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| Company: |
Virgin Comics (Executive)
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| Talent Agent-Commercial: |
Business Speakers Bureau
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| Profession: |
Producer / Actor / Camera and Electrical Department |
| Born: |
18 July 1950, Blackheath, London, England, UK (age 59) |
| Birth Name: |
Richard Charles Nicholas Branson |
| Height: |
5' 11" (1.80 m) |
| Spouse: |
Joan Templeman (20 December 1989 - present) 2 children
Kristen Tomassi (22 July 1972 - 1979) (divorced)
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| Also Known As: |
Richard Branson / Sir Richard Branson |
| Credited Years: |
1976 - 2010 |
Real Life Quotes
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For a successful entrepreneur it can mean extreme wealth. But with extreme wealth comes extreme responsibility. And the responsibility for me is to invest in creating new businesses, create jobs, employ people, and to put money aside to tackle issues where we can make a difference. |
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A generation ago, the image was that you had to trample everyone else down to succeed - but I don't believe that makes good business sense. If you're the kind of person that jumps down the throat of people, you're not going to be successful. |
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The funny thing is people won't let me pay for things. I'll be in a restaurant and the manager will say: 'Oh no, it's on the house.' |
Trivia
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In December 1999 he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in the UK's Millenium New Year's Honors list for "services to entrepreneurship." |
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Owner of The Virgin Group, which has more than 200 entertainment, media and travel companies around the world. Virgin's interests include an airline, airships, retailing (music, videos and computer games), beverages, cosmetics, clothing, financial services, night clubs, health clubs, internet services, mobile phone services, passenger trains, publishing, record labels (V2 Records), tour operation, film and TV production, and condoms. |
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His first business, a used record store, was called "Virgin Records" because it was his first business venture ever. |
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When he started his record label, the first artist he signed was his school friend Mike Oldfield. His album length composition "Tubular Bells" became a multi- million seller after it was used as the theme to the film The Exorcist. |
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Started Virgin Atlantic Airways after a flight he was scheduled for was cancelled. Upon hearing of the cancellation, he quickly had a charter jet liner secured, and invited the passengers of the cancelled flight to fly for free. He jokingly posted a hand-lettered sign above the entryway, reading, "Virgin Atlantic Airways - Flight 1." Several of the passengers of that flight became investors of the airline. Ironically, just before Virgin Records was purchased in 1992 by the EMI Group, the label was distributed as a stand-alone venture by Atlantic Records in the USA from 1986 to 1992. |
Other Works
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TV commercials for Virgin Credit Card. |
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(2006) Print advertisements for Samsonite New Business Collection luggage (slogan: Life's a Journey). |
Where Are They Now?
| May 2009 |
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Kensington, London, England | |
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