Sir Richard Branson
Richard Branson at Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer planned takeoff
Born	18 July 1950 (1950-07-18) (age 57) Shamley Green, Surrey, England, UK
Nationality	British
Occupation	Chairman of Virgin Group
Net worth	▲£4.4 billion
Spouse	Joan Templeman (1989–present) Kristen Tomassi (1972–1979), divorced
Children	Holly Branson (26), Sam Branson (22)

Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (born 18 July 1950) is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin brand of over 360 companies. Branson's first successful business venture was at age 15, when he published a magazine called Student. He then set up a record mail-order business in 1970. In 1972, he opened a chain of record stores, Virgin Records, later known as Virgin Megastores and rebranded 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 as he has an estimated net worth of approximately $7.9 billion USD. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1407x1501, 747 KB) source: http://mediaarchive. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Shamley Green, is a small village in the county of Surrey, England. ... This article is about the English county. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... A Chairman is the presiding officer of a meeting, organization, committee, or other deliberative body. ... Virgin Group Ltd is a conglomeration of separately run companies that each use the Virgin brand of British celebrity business tycoon Sir Richard Branson. ... GBP may be: short for Game Boy Player the ISO currency code for the British Pound Sterling. ... One thousand million (1,000,000,000) is the natural number following 999,999,999 and preceding 1,000,000,001. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... “Tycoon” redirects here. ... Virgin Group Ltd is a conglomeration of separately run companies that each use the Virgin brand of British celebrity business tycoon Sir Richard Branson. ... Virgin Megastores is an international chain of record shops, founded by Sir Richard Branson on Londons Oxford Street in January or February 1971 (exact date uncertain). ... zavvi (also known as zavvi. ... Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. ... Virgin Records was a British recording label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, and Nik Powell in 1972. ... For other uses, see Forbes (disambiguation). ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ...

Early life

Branson was born at Stonefield Nursing Home in Blackheath, South London, the son of Edward James Branson and Eve Branson (née Huntley Flindt)^[1]. His grandfather, the Right Honourable Sir George Arthur Harwin Branson, was a Judge of the High Court of Justice and a Privy Councillor^[2]. Branson was educated at Scaitcliffe School (now Bishopsgate School)^[3] until the age of thirteen. He then attended Stowe School until he was fifteen. Branson has dyslexia, resulting in poor academic performance as a student, yet by the age of fifteen he had started two ventures that eventually failed: one growing Christmas trees and another raising budgerigars. , Blackheath is a village in London, centred on an area of open grassland (the heath) and straddling the boundary of the London Borough of Lewisham and the London Borough of Greenwich. ... South London area South London (known colloquially as South of the River) is the area of London south of the River Thames. ... Née redirects here. ... The Right Honourable (abbreviated The Rt Hon. ... Her Majestys High Court of Justice (usually known more simply as the High Court) is, together with the Crown Court and the Court of Appeal, part of the Supreme Court of Judicature of England and Wales (which under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, is to be known as the... This article concerns the British Sovereigns Privy Council. ... , Englefield Green is a village of 11,180 [1][2]people in northern Surrey, England. ... Stowe School is a famous British independent school in Stowe, Buckinghamshire, referred to as a public school. ... This article is about developmental dyslexia. ... Binomial name (Shaw, 1805) The Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus, nicknamed budgie), the only species in the Australian genus Melopsittacus, is a small parrot belonging to the tribe of the broad-tailed parrots (Platycercini); these are sometimes considered a subfamily (Platycercinae). ...

At sixteen, Branson left school and moved to London, where he began his first successful business, Student magazine. When he was seventeen, he opened his first charity, the "Student Advisory Centre." This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

Record business

Branson started his first record business after he travelled across the English Channel and purchased crates of "cut-out" records from a record discounter. 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 1969. Trading under the name "Virgin" he sold records for considerably less than the so-called "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). 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.^[4] 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. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the bookshop chain; for the businessman and politician of that name, see William Henry Smith. ... Resale price maintenance is the practice whereby a manufacturer requires distributors of their product to sell at certain prices, or set a minimum price. ...

Virgin logo designed by Roger Dean for the fledgling Virgin Records label

Branson eventually started a record shop in Oxford Street in London and, shortly after, launched the record label Virgin Records with Nick Drake. Branson had 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. Image File history File links Virginrecordlogo. ... Image File history File links Virginrecordlogo. ... Freyjas Castle, 1987 Roger Dean (born August 31, 1944, in Ashford, Kent) is a contemporary English artist best known for his work on album covers, which he began painting in the late 1960s. ... Virgin Records was a British recording label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, and Nik Powell in 1972. ... Nicholas Rodney Drake (June 19, 1948 – November 25, 1974) was an English singer-songwriter and musician best known for his acoustic, autumnal songs. ... The Manor Studio (aka The Manor) was a recording studio in the manor house at the village of Shipton-on-Cherwell in Oxfordshire, England, north of the city of Oxford. ... Michael Gordon Oldfield (born May 15, 1953 in Reading, England) is a multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music and more recently dance. ...

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.

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. This article is about the Mike Oldfield album. ... Sex Pistols are an iconic and highly influential English punk rock band, formed in London in 1975. ... Krautrock, also known as Kosmische Musik, is a generic name for the experimental music scene that appeared in Germany in the late 1960s and gained popularity throughout the 1970s. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Can was a musical group formed in West Germany in 1968. ... Culture Club is a popular English new romantic rock group, that achieved considerable global success in the 1980s. ... Heaven is a nightclub in London, England which appeals predominantly (but not exclusively) to the gay market. ... David Frost during an interview with Donald Rumsfeld. ... For other uses, see ITV (disambiguation). ... CPV-TV was a company which had bid for three ITV franchises at the 1991 ITV franchise auction. ...

In 1992, to keep his airline company afloat, Branson sold the Virgin label to EMI, a more conservative company which previously had rescinded a contract with the Sex Pistols, for $1 billion . Branson is said to have 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. For other uses, see EMI (disambiguation). ... Sex Pistols are an iconic and highly influential English punk rock band, formed in London in 1975. ... V2 Records (or V2 Music) is a record label that was started in 1996 by Richard Branson, five years after he sold Virgin Records to EMI. Over the years V2 acquired Junior Boys Own, Gee Street Records, Blue Dog Records, and Big Cat Records. ...

Personal life

The eldest and only boy of three children, his sisters are Lindi and Vanessa. His father Ted, followed in his father's footsteps assuming the career of a barrister. Branson's mother, Eve, worked in the theatre, as a glider pilot instructor and as a flight attendant. For the musician, see Sikiru Ayinde Barrister. ...

Branson had poor academic records, contrasted with excellent performance in sports.^[5]

Branson is married to his second wife, Joan Templeman, with whom he has two children, Holly, a doctor, and Sam Branson. The couple wed, at Holly's suggestion when she was eight years old, at Necker Island in 1989. He owns Necker Island, a 74 acre island in the British Virgin Islands. He also owns real estate on the Caribbean Island of Antigua and Barbuda. In 1998 Branson released his autobiography entitled Losing My Virginity. Necker Island is a small island in the British Virgin Islands just north of Virgin Gorda, located at . It is owned by Sir Richard Branson, famous for his Virgin brand. ... Losing My Virginity: The Autobiography (ISBN 1-8522-7684-3) is a 1998 autobiography by Richard Branson. ...

Branson was deeply saddened by the disappearance in September 2007 of fellow adventurer Steve Fossett.[2] James Stephen Fossett (April 22, 1944 – missing September 3, 2007, declared legally dead February 15, 2008[1][2]) was an American aviator, sailor, and adventurer who became the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon. ...

Business Ventures

Branson formed Virgin Atlantic Airways in 1984, launched Virgin Mobile in 1999, Virgin Blue in Australia in 2000, and later failed in a 2000 bid to handle the National Lottery. Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. ... The Virgin Mobile Worldwide logo. ... Virgin Blue Airlines Pty Ltd is an Australian low-cost airline and Australias second-biggest airline. ... A play here! sign outside a newsagent, incorporating the National Lotterys logo of a stylised hand with crossed fingers which emulates a smiling face. ...

In 1997, 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 aging rolling stock and crumbling 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. This is the top-level page of WikiProject trains Rail tracks Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ... Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom, which currently provides services from London Euston to the North West, West Midlands and Scotland on the West Coast Main Line. ... A Romanian InterCity train, run by Romanian Railways, at Arad station in May 2003 InterCity is a name for the inter-city rail services in Europe. ... The WCML running alongside the M1 motorway at Watford Gap in Northamptonshire A Virgin Pendolino and freight train on the WCML The West Coast Main Line (WCML) is one of the most important intercity railway lines in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system. ... This article is about the defunct entity British Railways, which later traded as British Rail. The History of rail transport in Great Britain is covered in its own article. ... Class 390 no. ...

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). ^[6] // A short haul domestic flight is commonly categorized into being no longer than 500 miles or under 1. ... An Airbus A380 of Emirates Airline An airline provides air transport services for passengers or freight. ... A Boeing 737 of Virgin Express Virgin Express is an airline which was created within the Virgin Group. ... SN Brussels Airlines (SNBA) was a former national airline of Belgium, which mainly operated from Brussels Airport. ... Brussels Airlines is a Belgian airline based at Brussels Airport. ... Virgin Nigeria is the new national flag carrier of Nigeria. ... Virgin America is a U.S. based low-cost airline that began service on 8 August 2007. ... For the television series, see San Francisco International Airport (TV series). ... Virgin Cola is a carbonated cola soft drink produced by Virgin Drinks, a subsidiary of the Virgin Group owned by Sir Richard Branson. ... Virgin Vodka is an alcoholic beverage produced by Virgin Drinks, a subsidiary of the Virgin Group owned by Richard Branson. ... March 4, 2005 cover of Private Eye; this is a typical example of the magazines front cover. ...

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. Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. ... For the 1930s airline of similar name, see British Airways Ltd. ... In English and American law, and systems based on them, libel and slander are two forms of defamation (or defamation of character), which is the tort or delict of making a false statement of fact that injures someones reputation. ... John Leonard King, Baron King of Wartnaby (August 29, 1917-July 12, 2005) was a businessman famous for leading British Airways from inefficient, nationalised company to one of the most successful airlines of recent times. ...

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. is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The curvature of Earth seen from orbit provides one of the main attractions for tourists paying to go into space Space tourism is the recent phenomenon of tourists paying for flights into space. ... Virgin Galactic is a company within Sir Richard Bransons Virgin Group, which plans to offer sub-orbital spaceflights and later orbital spaceflights to the paying public. ... SpaceShipOne is small, having a three-person cabin and short but wide wings. ... Microsoft Corporation, (NASDAQ: MSFT, HKSE: 4338) is a multinational computer technology corporation with global annual revenue of US$44. ... For other persons named Paul Allen, see Paul Allen (disambiguation). ... Elbert Leander Burt Rutan (born June 17, 1943 in Estacada, Oregon) is an American aerospace engineer noted for his originality in designing light, strong, unusual-looking, energy-efficient aircraft. ... A sub-orbital spaceflight (or sub-orbital flight) is a spaceflight that does not involve putting a vehicle into orbit. ... This article is about the idea of space. ...

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.^[7] Virgin Fuel is a rumoured clean fuel that is being developed by Richard Bransons Virgin Group. ... Global warming refers to the increase in the average temperature of the Earths near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation. ... Global warming skeptics are those who have reservations or even outright objections to one or more of the main tenets of the global warming theory. ... This article is about the former Vice President of the United States. ...

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.

He was 9th in the Sunday Times Rich List 2006, worth just over £3 billion. Since 1989 the British national Sunday newspaper The Sunday Times (sister paper to The Times) has published an annual supplement to the newspaper called the Sunday Times Rich List. ...

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.^{[8] [9]} is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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. ^[10] is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Virgin Mobile Worldwide logo. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Virgin Media, Telewest and Virgin. ... is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Virgin Media Inc. ...

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. Devi Snakewoman The Sadhu Ramayana Reborn Seven Brothers End of Story Five upcoming titles Promotional poster Virgin Comics LLC is a comic book company, which produces Indian-related comics for an international audience. ... Deepak Chopra (Hindi: ; born October 22, 1946), an Indian medical doctor and writer, has written extensively on spirituality and diverse topics in mind-body medicine. ... Shekhar Kapur, born 6 December 1945 is a renowned film director and producer from India. ... Sharad Devarajan is the co-founder, Chief Executive Officer and Publisher of the recently formed Virgin Comics LLC and Virgin Animation Pvt. ... Gotham Chopra (born Gautama Chopra on February 23, 1975 in Boston, Massachusetts) is an author and entertainment/media entrepreneur. ...

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. Virgin Health Bank, launched in 2007, is one of the newest Virgin Group ventures. ... is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

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. ^[11]

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. is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... The Virgin Earth Challenge is a competition offering a $25 million prize for the first person or organization to come up with a way of scrubbing greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere in the battle to beat global warming. ...

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, Jim 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 football when he sponsored Nuneaton Borough A.F.C. for their FA Cup 3rd round game against Middlesbrough F.C.. 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]} Soccer redirects here. ... Nuneaton Borough A.F.C. are the major football club in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, and currently play in the Conference North division. ... Middlesbrough Football Club (commonly known as Boro) are an English football club based in Middlesbrough. ...

In August 2007, Branson announced he takes up 20 percent stake in Malaysia's AirAsia X. AirAsia X, is a new long haul budget airline operated by AirAsia X Sdn. ...

On October 13, 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.^[12] The Daily Mail ran a campaign against his bid and 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. ^[13] is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Virgin Group Ltd is a conglomeration of separately run companies that each use the Virgin brand of British celebrity business tycoon Sir Richard Branson. ... Northern Rock plc is a British bank, currently owned by the UK government. ... The Range of colors the Virgin Credit Card is available in. ...

On January 10, 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.^[14] 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.” is the 10th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... The Financial Times (FT) is a British international business newspaper. ...

Humanitarian initiatives

In the late 1990s, Branson and musician and activist 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. Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950, in Cobham,[1] Surrey, England) is an English musician. ... For other people named Mandela, or other uses, see Mandela. ...

On July 18, 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.^[15] is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... This article is about the city in South Africa. ... The Global Elders or The Elders is a group of public figures noted as statemen, peace activists, and human rights advocates. ... Desmond Mpilo Tutu (born 7 October 1931) is a South African cleric and activist who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid. ... Graça Machel in 1984, with then husband President Samora Machel of Mozambique and P W Botha and Pik Botha of South Africa at the signing of the Nkomati Accord. ... Kofi Atta Annan GCMG (born April 8, 1938) is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1, 1997 to January 1, 2007, serving two five-year terms. ... Ela Bhatt is the founder of the Self-Employed Womens Association (SEWA) and served as the General Secretary of SEWA from 1972-1996. ... Gro Harlem Brundtland [IPA: gro hÉ‘É­É›m brʉntlÉ‘nd] (born April 20, 1939) is a Norwegian politician, diplomat, and physician, and an international leader in sustainable development and public health. ... For other persons named Jimmy Carter, see Jimmy Carter (disambiguation). ... This is a Chinese name; the family name is Li (李) Li Zhaoxing (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; born October 20, 1940) was the foreign minister of the Peoples Republic of China from 2003 to 2007. ... For the poet, see Mary Robinson (poet). ... For the Indian diplomat, see Mohammad Yunus (diplomat). ...

The Elders will be independently funded by a group of "Founders", including Branson and Gabriel. The Global Elders or The Elders is a group of public figures noted as statemen, peace activists, and human rights advocates. ...

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. The Global Elders or The Elders is a group of public figures noted as statemen, peace activists, and human rights advocates. ...

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 Founder Jimmy Wales, and Larry Page of Google were in attendance.^[16]

World record attempts

A 1998 attempt at an around-the-world balloon flight by Branson, Fossett, and Lindstrand ends in the Pacific Ocean on December 25, 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). The Blue Riband is an award held by the ship with the record for a transatlantic crossing. ...

In January 1991, Branson crossed the Pacific from Japan to Arctic Canada, 6,700 miles (10,800 km), in a balloon of 2.6 million cubic feet (74,000 m³). This broke the record, with a speed of 245 miles per hour.

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, March 1999. Per Lindstrand (right) with Richard Branson and the Virgin Pacific Flyer capsule in Miyakonojo, Japan Per Lindstrand (born August 8, 1948, Sweden) is an aeronautical engineer, pilot and adventurer who has lived in Oswestry, England, since 1978. ... James Stephen Fossett (April 22, 1944 – missing September 3, 2007, declared legally dead February 15, 2008[1][2]) was an American aviator, sailor, and adventurer who became the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon. ... Dr. Bertrand Piccard (born March 1, 1958) is a Swiss psychiatrist and balloonist born in Lausanne, Vaud canton, on March 1, 1958. ... Brian Jones (March 27, 1947 Bristol, Great Britain along with Bertrand Piccard, co-piloted the first successful circumnavigation of the globe on board the Breitling Orbiter 3. ... Balloon Breitling Orbiter 3 On March 21, 1999, Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones guided Breitling Orbiter 3, the first balloon to fly around the world non-stop, to a safe landing on a desolate stretch of desert in Western Egypt. ...

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.^[17] , Dover is a major channel port in the English county of Kent. ... Calais (Kales in Dutch) is a town in northern France, located at 50°57N 1°52E. It is in the département of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... A Gibbs Aquada The Gibbs Aquada is a high speed amphibious vehicle developed by Alan Gibbs and his company Gibbs Technologies. ... For the Thoroughbred racehorse of the same name, see English Channel (horse). ... An amphibious vehicle is a vehicle or craft, that is a means of transport, viable on land as well as on water - just like an amphibian. ...

Television, film, and print

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)^[18]. Branson also appears in a cameo early in XTC's "Generals and Majors" video. This article is about the television show. ... Baywatch is an American television series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the crowded beaches of Los Angeles County, California. ... Birds Of A Feather is the second track on Phishs 1998 album The Story of the Ghost. ... Only Fools and Horses is a British television sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan, and made and broadcast by the BBC. Seven series were originally broadcast in the UK between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003. ... The Day Today is a surreal British parody of television current affairs news programmes. ... Goodness Gracious Me was a BBC English language sketch show originally on BBC Radio 4 and later on BBC TWO, based on four Indian-British actors: Sanjeev Bhaskar, Kulvinder Ghir, Meera Syal and Nina Wadia. ... Tripping Over is a British/Australian six-part drama series. ... Live & Kicking Logo Live and Kicking was a BBC Saturday morning variety programme that was aimed at kids and included a mix of competitions, comedy, music and cartoons such as the Rugrats. ... A jar of Branston Pickle Branston Pickle is a United Kingdom brand of jarred pickled relish. ... XTC are an influential new wave band from Swindon, England. ...

He was also the star of a reality television show on Fox called The Rebel Billionaire (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. // This article is about the genre of TV shows. ... The Fox Broadcasting Company is a television network in the United States. ... The Rebel Billionaire: Bransons Quest for the Best was a reality show for Fox Broadcasting Companys autumn 2004 season. ... Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946 in Queens, New York, New York) is an American business executive, entrepreneur, television and radio personality and author. ...

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. 1867 edition of Punch, a ground-breaking British magazine of popular humour, including a good deal of satire of the contemporary social and political scene. ... Cover of the first issue of 2000 AD, 26 February 1977. ... Zenith, a comic book title, was created by Grant Morrison and Steve Yeowell first appearing in 2000 AD in 1988. ... The Green Goblin, a supervillain and enemy of Spider-Man. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... Monty Cant Buy Me Love is the twenty-first episode of The Simpsons tenth season. ... Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), is a personality disorder defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV-R), the diagnostic classification system used in the United States, as a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and a lack of empathy. ... A jar of Branston Pickle Branston Pickle is a United Kingdom brand of jarred pickled relish. ... Believe Nothing (2002) is a British sitcom starring Rik Mayall as Quadruple Professor Adonis Cnut, the cleverest man in England and Oxfords leading moral philosopher. ... Terence David John Pratchett, OBE (born 28 April 1948) is a British fantasy and science fiction author, best known for his Discworld series. ...

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. Around the World in 80 Days is a 2004 comedy adventure film based on Jules Vernes novel, Around the World in 80 Days. ... For the video game of the same name, see Superman Returns (video game). ... Virgin Galactic is a company within Sir Richard Bransons Virgin Group, which plans to offer sub-orbital spaceflights and later orbital spaceflights to the paying public. ... This article is about the spy series. ... Casino Royale (2006) is the twenty-first film in the James Bond series and the first to star Daniel Craig as MI6 agent James Bond. ...

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. Derek and Clive Get The Horn is a 1979 documentary that chronicles the recording of Peter Cook and Dudley Moores 1978 comedy album Derek and Clive Ad Nauseam, their third and final outing featuring their controversial alter-egos Derek and Clive, two foul-mouthed lavatory attendants who banter at... For other persons named Peter Cook, see Peter Cook (disambiguation). ... Dudley Stuart John Moore, CBE (April 19, 1935 – March 27, 2002), was an Academy-Award nominated British comedian, actor and musician. ... Rove, formerly Rove Live is a Logie Award winning Australian weekly television talk show hosted by and named after Perth-born comedian Rove McManus. ... John Rove McManus (born January 21, 1974) is a Gold Logie Award winning Australian variety show host, and owner of the production company Roving Enterprises. ...

Branson is a Star Trek fan and named his new spaceship VSS Enterprise in honour of the famous Star Trek ships, and in 2006, offered actor William Shatner a free ride on the inaugural space launch of Virgin Galactic. This article is about the entire Star Trek franchise. ... The VSS Enterprise is the first commercial spaceship being constructed by Virgin Galactic, based on the design of SpaceShipOne. ... This article is about the entire Star Trek franchise. ... William Alan Shatner (born on March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor who gained fame for playing James Tiberius Kirk of the USS Enterprise in the television show Star Trek from 1966 to 1969 and in seven of the subsequent movies. ...

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^[19]as shown on the episode aired on Comedy Central on August 22, 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. The Colbert Report (—the Ts are silent in Colbert and Report) is an American satirical television program that airs from 11:30 p. ... This article is about Stephen Colbert, the actor. ... Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel in the United States. ... is the 234th day of the year (235th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... This article is about the E! TV series. ... Joel E. McHale (born November 20, 1971) is an American actor and host of The Soup on E! Entertainment Television. ...

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.^[20] Bollywood (Hindi: , Urdu: ) is the informal term popularly used for Mumbai-based Hindi-language film industry in India. ... Neha Dhupia (Hindi:नेहा धूपिया, Urdu: نیہا دھُوپِیا), born on August 27, 1980 in Cochin, is an Indian model and actress. ...

Politics

Branson was knighted by the Labour Party (UK) government in 1999 for 'services to entrepreneurship' and presented as a millennium icon. In the 1980s, he was briefly given the post of "litter tsar" by Margaret Thatcher—charged with "keeping Britain tidy"^[21][22]. 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.^[23] 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.^[24][25][26] The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (née Roberts; born 13 October 1925) served as British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 until 1990, being the first and only woman to hold either post. ... The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ... This article is about the elected mayor of Greater London. ...

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.^[27]

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. ^[28] The Virgin Mobile Worldwide logo. ... is the 60th day of the year (61st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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,^[29] 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. ^[30] Famous Players stopped its partnership deals with Virgin Mobile after a complaint. Famous Players is one of the Canadian movie theatre banners operated by Cineplex Galaxy LP; it includes numerous locations stretching from British Columbia to Quebec. ...

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. Virgin Records is a British recording label founded by British entrepreneur Richard Branson, and Nik Powell in 1972. ... A play here! sign outside a newsagent, incorporating the National Lotterys logo of a stylised hand with crossed fingers which emulates a smiling face. ... Camelot Group plc is a private company which runs the UKs National Lottery, or Lotto. ...

Honours

In 1993, Branson was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Technology from Loughborough University. An honorary degree (Latin: honoris causa ad gradum, not to be confused with an honors degree) is an academic degree awarded to an individual as a decoration, rather than as the result of matriculating and studying for several years. ... The Doctor of Technology (D.Tech. ... Loughborough University is located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. ...

He was knighted in 1999 for his "services to entrepreneurship".^[31][32] The dignity of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. ...

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. International Rescue Corps or IRC is one of the few truly independent front-line search and rescue organisations in the world. ... Prisoners Abroad logo Prisoners Abroad is a UK-registered charity which supports British citizens who are imprisoned overseas. ...

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". // Not to be confused with the later ITV Greatest Britons show. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... This article is about the British television station. ... 100 Worst Britons We Love to Hate is one in a series of 100 Greatest. ... (Clockwise from upper left) Time magazine covers from May 7, 1945; July 25, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ...

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.^[33] is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... UN redirects here. ... The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. ... Ban Ki-moon (b. ... The United Nations Correspondents Association was founded in New York City in 1947. ... A World Citizen flag. ...

See also

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

Virgin Group Ltd is a conglomeration of separately run companies that each use the Virgin brand of British celebrity business tycoon Sir Richard Branson. ... -1...

Notes

The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom (and the Kingdom of Great Britain before the United Kingdom existed) since 1788 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register. ... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom (and the Kingdom of Great Britain before the United Kingdom existed) since 1788 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register. ... is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Net Book Agreement (NBA) was a British agreement between publishers and booksellers which set the prices at which books were to be sold to the public. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 285th day of the year (286th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The London Gazette , front page from Monday 3 - 10 September 1666, reporting on the Great Fire of London. ... is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events of 2008: (EMILY) Me Lesley and MIley are going to China! This article is about the year. ... Events of 2008: (EMILY) Me Lesley and MIley are going to China! This article is about the year. ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

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
• "Who is Richard Branson" on virgin.com
• Richard Branson's Virgin Success
• Gonzo Way of Branding Fast Company magazine article on Sir Richard Branson
• Profile on BBC News dated September 27, 2004
• Interview on BBC World Service November 24, 2006
• Branson Interview on The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos
• Richard Branson Charlie Rose interviews
• Video of Richard Branson speaking at the 2007 Aspen Ideas Festival, 5 July 2007
• Lemonade Stories, a documentary film featuring Richard Branson and his mother, Eve Branson.
• Richard Branson on TED Talks