Richard Branson

In 2000, Branson was knighted by then Prince of Wales, Charles III, and he received the Citizen of the Year Award from the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) in 2007. He has published several books, including an autobiography, Losing My Virginity: How I’ve Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way in 1998, and a business book, The Virgin Way: Everything I Know About Leadership in 2014. In 2004, he established Virgin Unite, the nonprofit foundation of the Virgin Group. In 2006, he pledged an estimated $3 billion to fund environmentally friendly fuel research. In 20222023, his net worth was is estimated at $3.83 billion by Forbes.

In 2000, Branson was knighted by thethen Prince of Wales, Charles III, Charles III, The Prince of Wales,and he received the Citizen of the Year Award from the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) in 2007. He has published several books, including an autobiography, Losing My Virginity: How I’ve Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way in 1998, and a business book, The Virgin Way: Everything I Know About Leadership in 2014. In 2004, he established Virgin Unite, the non-profitnonprofit foundation of the Virgin Group. In 2006, he pledged an estimated $3 billion to fund environmentally friendly fuel research. In 2022, his net worth was estimated at $3.8 billion by Forbes.

Richard Branson founded the Virgin Group, which is a conglomerate of about 45forty-five companies across 35thirty-five countries. Virgin Group companies include the airline Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Mobile, Virgin Megastores, Virgin Hotels, and Virgin Galatic, his space tourism company.

Branson began his entrepreneurial career at fifteen when he started the magazine Student. In 1970, he founded Virgin Mail Order Records, which led him to open the first British discount record store in 1971. In 1973, he helped form Virgin Records, which he sold in 1992. In 1984, he became the majority backer of the airline that he renamed Virgin Atlantic Airways.

In 2004, he founded Virgin Galatic, and in 2021, he was on its first flight to space. Branson named his first company "Virgin" because of his inexperience with business, and every company since then has also taken the name.

Richard Branson is an adventurer who has been part of record-setting teams. In 1986, he was part of a two-mantwo-person team that set a record for crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a powerboat.

In 1987, he and Swedish aeronaut Per Lindstrand were the first to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a hot air balloon. They repeated the feat in 1991 by crossing the Pacific Ocean. In the late 1990s, Branson was on teams that made three failed attempts at round-the-worldaround-the-world balloon flights. In December 1998, American adventurer Steve Fossett joined Branson's hot air balloon team, and they became the first to fly across Asia, before going down off Hawaii.

Richard Branson was born to Ted and Eve Branson in Surrey, England in 1950. His father was a lawyer, and his mother was a flight attendant. He remained close to his parents their entire lives.

In 2000, Branson was knighted by the Charles III, The Prince Charles of Wales,and he received the Citizen of the Year Award from the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) in 2007. He has published several books including an autobiography, Losing My Virginity: How I’ve Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way in 1998 and a business book, The Virgin Way: Everything I Know About Leadership in 2014. In 2004 he established Virgin Unite, the non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group. In 2006, he pledged an estimated $3 billion to fund environmentally friendly fuel research. In 2022, his net worth was estimated at $3.8 billion by Forbes.

In 2000, Branson was knighted by the Prince Charles of Wales,and he received the Citizen of the Year Award from the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) in 2007. He has published several books including an autobiography, Losing My Virginity: How I’ve Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way in 1998 and a business book, The Virgin Way: Everything I Know About Leadership in 2014. In 2004 he established Virgin Unite, the non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group. In 2006, he pledged an estimated $3 billion to fund environmentally friendly fuel research. In 2022, his net worth was estimated at $3.8 billion by Forbes.

Richard Branson was born to TedTed and Eve BransonEve Branson in Surrey, EnglandSurrey, England in 1950. His father was a lawyer and his mother was a flight attendant. He remained close to his parents their entire lives.

Having dsylexiadyslexia, he struggled in school, leaving the Sciatcliffe Scaitcliffe at thirteen for the Stowe SchoolStowe School and eventually dropping out at age sixteen.

Branson has been married twice, first to Kristen Tomassi in 1972 and to Joan TemplemanJoan Templeman in 1989. He and Joan have been married for over thirty years and have two children together, Holly BransonHolly Branson and Sam BransonSam Branson.