Richard Branson
Founder, Virgin Group- Virgin Group
Richard Branson's Journey so far ...
- Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson dropped out of high school at the age of 16 and started a youth culture magazine named 'Student' in 1966. The first edition of the magazine secured advertisements worth $8000 and was distributed free
- It wasn't easy for Branson in the early days; a dire financial state meant that he had to live on a houseboat on the London Canal as he could not afford a house. His father was a barrister and his mother a flight attendant
- Known for his exuberance, confidence, and stylishness, Branson is the person behind the Virgin Group and the first label under it was Virgin Records, which he started in 1972
- Brand Virgin today consists of over 60 companies spread across aviation, hotels, telecommunications, radio stations, railways, space tourism, renewable energy and sports
- Branson's love for space saw him launch two companies - Virgin Orbit for space exploration and Virgin Galactic for space tourism. One of his biggest bets recently has been Virgin Hyperloop One, a train service based on magnetic levitation that will travel at hypersonic speeds. The technology is still in its early stages
- On July 11, 2021, Branson became the first ever billionaire to launch himself into space. He and five crewmates from his Virgin Galactic space-tourism company reached an altitude of 86 kilometers over the New Mexico desert enough to experience three to four minutes of weightlessness and witness the curvature of the Earth and then glided to a runway landing
- A regular blogger, Branson is very active on social media with a big fan following particularly on LinkedIn and Twitter
- With his hard work, Branson became a billionaire and was one of the first entrepreneurs to buy an island. In 1978, Branson bought Necker Island, a part of the British Virgin Islands, for $180,000. The island is a tourist spot with many celebrities like Princess Diana, Prince Harry and Barack Obama having dropped by
- Branson started a nonprofit entrepreneurial foundation called Virgin Unite to amalgamate people and business ideas for a better world
- Branson loves sports and he crossed both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans by hot-air-balloon creating a Guinness World Record
Before you go ...
- Branson was knighted in 1999 for his services to entrepreneurship
- A strong opponent of Brexit, he said that it was the saddest thing that has happened to Britain and the European Union since World War II
- He ran down a London street crying after he sold one of his iconic brands Virgin Records for $1 billion in 1992
- Branson has written many books, including an autobiography, 'Losing My Virginity'
Richard Branson News
- Newly released Epstein estate photos include bowl of novelty Trump condoms; Trump, Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, and Other high-profile figures featured, more images expected soonNewly released photographs from Jeffrey Epstein's estate feature prominent figures like Donald Trump, Prince Andrew, Bill Gates, and Bill Clinton. The House Oversight Committee obtained these images as part of its investigation into government scrutiny of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's sex-trafficking ring. While the photos do not indicate misconduct, Republicans criticize the selective release by Democrats.
- Joan Templeman, wife of Richard Branson, dies at 80: A look at their love story spanning nearly 50 yearsSir Richard Branson announced the passing of his wife and lifelong partner, Joan Templeman, at 80. Branson described her as his "best friend, my rock, my guiding light, my world." Their enduring love story began in 1976, leading to their marriage on Necker Island, which became their cherished home and a symbol of their remarkable partnership.
- Richard Branson announces death of wife Joan after 50 years togetherSir Richard Branson shared that his wife Joan has died after 50 years together. Joan was born in Scotland and met Branson at Virgin Records. Their love story grew over many years, and they later married on Necker Island. Branson often spoke about how special she was to him. This news remembers her life and their long relationship.
- Tycoon with Rs 25,000 cr wealth gets ignored on the street repeatedly. But actor R Madhavan loves the billionaire's initiativeSir Richard Branson, despite his billionaire status, faced rejection while promoting his Doorbell of Dreams initiative in New York City. The Virgin Group founder's attempts to interview strangers about their entrepreneurial dreams were largely ignored, highlighting that even prominent figures experience setbacks. The initiative aims to provide guidance and visibility to budding entrepreneurs, expanding from the UK to the US.
- A resort in space coming in 2027 with restaurants, gym, and even villas! Here's all about Voyager StationVoyager Station, the world's first space hotel, is slated to launch in 2027, offering luxury accommodations and amenities for 280 guests and 112 crew members. The rotating structure will simulate gravity, providing a unique experience. While current space tourism is expensive, decreasing transportation costs could make space stays more accessible in the future.
- India’s Hyperloop leap: The future of ultra-high-speed travel begins nowIndia is making strides in ultra-high-speed rail (UHSR) with the development of a hyperloop test track. This new technology aims to significantly reduce travel times and energy consumption. While there are challenges related to infrastructure costs and safety concerns, successful trials could disrupt various industries, including aviation, rail, and urban planning.
- Recently broke up or travelling solo? Hotels offer anti-Valentine's Day experiencesThe Dominick Hotel in SoHo is offering boudoir-style photo shoots as a romantic gift for solo travelers. The shoots, which cost $1,500, aim to boost confidence and have already been successful in other resort destinations. This offering taps into the rising trend of solo travel and provides a unique experience for guests.
- Accuser claims Jeffrey Epstein had intimate tapes of Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, Richard Branson. More documents unsealedIn a series of emails, Jeffrey Epstein accuser Sarah Ransome claimed that she had copies of tapes Epstein had made of some of his high-profile friends, Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew and British business tycoon Richard Branson, allegedly having intimate relations with an unnamed woman. But later on, she withdrew all allegations. Know in detail.
- Virgin Galactic welcomes its inaugural space tourists: A British Olympian and a Caribbean mother-daughter duoVirgin Galactic made a significant stride towards space tourism as its rocket flew and returned to Earth, carrying ecstatic passengers on Thursday. Passengers included an 80-year-old retired Olympian, diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and a mother-daughter pair from the Caribbean, among others. The accomplishment is a victory for innovation and the human spirit's unquenchable pursuit of exploration. Founded in 2004, Virgin Galactic faced several obstacles and halt in ticket sales before finally achieving success with its 2018 spaceflight. The company reopened its space missions in 2022, with ticket prices surging to $450,000.
- One giant leap for family-kind! Caribbean women to become first mother-daughter duo to travel to spaceAnastatia Mayers, an 18-year-old student, and her mother, Keisha Schahaff, are set to be the first mother-daughter duo to journey into space on Virgin Galactic's 'Galactic 02' flight. Schahaff won a space travel competition hosted by Virgin Galactic and her daughter expressed the desire to join her on the journey.
- Space tourism: Rockets emit 100 times more CO₂ per passenger than flights - imagine a whole industryThese gases and particles have many negative effects on the atmosphere. In the stratosphere, nitrogen oxides and chemicals formed from the breakdown of water vapour convert ozone into oxygen, depleting the ozone layer which guards life on Earth against harmful UV radiation. Water vapour also produces stratospheric clouds that provide a surface for this reaction to occur at a faster pace than it otherwise would.
- 'Best day ever': Billionaire Jeff Bezos has successful first space jauntThe 57-year-old American billionaire, wearing a blue flight suit and donning a cowboy hat, was joined by three crewmates for a trip to the edge of space officially lasting 10 minutes and 10 seconds. After landing and exiting the space capsule, Bezos and the other crew members exchanged hugs and popped champagne, spraying each other.
- Virgin Atlantic airline files for United States bankruptcy protectionA spokeswoman for Virgin Atlantic said the bankruptcy filing is part of a court process in the United Kingdom to carry out a restructuring plan that the airline announced last month. The process is supported by a majority of the airline's creditors, and the company hopes to emerge from the process in September, she said.
- Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit fails on first rocket launch attemptThe inaugural launch had appeared to be going well until moments after the rocket was dropped from beneath the left wing of the jumbo jet dubbed Cosmic Girl. The highly modified jumbo jet took off from Mojave Air and Space Por t in the desert north of Los Angeles and flew out just beyond the Channel Islands, where the drop occurred.
- Mumbai-Pune hyperloop project still on cards: Eknath ShindeThe hyperloop project aims to reduce the travel time between Pune and Mumbai from around three hours to just 25 minutes and it would be the first such system in the world. Incidentally, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar last month had said the state government will consider the Hyperloop project if it is shown to be practicable in other countries.
- Will study and decide, Maharashtra CM tells Branson on Hyperloop projectBranson,, promoter of Virgin Group, met Thackeray to clear "misunderstandings" and gauge the new administration's interest in the USD 10 billion project, which promises to cut the travel time between Mumbai and Pune to less than half and hour. A senior official said Branson sought the chief minister's co- operation for the project.
- Richard Branson to meet Maharashtra CM on Hyperloop project tomorrow“When there is a change in administration and you’ve a big project going on, it is important to have a courtesy call. Uddhav Thackeray and the various coalition people that he has around them need to meet people who are doing big projects or those wanting to do big projects in their state,” said Branson, the founder of the diversified conglomerate Virgin Group.