Job: chairman,Virgin Group
Age: 51
Industry: broadcasting, new media
Company turnover: £3bnStaff: 24,000
Salary: unknown.
He is worth £1bn
2001 ranking: 52
RichaRd BranSon was Born In 1950.
He AttenDed 'Stowe School' and by The Age Of 16 He Had BEgan SettIng Up a StuDenT MagaZinE.
By The Age Of 17, He Had Set Up A ChaRity To HeLp YouNg PeopLE, WhiCh WaS aLsO KnoWn As a 'StuDeNt AdviSoRy CeNtRe'
VirgIn Was FouNded As A 'MaiL OrDeR ReCorD RetAileR' IN 1970 AND 2 yEarS laTeR A ReCoRdiNg StuDiO Was BuiLt In OxfOrd StreeT. TheRefoRe The 'VirGin RecOrds MuSiC LaBeL' waS FoRmEd In 1972.
WheN eVeRy RecOrD LabEl TurNeD dOwN ROCK aRtiSts 'The SeX PisToLs' iT WaS VirGin Who DeCiDeD tO LaUnCh The RoCK aRTiSts aND tHEy WeRe a HuGE suCCeSS.
VirGiN Radio, wAs ThE 1st NatIonAl CommErCiaL RocK MuSiC StaTiOn In 1993, But WaS sOld TO ChRis EvaNz In 1997.
AftEr ManY AtteMptZ Of TrYinG tO mAke It BiG, RiCHaRd BraNsOn FiNAllY aCHeIVeD RecoGnItION as ViRgIn MeDia HaVe Now ExpaNded InTo AiR & RaiL TravEl, MobiLe PhoNeS, FinAnCe, ReTaiL, IntErnEt, DriNkS, HoTeLs & LeiSuRe, WitH aRouNd 200 ComPaniEs In OveR 30 CouNtriEs.
The NeW CoMpAnY wAs LaUnChEd wItH mORe FaN FaRe AnD PubLicItY iN FebRuaRy 2007, UnDeR tHe NaMe 'VirGiN MeDiA' RiChaRd BrAnSoN iS aLSo KnOWn To HaVE AppEaReD On SevErAl TV ShOwS KnOwN sUcH aS: FriEnDs, BaYwAtCh, oNlY fOOlS & HoRsEs, And In a SpecIaL ePiSoDe oF 'GooDneSs GrACIoUS mE'