in · LinkedIn
Founder of the Virgin Group, which has gone on to grow successful businesses in sectors including mobile telephony, travel and transportation, financial services, leisure and entertainment and health and wellness. Virgin is a leading international investment group and one of the world's most recognised and respected brands. Since starting youth culture magazine “Student” at aged 16, I have tried to find entrepreneurial ways to drive positive change in the world. In 2004 we 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 my 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. I also serve on the Global Commission on Drug Policy and supports ocean conservation with the Ocean Elders. I'm a tie-loathing adventurer, philanthropist and troublemaker, who believes in turning ideas into reality. Otherwise known as Dr Yes!
- • Founder @ Virgin Group
- • Stowe School
Skills: Entrepreneurship, Dyslexic Thinking
◎ · Instagram @richardbranson
Screw it, let’s do it.
- • My number one piece of advice for anyone thinking of starting a business? Find a mentor (and actually lean on them).
When I was young, I had no trouble asking people for help. If someone had done something I was trying to do, I would pick up the phone and ask how they’d gone about it. I didn’t think of that as finding a mentor. I was curious, perhaps a little naive, and I knew there was a great deal I didn’t know.
Starting @VirginAtlantic brought that realisation to 30,000ft. I loved the idea of making flying better, but I had never run an airline. So, I reached out to someone who had - Sir Freddie Laker. He (very generously) gave me his time, told me what he had learned from building Laker Airways and spoke frankly about what they had gotten wrong. For example, he was extremely clear-eyed about the challenges we would face from our competitors. When British Airways tried to destroy us with their Dirty Tricks campaign, Freddie’s wisdom was invaluable. He helped us make decisions when the stakes were high, and he became a trusted friend along the way.
Over the years, I’ve learned from all sorts of people. My parents shaped the way I approached life long before I started a business. My sisters were my sounding board in the early days of Student Magazine. Freddie helped me when my head was above the clouds. Their mentorship was invaluable, and I’m not sure where I’d be right now without them all.
One of the key reasons we started @VirginStartUp was to provide mentorship. In the lead up to National Mentoring Day on October 27, the team will be sharing some mentoring opportunities with some of the biggest founders and industry leaders in the founder world. Rare opportunities like this are there to be seized - this is what being a founder is all about. To get involved, join more than 4,000 founders on the Virgin StartUp Digital Community - a platform for practical support, mentorship opportunities, and networking events. Find all the deatils at @VirginStartUp's link in bio.
- • The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all.
I wrote this in one of the first editions of Student magazine. They are words that have shaped my entire life.
Wonderful to see them plastered to the walls of @Virgin’s new office in New York - encouraging the team to make bold decisions and see where it takes them.
- • In my experience, the best businesses start by looking at an industry and asking: how could this be done better?
This is our exact ambition with cross-Channel rail. Today, we shared a first glimpse of the bold black and red livery planned for our fleet of 12 @Alstom Avelia Stream trains.
@Virgin's ambition is to run 20 daily return services between London and continental Europe from 2030. We want to bring more choice, some healthy competition, and more capacity to one of Europe’s most important travel routes.
There is a huge opportunity here. More people are choosing rail for shorter journeys across Europe, and we believe Virgin can help grow that market by creating an experience people genuinely look forward to. After all, this is what we do best.
We’ll bring together the best ideas from all across the Virgin family: from @VirginAtlantic’s distinct hospitality, and @VirginVoyages’ award-winning dining experiences, to @VirginHotels’ design approach, and everything we learned from 20 years of Virgin Trains.
Exciting times ahead!
- • Our Mile High Tea has fans in high places ✈️
- • New York is always buzzing during Climate Week and the United Nations General Assembly. I come each year for the same reason: to have serious conversations that lead to meaningful change.
Weeks like this aren’t about one person, one organisation or one big speech. They’re about showing up, listening, sharing knowledge and working together to turn ideas into action.
There are no easy answers to the challenges our world faces but spending time with so many brilliant, determined and hopeful people reminds me that progress is possible.
We all want to leave the world in a better place for our children and grandchildren, and the best way to do that is together.
