Meet Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson, who is popularly known as Richard Branson. He is a British businessman who started the Virgin Group, which has more than 400 companies in many different fields.
When he was young, Branson wanted to start his own business. He started his first business when he was 16 years old. It was a magazine called Student. In 1970, he started Virgin Records, a mail-order record business and a chain of record stores.
In the 1980s, when Branson started Virgin Atlantic and grew the Virgin Records music label, the Virgin brand grew quickly. He started the Virgin Rail Group in 1997 so that he could bid on passenger rail franchises.
In 2004, he started Virgin Galactic, which is a California-based company for space travel. Branson has won many awards for his work, including a knighthood in 2000 for “services to entrepreneurship.”
He is also known for helping people and for liking to try new things. Forbes thought that he was worth US$5.7 billion in 2021. On July 11, 2021, Branson went on a test flight for his space travel company, Virgin Galactic, as a passenger on the Virgin Galactic Unity 22.
This was a suborbital test flight. The mission took about an hour and reached a height of 53.5 miles at its highest point (86.1 km). At the time, Branson was 70, which made him the third-oldest person to fly to space.
Richard Branson Biography
Richard Branson is a British entrepreneur and author who was born in 1950, in London, UK. He has been active in the business world since 1966 and is best known for founding the Virgin Group. Branson has been married twice, first to Kristen Tomassi from 1972 to 1979, and then to Joan Templeman from 1989 to present.
He has three children, one of whom is deceased, and his parents were Edward Branson and Eve Branson. Branson’s grandfather was G.A.H. Branson, and his sister is Vanessa Branson. Isabella Calthorpe, his daughter-in-law, is also part of his family.
Age | Date of Birth
Richard Branson was born on July 18, 1950, ((forbes.com)) which means he will turn 73 years old this year. As of April 3, 2023, he is currently 72 years old.
Ethnicity | Nationality
Richard Branson’s ethnicity is English, and his nationality is British.
Net Worth
Richard Branson, who will turn 73 years old this year, is a British entrepreneur with a net worth of over $6 billion as of March 2023. ((wealthypersons.com))
He made his fortune by creating a brand called ‘Virgin’ and establishing the Virgin Group in the 1970s. ((forbes.com)) ((britannica.com)) ((en.wikipedia.org)) The Virgin Group now owns over 400 companies across different industries. Branson’s main source of income is his ownership in the Virgin Group.
Family Background | Parents
Richard Branson was born in Blackheath, London, to a lawyer named Edward James Branson and a flight attendant named Eve Branson. Lindy and Vanessa are his younger sisters. Sir George Arthur Harwin Branson was his grandfather. He was a judge and a member of the Privy Council.
John Edward Branson, one of Branson’s ancestors, left England for India in 1793. His father, Harry Wilkins Branson, joined him in Madras a few years later. His family lived in India for four generations, mostly in the city of Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu.
Branson has 3.9% South Asian DNA, which is probably from mixing with people from other cultures. He says that one of his great-great-great-grandmothers was an Indian woman named Ariya.
Wife | Children
Richard Branson was married to Kristen Tomassi from 1972 to 1979, and they had no children. He met Joan Templeman in 1976 and had three children with her: a daughter who died shortly after birth, a daughter Holly, and a son Sam. They got married in 1989 on Necker Island.
Branson’s Necker Island home was damaged twice, once in 2011 and again in 2017, by Hurricane Irene and Hurricane Irma, respectively. In January 2021, Branson’s mother passed away from COVID-19 complications. In 2007, Branson became an ordained minister to conduct an on-flight wedding.
From 2013 to 2017, he served as the President of the Old Stoic Society of Stowe School. In 2017, a singer named Antonia Jenae accused Branson of sexually assaulting her at Necker Island. Branson denied the allegations.
Branson is an experienced kitesurfer and has set two world records in the sport. He is also an avid cyclist but was injured in 2016 while riding his bicycle in the British Virgin Islands.
Education Background
Branson went to Scaitcliffe School and Cliff View House School when he was young. After that, he went to Stowe School until he was sixteen. He had trouble in school because he had dyslexia and ADHD, but his parents always supported the things he was interested in.
Branson’s mother was also a business owner, and she did well sell wooden tissue boxes and trash cans. From 1967 to 1968, Branson lived in a squat in London. His headmaster told him on his last day of school that he would either become a millionaire or go to prison.
Business Career
Branson tried and failed to sell Christmas trees and budgerigars before launching a magazine called Student with Nik Powell in 1966. The magazine was not initially successful, but it later became important to Branson’s mail-order record business.
He sold records for less than other outlets, and his business eventually opened a record shop in London. In 1971, Branson was questioned about the selling of records declared export stock and had to pay a large fine, which his parents helped him with by re-mortgaging their home.
1972-1980: Founding of Virgin Records
In 1972, Richard Branson founded Virgin Records, which quickly became one of the world’s largest independent record labels. The company’s success was fueled by Branson’s marketing skills and a roster of innovative and popular artists, including the Sex Pistols and Phil Collins. In 1980, Branson sold Virgin Records to Thorn EMI for a reported $1 billion.
1981-1987: Package Holiday Industries | Virgin Atlantic
In 1984, Branson founded Virgin Atlantic Airways, which grew to become one of the most successful and popular airlines in the world. He also expanded into the package holiday industry with the founding of Virgin Holidays in 1985.
1988-2000: Telecoms Ventures, Railways, | Worldwide Impact
During the late 1980s and 1990s, Branson expanded the Virgin brand into a variety of industries, including telecommunications, railways, and even cola. Virgin Mobile launched in 1999, and Virgin Trains became one of the UK’s most successful railway companies. Branson also became involved in global humanitarian efforts, founding the charity Virgin Unite in 2004.
2001-2007: Entry into Space Travel | Virgin Media
Branson announced his interest in space travel in the early 2000s, founding Virgin Galactic in 2004 to offer suborbital spaceflights to paying customers. He also entered the telecommunications industry with the creation of Virgin Media in 2006.
2008-2019: Hotels, Healthcare | Charitable Influence
Branson continued to expand the Virgin brand into new industries, including hotels and healthcare. He also became known for his philanthropic efforts, donating millions of dollars to various causes and founding organizations such as The Elders, a group of global leaders focused on peace and human rights.
2020-present: COVID-19 Difficulties
The COVID-19 pandemic presented significant challenges for many businesses, including Virgin Group. Branson was forced to sell $500 million worth of Virgin Galactic shares to prop up other parts of his empire, and Virgin Atlantic received a government bailout to survive the economic downturn. Despite these difficulties, Branson remains committed to growing and expanding the Virgin brand.
Failed Business Ventures
Richard Branson has had his share of business failures, including Virgin Cola, Virgin Brides, Virgin Cars, Virgin Clothing, and Virgin Megastores. These ventures did not perform well, and Branson ultimately had to close them down.
World Record Attempts
Branson has made several world record attempts in his career, including the fastest crossing of the English Channel by a hydrofoil and the first hot air balloon to cross the Atlantic. Although some attempts were successful, others were not, such as his failed attempt to circumnavigate the globe in a hot air balloon.
Television, Film, and Print
Branson has made appearances in numerous television shows and films, including “Friends” and “Baywatch.” He has also written several books, including “Screw It, Let’s Do It” and “Finding My Virginity.”
Humanitarian Initiatives
Branson is known for his philanthropic efforts, including supporting various charities and organizations, such as the Elders and the Carbon War Room. He has also pledged to donate the majority of his wealth to charitable causes.
Climate Change Pledge
Branson has been vocal about his concerns over climate change and has made several pledges to help combat it. He has committed to investing in renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions through his companies.
B Team
Branson co-founded the B Team, a group of global business leaders committed to driving sustainable and socially responsible business practices. The B Team aims to tackle issues such as climate change, inequality, and corruption in the business world.
Politics
Richard Branson has been involved in political activism and has expressed his views on various issues. He has been a member of the UK’s Liberal Democrats party and has supported policies such as drug decriminalization and the abolition of the death penalty. He has also spoken out against Brexit and supported remaining in the European Union.
Honours | Awards
Branson has received numerous honours and awards throughout his career. In 1993, he was awarded the title of Knight Bachelor for his services to entrepreneurship. He has also been awarded the Tony Jannus Award for his contributions to commercial aviation, the German Media Prize for his philanthropic work, and the International Crisis Group Chairman’s Award for his contributions to conflict prevention and resolution.
Tax Evasion
In 2013, Branson was accused of tax avoidance after it was revealed that his company, Virgin Care, had won an NHS contract worth £500 million. Branson denied the allegations and said that his companies paid their fair share of taxes.
Influences
Branson has cited various people and experiences as influences on his life and career. His mother, Eve Branson, was an entrepreneur and played a significant role in shaping his entrepreneurial spirit.
He has also cited his dyslexia as a driving force behind his success, saying that it taught him to think creatively and outside the box. Additionally, he has cited Nelson Mandela, Steve Jobs, and Elon Musk as inspirations.
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