Beschreibung
Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 63. Chapters: Richard Branson, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Virgin Blue, Virgin Megastores, V Festival, Virgin America, Virgin Trains, Virgin Festival, Virgin Racing, Virgin Galactic, V Australia, Scaled Composites White Knight Two, Virgin Money, Virgin Unite, Virgin CrossCountry, Air Nigeria, Virgin Mobile UK, Kensington Roof Gardens, Virgin Interactive, Virgin Radio Dubai, Virgin Webplayer, Virgin Express, Polynesian Blue, The Spaceship Company, Virgin Books, Virgin Sun Airlines, Virgin Wines, Virgin Green Fund, Church House Trust, Virgin Holidays, Steve Ridgway, Radio Free Virgin, Andrew Craissati, Virgin Money US, Virgin Digital, Virgin Cola, Virgin Cars, Will Whitehorn, Virgin Balloon Flights, Virgin Health Bank, Virgin Produced, Virgin Radio Italia, Virgin Voucher, Alex Tai, Virgin Experience Days, Virgin Brides, CPV-TV, Virgin Limited Edition, Virgin Charter, Virgin Vacations, Virgin Electronics, Virgin Drinks, Virgin Vodka, Virgin Limousines. Excerpt: Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (born 18 July 1950) is a British business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of over 400 companies. His first successful business venture was a magazine called Student at age 16. In 1970, he set up an audio record mail-order business. In 1972, he opened a chain of record stores, Virgin Records, later known as Virgin Megastores. Branson's Virgin brand grew rapidly during the 1980s-as he set up Virgin Atlantic Airways and expanded the Virgin Records music label. Richard Branson is the 5th richest person in the United Kingdom and 254th in the world according to Forbes' 2011 list of billionaires, with an estimated net worth of approximately £2.58 billion (US$4.2 billion). Branson was born in Blackheath, London, the son of barrister Edward James Branson and Eve Branson. His grandfather, the Right Honourable Sir George Arthur Harwin Branson, was a judge of the High Court of Justice and a Privy Councillor. Branson was educated at Scaitcliffe School (now Bishopsgate School) until the age of thirteen. He then attended Stowe School until the age of sixteen. Branson has dyslexia and had poor academic performance as a student, but later discovered his ability to connect with others. Branson started his record business from the crypt of a church where he ran The Student. Branson advertised popular records in The Student Magazine and it was an over night success. Trading under the name "Virgin", he sold records for considerably less than the "High Street" outlets, especially the chain W. H. Smith. The name "Virgin" was suggested by one of Branson's early employees because they were all new at business. At the time, many products were sold under restrictive marketing agreements that limited discounting, despite efforts in the 1950s and 1960s to limit so-called resale price maintenance. In effect, Branson began the series of changes that led to large-scale discounting of recorded music. Branson eventually started a record shop in Oxford St
