Richard Branson
Overview
- Source of Wealth
- Virgin
- Industry
- Diversified
- Residence
- Necker Island
- Education
- High School (Drop Out)
- Marital Status
- Married
- Children
- 2
Assets
- 23andMe Holding0 shares @ --MEHCQ-US
- Virgin Galactic1,537,000 shares @ --SPCE-US
- Virgin Money UK Plc0 shares @ --VMUK-GB
- Virgin Orbit0 shares @ --VORBQ-US
Biography
Richard Branson owes his fortune to a conglomerate of businesses bearing the "Virgin" brand name, including Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Galactic.
The son of a barrister and flight attendant, Branson got his start with a mail-order record business some 50 years ago.
He primarily lives on a luxe British Virgin Islands retreat, Necker Island, which he bought for $180,000 in 1978.
Branson's rocket company Virgin Orbit, which went public in 2021 at a $4 billion valuation, went bankrupt in 2023 and sold its assets.
His digital bank Virgin Money was sold to Nationwide in 2024 for more than $3.5 billion.
About
When he sold Virgin Records for $1 billion in 1992, Branson ran down London's Ladbroke Grove crying, upset over parting with the business.
Branson suspended talks with Saudi Arabia over a proposed $1 billion investment into Virgin Galactic after the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.