日本大学新生开学时间:Richard Branson(简介）

Born in 1950, Richard Branson grew up in a traditional family and received his education at Stowe School, where he established a national magazine entitled Student at the age of sixteen.

He started a Student Advisory Centre at 17, aiming to help young people. At twenty years old, he founded Virgin as a mail order record retailer and a short while later, he opened a record shop in Oxford Street, London. In 1972, a recording studio was built in Oxfordshire where the first Virgin artist, Mike Oldfield, recorded "Tubular Bells", later released in 1973.

The first album of Virgin Records went on to sell more than five million copies. At the age of 27, Richard signed The Sex Pistols to the Virgin Records label after the group was turned down by every label in Great Britain.

Over the years, he signed many superstar names including Steve Winwood, Paula Abdul, Belinda Carlisle, Genesis, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Simple Minds, The Human League, Bryan Ferry, Culture Club, Janet Jackson, and The Rolling Stones. As is evident, Branson managed to turn the Virgin Music Group into a giant success.

In 1992, the Virgin Music Group -- record labels, music publishing and recording studios -- was sold to Thorn EMI in a $1 billion US deal.

The interests of Virgin Group have since expanded into international "Megastore" music retailing, books and software publishing, film and video editing facilities, and clubs and hotels throughout 100 companies in 15 countries.

Virgin Atlantic Airways, started in 1984, is now the second largest British long haul international airline and operates a fleet of Boeing 747 aircrafts to New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Orlando, Boston, San Francisco, Washington, Dallas, and Tokyo.

The airline was founded on the concept of offering competitive and high quality first class and economy services. The airline holds many major airline awards and recently earned "Airline of the Year Award" for the third consecutive year.

In 1993, the combined sales of Virgin Group Companies exceeded $1 billion US. In addition to his own business activities, Branson is a trustee of several charities, including The Healthcare Foundation, a leading healthcare charity responsible for the launch of a health education campaign named Parents Against Tobacco, aiming to limit tobacco advertisements and sponsorships in sports.

Since 1985, Richard has actively engaged in his vocations and been involved in a number of record-breaking land and air speed and distance attempts.

In 1986, his boat, "Virgin Atlantic Challenger II," rekindled the spirit of the Blue Riband by crossing the Atlantic Ocean in the fastest recorded time ever.

One year later, the hot air balloon called the "Virgin Atlantic Flyer" was the first hot air balloon ever to cross the Atlantic Ocean, and was the largest ever flown at 2.3 million cubic feet capacity, reaching speeds in excess of 130 mph.

In 1991, Branson crossed the Pacific Ocean from Japan to Arctic Canada, the furthest distance of 6,700 miles, again breaking all existing records with speeds of up to 245 mph in a balloon measuring 2.6 million cubic feet.

Richard is currently in the midst of preparations to attempt a world-record setting, round-the-world hot air balloon crossing. The trip was scheduled to commence from Marrakesh North Africa early in 1997.

Richard lives in London and Oxfordshire and is married with two children.

Quite a life isn't it?

Biography for
Richard Branson

Birth name
Richard Charles Nicholas Branson
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Height
6' 2" (1.88 m)
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Spouse
Joan Templeman (1989 - present) 2 children
Kristen Tomassi (22 July 1972 - ?) (divorced)

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Trivia
In December 1999 he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in the UK's Millenium New Year's Honors list for "services to entrepreneurship."

Owner of The Virgin Group, which has more than 200 entertainment, media and travel companies around the world. Virgin's interests include an airline, airships, retailing (music, videos and computer games), beverages, cosmetics, clothing, financial services, night clubs, health clubs, internet services, mobile phone services, passenger trains, publishing, record labels (V2 Records), tour operation, film and TV production, and condoms.

His first business, a used record store, was called "Virgin Records" because it was his first business venture ever.

When he started his record label, the first artist he signed was his school friend Mike Oldfield. His album length composition "Tubular Bells" became a multi- million seller after it was used as the theme to the film The Exorcist (1973).

Started Virgin Atlantic Airways after a flight he was scheduled for was cancelled. Upon hearing of the cancellation, he quickly had a charter jet liner secured, and invited the passengers of the cancelled flight to fly for free. He jokingly posted a hand-lettered sign above the entryway, reading, "Virgin Atlantic Airways - Flight 1." Several of the passengers of that flight became investors of the airline. Ironically, just before Virgin Records was purchased in 1992 by the EMI Group, the label was distributed as a stand-alone venture by Atlantic Records in the USA from 1986 to 1992.

Has opened a chain of bridal shops in England named Virgin Bride.

Recently registered the business name "Virgin Interplanetary", in case space travel becomes commercially viable.

Has expressed interest in opening a casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

Daughter Holly is studying at London's University College in hopes of becoming a pediatrician

Children Sam, 18 and Holly, 21. (2003)

Dyslexic

Dropped out of school when he was 15.

Features in one of the episodes of the sitcom "Friends", when Friends goes to London. In the episode he sells British souvenirs to Joey and Chandler. It has been reported he was very nervous about forgetting his lines but all went well. It is noticeable all scenes in the episode featuring airports or airplanes show the logo of "Virgin Atlantic", the airline of Richard Branson.

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radio.360edu.net/audionews.asp?id=187

http://movie.verycd.com/artists/39141/

http://movie在布兰森的自传《失去处子之身》（ Losingmy virginity ）中写道： 19 岁时，一本杂志访问他时，问他为何将他的新公司取名为“ Virgin ”（中文意思是“处女”）时，他解释说因为“处女”这个名字是性感易产生联想与过目不忘的。其次，维珍不只是一个品牌的名字，它更意味着一种生活态度：自由自在的生活方式、叛逆、开放、崇尚自由以及极度珍贵的浪漫。维珍鲜明而独特的品牌个性和文化为其品牌延伸提供了基础。当大多数消费者把维珍看成品质、价值、创新、娱乐、挑战的代名词，他们能感觉到维珍不是仅仅是航空、 CD 或者手机，而是一种生活的态度。维珍品牌在战略上绝不将品牌等同于某一项产品或服务，正如维珍所宣传的那样，“它是一种终身关系”，这样就不会限制它跨行业的延伸。他的每一次品牌延伸都是对维珍品牌的一次绝好的注解。

.verycd.com/artists/39141/在上面找吧

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He is a famous businessman.He has broken three world records.