Born in Surrey’s Shamley Green in 1950, Richard Charles Nicholas Branson was educated at the private Scaitcliffe School in Egham followed by the prestigious Stowe but thanks to his dyslexia struggled to find his footing as a student.  However Richard’s head for business saw him setting up two ventures by the age of fifteen - one growing Christmas trees, the other selling budgies.

At sixteen, while most of his classmaes were planning their university careers, Richard left education and headed for London where he set up the successful Student magazine.  Just a couple of years later he began to sell discounted records through mail order, drastically undercutting high street retailers.  Eventually he set up a a store on London’s Oxford Street named after his company - Virgin.  The success of this new store was soon followed by a record label to which Mike Oldfield was signed, releasing Tubular Bells (which was recorded at Branson’s country estate) in 1973 to chart success. Virgin was not a consistent success and Richard soon found himself in trouble with the taxman over the sale of export stock - his mother remortgaged her home to pay the bill which kept her son out of jail.

Despite this hiccup, the entreperneur found great success throughout the 80s, signing acts such as The Sex Pistols, Culture Club and Can to his label and purchasing gay nightclub Heaven.  Meanwhile in 1984 Virgin Atlantic Airlines was formed, cementing Branson’s status as one of Britain’s biggest businessmen.  Since the 80s several other Virgin companies have been launched, selling everything from cola to cosmetics, via mobile phonelines and trainlines.  Meanwhile Richard’s adventurous streak has kept the public interested in the man himself.  In 1986 his boat, Virgin Atlantic Challenger II broke the record for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic, followed closely by an attempt at the same journey by hot air balloon - another record made.  He has also attempted to become the first person to circumnavigate the globe by balloon, but was beaten to it in 1999.

The Virgin brand has made further leaps in business and travel since 2000, not only has a short haul airline been purchased but Virgin Galactic plans to corner the space tourism market.  Meanwhile Branson has purchased NTL, started working towards Virgin Fuel, and launched stem cell company Virgin Health Bank.  And it’s not all for profit - The Sunday Times Rich List’s number 9 has also pledged to invest the profits of his train and plane companies in research on environmental fuels. 

Married to Joan Templeman since 1989, Branson has two children, Sam and Holly.  He lives in Oxford and London.
September 2007