickle).^[30] Branson also appears in a cameo early in XTC's "Generals and Majors" video.

He was also the star of a reality television show on Fox called The Rebel Billionaire: Branson's Quest for the Best (2004), in which sixteen contestants were tested for their entrepreneurship and sense of adventure. It did not succeed as a rival show to Donald Trump's The Apprentice and only lasted one season.

His high public profile often leaves him open as a figure of satire—the 2000 AD series Zenith features a parody of Branson as a super villain, as the comic's publisher and favoured distributor and the Virgin group were in competition at the time. He is also caricatured in The Simpsons episode "Monty Can't Buy Me Love" as the tycoon Arthur Fortune, and as the ballooning megalomaniac Richard Chutney (a pun on Branson, as in Branston Pickle) in Believe Nothing. The character Grandson Richard 39 in Terry Pratchett's Wings is modeled on Branson.

He has a cameo appearance in several films: Around the World in 80 Days (2004), where he played a hot-air balloon operator; Superman Returns, where he was credited as a 'Shuttle Engineer' and appeared alongside his son, Sam, with a Virgin Galactic-style commercial suborbital shuttle at the centre of his storyline. He also has a cameo in the James Bond film Casino Royale. Here, he is seen as a passenger going through Miami Airport security check-in and being frisked – several Virgin Atlantic planes appear soon after.

He makes a number of brief and disjointed appearances in the cult classic documentary Derek and Clive Get the Horn which follows the exploits of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore recording their last comedy album. Branson and his mother were also featured in the documentary film, Lemonade Stories. In early 2006 on Rove Live, Rove McManus and Sir Richard pushed each other into a swimming pool fully clothed live on TV during a "Live at your house" episode.

Branson is a Star Trek fan and named his new spaceship VSS Enterprise in honor of the famous Star Trek ships, and in 2006, offered actor William Shatner a free ride on the inaugural space launch of Virgin Galactic.

In August 2007, Branson announced on The Colbert Report that he had named a new aircraft Air Colbert. He later doused political satirist and talk show host Stephen Colbert with water from his mug. Branson subsequently took a retaliatory splash from Colbert. The interview quickly ended, with both laughing^[31] as shown on the episode aired on Comedy Central on 22 August 2007. The interview was promoted on The Report as the Colbert-Branson Interview Trainwreck. Branson then made a cameo appearance on The Soup playing an intern working under Joel McHale who had been warned against getting into water fights with Stephen Colbert, and being subsequently fired.

In March 2008 he made a small appearance in a budget Bollywood action film alongside Neha Dhupia. Branson caused a stir in the Indian media as he turned Dhupia upside down on a stage.^[32]

Politics

Branson was knighted in 1999 for "services to entrepreneurship" and presented as a millennium icon. In the 1980s, he was briefly given the post of "litter star" by Margaret Thatcher—charged with "keeping Britain tidy".^[33][34] He was again seen as close to the government when the Labour Party came to power in 1997.^{[citation needed]} In 2005 he declared that there were only negligible differences between the two main parties on economic matters.^[35] He has frequently been mentioned as a candidate for Mayor of London, and polls have suggested he would be a viable candidate, though he has yet to express interest. Branson is a Libertarian.^[36][37][38]

Business practices

Branson's business empire is owned by a complicated series of offshore trusts and companies. The Sunday Times stated that his wealth is calculated at £3.065 billion; if he were to retire to his Caribbean island and liquidate all of this he would pay relatively little in tax.^[39]

When Virgin Mobile launched its service in Canada on 1 March, 2005, the use of "naughty nurses" in its advertising triggered "The Registered Nurses Association of Ontario" to demand an apology from Branson and an immediate stop to the campaign, and called on members to boycott Virgin Mobile. Virgin Mobile spokeswoman Paula Lash said the company never intended to offend anyone, but was not about to pull the advertising.^[40]

When Virgin Mobile included "super hot holiday" wrapping paper with the December 2005 issue of youth magazine Vice, as part of the Hot Box promotion,^[41] the wrapping paper contained illustrated holiday angels, where the male angel is touching the female's breast, while the female angel has her hand on the male's genitals.^[42] Famous Players stopped its partnership deals with Virgin Mobile after a complaint.

In 1988, Branson wanted to buy Virgin Music back for the same amount of money, per share, that he had sold it for, valuing the company at £248m. The shareholders agreed, although they were unaware that Branson had already agreed to sell the same shares to Pony Canyon, a Japanese media company, for £377m. The incident was revealed in 2000 when Branson was on the verge of winning the franchise for the National Lottery from Camelot Group.

Honours

In 1993, Branson was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Technology from Loughborough University.

He was knighted in 1999 for his "services to entrepreneurship".^[43][44] In 2000, Branson received the Tony Jannus Award for his accomplishments in commercial air transportation.

Branson is the patron of several charities, including the International Rescue Corps and Prisoners Abroad, a registered charity which supports Britons who are detained outside of the UK.

Sir Richard appears at No. 85 on the 2002 list of "100 Greatest Britons" (sponsored by the BBC and voted for by the public). Sir Richard also ranks No. 86 on Channel 4's 2003 list of "100 Worst Britons". Sir Richard was also ranked in 2007's Time Magazine "Top 100 Most Influential People in the World".

On 7 December 2007, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon presented Branson with the United Nations Correspondents Association Citizen of the World Award for his support for environmental and humanitarian causes.^[45]

See also

• Virgin Group
• Virgin Earth Challenge
• List of Richard Branson's business ventures

Notes

1. ^ The best business ideas in the world - 1 August 2006
2. ^ Forbes.com Accessed 1 December 2008.
3. ^ "Births", The Times, 12 July 1950, pg. 1
4. ^ "Forthcoming Marriages", The Times, 22 June 1949, pg.7.
5. ^ "Welcome to Bishopsgate School". http://www.bishopsgateschool.co.uk/. Retrieved on 2006-09-19. 
6. ^ http://www.dyslexiaonline.com/famous/famous.htm
7. ^ Another example was the "Net Book Agreement" which limited the ability of book outlets, including discount book clubs, to offer deep discounts.
8. ^ Richard Branson - Losing my Virginity
9. ^ Ironically, Private Eye had been mainly responsible for Branson's initial success, as it was one of the few nationally distributed magazines that carried advertising for his mail-order business.
10. ^ ABC News: Breakfast With Al Gore Persuades Branson to Pledge Billions to Global Warming
11. ^ "Come fly with me, come give it away". http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/index.php?menuID=1&subID=770. Retrieved on 2006-09-23. 
12. ^ "Virgin Group to Invest $3 Billion in Renewable Energy". http://renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=46071. Retrieved on 2006-10-12. 
13. ^ Fryer, Pat (23 January 2007). "Uma Thurman to promote Virgin Media". earthtimes.org. http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/23001.html. Retrieved on 2007-02-02. 
14. ^ OFT defends 'snitch' policy, Ruth Sunderland, The Guardian, Sunday 5 August 2007
15. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/2813816/Virgin-Group-buys-AirAsia-X-stake.html
16. ^ Branson dangles offer for Northern Rock
17. ^ Northern Rock bidder threatens to pull out unless takeover date set | Business | The Guardian
18. ^ FT.com / World - Branson launches healthcare business
19. ^ [1]
20. ^ [2]
21. ^ Richard Branson - Losing my Virginity
22. ^ TIME
23. ^ ^{a b} Global Elders (July 18, 2007). Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu Announce The Elders – An Historic Group of World Leaders. Press release. http://dl.groovygecko.net/anon.groovy/clients/akqa/projectamber/press/The_Elders-Press_Release.pdf. Retrieved on 2009-03-03. 
24. ^ [3] Reserve Dinners
25. ^ New York Times article Thinking Green While Sifting Through the Sand published 22 March 2008
26. ^ BBC (May 9, 2009). Farrow ends Darfur protest fast. Press release. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8041777.stm. 
27. ^ BBC News (14 June 2004). "Branson sets cross-Channel record". news.bbc.co.uk. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/coventry_warwickshire/3805275.stm. Retrieved on 2007-06-13. 
28. ^ "Richard Branson sets out to crack transatlantic sail record". www.meeja.com.au. 2008-09-03. http://www.meeja.com.au/index.php?display_article_id=158. Retrieved on 2008-09-03. 
29. ^ "Virgin Money Is Attempting to Break Transatlantic Passage Record". www.nyyc.org. 2008-10-23. http://www.nyyc.org/archives_public/. Retrieved on 2008-10-23. 
30. ^ on saturdaymornings.co.uk
31. ^ Comedy Central: Colbert Report - Richard Branson
32. ^ Neha Dhupia swept off her feet by Richard Branson : Bollywood News : ApunKaChoice.Com
33. ^ Britsaver-an accident waiting to happen., http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article745236.ece, retrieved on 2007-08-27 
34. ^ Heintke, Martina, Sir Richard Branson, http://www.pointmade.co.uk/news_letters_6.htm, retrieved on 2007-08-27 
35. ^ "Labour and Tories same - Branson". http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/frontpage/4450641.stm. Retrieved on 2006-09-23. 
36. ^ (^{[dead link]} – ^{Scholar search}) Do Blacks Need a New London Mayor?, http://www.thechronicle.demon.co.uk/archive/londmayo.htm, retrieved on 2007-08-27 
37. ^ Londoners snub politicians for mayor, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1998/london_referendum/84708.stm, retrieved on 2007-08-27 
38. ^ Who's in the running for mayor?, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1998/london_referendum/73363.stm, retrieved on 2007-08-27 
39. ^ "The Sunday Times: Britain". http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2483988_2,00.html. Retrieved on 2007-01-01. 
40. ^ "Nurses to boycott 'demeaning' Virgin Mobile ads". http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1109982330327_18/?hub=Canada. 
41. ^ "Virgin gets naughty with Vice for the holidays". http://mediaincanada.com/articles/mic/20051101/virgin.html. 
42. ^ "Cellphone company on Santa's 'naughty' list". http://canada.com/ottawa/story.html?id=c1806e52-9ced-4cb6-8486-7cb2d887a2ca&k=53824. 
43. ^ Official announcement knighthood. The London Gazette. 30 December 1999.
44. ^ "New Years Honours". BBC News. 1999-12-31. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/12/99/new_years_honours/584131.stm. Retrieved on 2006-09-23. 
45. ^ "UNITED NATIONS CORRESPONDENTS ASSOCIATION (UNCA) AWARDS CITIZEN OF THE WORLD AWARD TO RICHARD BRANSON AND HONOURS OTHER LEADING JOURNALISTS". MaximsNews Network. 2007-12-07. http://www.maximsnews.com/107mnundecember06unitednationscorrespondentsassociationdinner.htm. Retrieved on 2007-12-12. 

References

• Branson, Richard. Losing My Virginity: How I've Survived, Had Fun, And Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way, 1999, Three Rivers Press. ISBN 0-8129-3229-3
• Branson, Richard. Losing My Virginity, Revised Edition First Published in Great Britain by Virgin Books Limited, London, 2002
• Branson, Sir Richard and Prescott, Colin. To the Edge of Space: The Adventures of a Balloonist, 2000, Box tree. ISBN 0-7522-1865-4
• Branson, Sir Richard. Sir Richard Branson, the Autobiography, 2002, Longman. ISBN 0-582-51224-7
• Branson, Sir Richard. Losing my virginity: The autobiography, 2005, ISBN 0-7535-1020-0
• Bower, Tom. Branson, 2001, ISBN 1-84115-400-8
• Branson, Sir Richard. Screw It, Let's Do It: Lessons in Life, 2006, ISBN 0-7535-1099-5
• Branson, Sir Richard. Screw It, Let's Do It Expanded: Lessons in Life and Business, 2007, ISBN 0-7535-1149-7
• Specter, Michael. "Profiles: Branson's Luck". The New Yorker, 14 May 2007, pp. 114-25.

External links

• Virgin Group Website
• Sir Richard Branson on Twitter
• Interview on Ted.com
• "Who is Richard Branson" on virgin.com
• Richard Branson's Virgin Success
• Gonzo Way of Branding Fast Company magazine article on Sir Richard Branson
• TED Talks: Richard Branson's life at 30,000 feet at TED in 2007
• PICNIC Green Challenge
• Lemonade Stories, a documentary film featuring Richard Branson and his mother, Eve Branson.
• Richard Branson Charlie Rose interviews
• Profile on BBC News dated 27 September 2004
• Interview on BBC World Service 24 November 2006
• Video of Richard Branson speaking at the 2007 Aspen Ideas Festival, 5 July 2007
• Branson Interview on The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos, 27 June 2008
• Richard Branson at Random House Australia

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