Richard Branson (born 18.06.50) Richard Branson is and English businessman best known for his role as founder of the Virgin Group, comprising of over 400 companies.
Net Worth: According to Celebrity Net Worth in 2014, Richard Branson has a net worth of 5.1 billion USD. Richard
Childhood: Richard Branson was born in Blackheath, London, to Eve and Edward James Branson. He studied at Scaitcliffe School in Surrey, before attending Stowe School in Buckinghamshire between the ages of thirteen and sixteen. Despite having dyslexia, Branson was born with a savvy business mind and an affinity with other people.
Career: Branson began by creating a record business which was advertised through his magazine, 'The Student'. The magazine was based out of the crypt in an old church and became a success overnight. At the suggestion of one of his early employees, Branson adopted the name Virgin to reflect the company's small and fresh appearance on the market. Branson sold records through Virgin for less than the average retail price and, soon after opening his first high street store, was forced to pay a fine for selling products which had been declared as stock for export, and therefore paid less in tax. In 1972, Branson had earned enough money from his record store to launch Virgin Records with one of the store members, Nik Powell. He also bought an estate in Oxfordshire and created The Manor Studio, which he rented to smaller acts and artists. In 1984, Branson created Virgin Atlantic Airways, followed by the creation Virgin Express in 1993. Branson followed this in 1999 with the creation of Virgin Mobile. In 2004, Branson announced that Virgin Galactic had been created with the intention of making flights into suborbital space available to the public for 200,000 USD. In 2006, Branson merged Virgin Mobile with other companies to create Virgin Media. In the same year, he also announced that all profits from Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Trains would be put towards research for new, environmental fuels. Also in 2006, Branson launched Virgin Comic and Virgin Animation. The total combination of all of these companies (as well as many others) served to make Branson one of the top five richest men in the UK.
Personal Life: Richard Branson married Kristen Tomassi in 1972, although they were divorced in 1979. Branson then met and began a relationship with Joan Templeman, leading to the birth of their children. Their daughter, Holly, suggested at eight years old that her parents married, so in 1989, they did.
Biography by Contactmusic.com
