Sir Richard Branson has grown successful businesses in sectors including mobile telephony, travel, transportation, financial services, leisure, entertainment, health and wellness. In the 1970s he founded the Virgin Group, which today controls more than 400 companies in various fields. Virgin is a leading international investment group and one of the world’s most recognised and respected brands.
Branson has also been an active investor in the technology sector and a number of innovative transport companies – including Virgin Galactic, Virgin Orbit and is currently chairman of Virgin Hyperloop One.
Since starting youth culture magazine, Student, at aged 16, Richard Branson has found entrepreneurial ways to drive positive change in the world. In 2004 he established Virgin Unite, the non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group, which unites people and entrepreneurial ideas to create opportunities for a better world.
Most of Branson’s time is now spent building businesses that will make a positive difference in the world and working with Virgin Unite and organisations it has incubated, such as The Elders, The Carbon War Room, The B Team and Ocean Unite. He also serves on the Global Commission on Drug Policy and supports ocean conservation with the Ocean Elders.
