List of Richard Branson's business ventures

List of Richard Branson's business ventures

This is a list of Sir Richard Branson's business ventures from the 1960s to today.

1960s

* 1968 - Branson publishes the first issue of Student Magazine. This is his first business venture.

1970s

* 1970 - Starts selling records by mail-order
* 1971 - Opens his first record shop on Oxford Street
* 1972 - Opens a Virgin Recording Studio
* 1973 - Launches Virgin Records record label
* 1979 - Buys the gay nightclub "Heaven", located under Charing Cross railway station. It is subsequently sold in 2003 to a private speculator.

1980s

* 1980 - Virgin Records goes international
* 1983 - Virgin Vision, later to become Virgin Communications, is formed to distribute films and videos in the television and broadcasting sector.
* 1983 - Virgin Games is launched.
* 1984 - Virgin Atlantic Airways and Virgin cargo are launched.
* 1984 - Virgin Vision (launched the previous year) launches "Music Box", a 24-hour satellite music station.
* 1985 - Virgin Group now includes record labels, retail outlets, exported music publishing, broadcasting, satellite television, and film and video distribution.
* 1985 - Branson starts Virgin Holidays
* 1987 - Branson takes Virgin Records to the states
* 1987 - The Virgin Group, along with Granada, Anglia and Pearson, founds BSB (British Satellite Broadcasting) and receives a UK license to broadcast five new TV channels by satellite in the UK.
* 1987 - Virgin sets up 525, a post production facility in Los Angeles, to work on high-end commercials and pop videos.
* 1987 - Virgin sets up "Music Box" as an independent producer of music programmes.
* 1987 - Virgin buys a 45% stake in Mastertronic Group. Later Virgin Mastertronic becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Virgin Group, creating, marketing and distributing computer games software and Sega consoles in several European countries.
* 1987 - Virgin buys Rushes Postproduction in London.
* 1987 - Virgin launches Virgin Airship & Balloon Company.
* 1988 - Virgin opens Olympic Recording Studios in Barnes, London, one of the most modern studio complexes in Europe.
* 1988 - Virgin launches Virgin Classics, another Virgin international record label specializing in high-quality classical music.
* 1988 - Virgin sells some of its smaller UK retail stores and puts more money into Virgin Megastores, opening new stores both in the UK and abroad.
* 1988 - Virgin sets up Virgin Broadcasting.
* 1988 - Virgin Hotels is created, combining three properties: the Norton House Hotel in Edinburgh, the Crathorn Hall hotel in North Yorkshire, and the Rhinefield House Hotel in Hampshire.
* 1988 - Virgin sells its shareholding in BSB.

1990s

* 1990 - Virgin Megastores arrives in Japan
* 1991 - Virgin Publishing (Virgin Books) is formed
* 1992 - Virgin Records is sold to Thorn EMI
* 1993 - Virgin Radio hits the airwaves with Virgin 1215AM
* 1994 - Launch of Virgin Vodka and Virgin Cola
* 1995 - Virgin Direct Personal Financial Services opens for business
* 1995 - Virgin Express a European low cost Airline is launched in Brussels after the purchase and rebranding of EBA Express
* 1996 - V2 Music is created
* 1996 - Virgin.Net launches
* 1996 - Virgin Brides launches
* 1996 - Virgin Trains is launched
* 1996 - Virgin Group becomes majority shareholders in London Broncos rugby league team
* 1997 - Virgin Radio is acquired by Chris Evans
* 1997 - Virgin Cosmetics launches
* 1999 - Virgin Active Launches in South Africa, UK and Italy
* 1999 - Virgin Mobile launches Virgin's first telecoms venture
* 1999 - Majority shareholders in London Broncos is sold to David Hughes

2000s

* 2000 - Virgin launches Virgin Blue
* 2000 - Virgin sells Rushes Postproduction to Ascent Media - then Liberty Livewire
* 2004 - Virgin launches Virgin Galactic
* 2005 - Virgin Express merges with Sn Brussels Airlines to form Brussels Airlines. Virgin retains minority share.
* 2005 - Virgin Active UK acquires Holmes Place
* 2006 - Virgin announces Virgin Fuel, a new company to produce a clean fuel in the future
* 2006 - Virgin Active Spain is Launched
* 2007 - Virgin Active Portugal is Launched
* 2007 - Virgin launches Virgin Health Bank
* 2007 - Virgin launches Virgin Media
* 2007 - Virgin launches Virgin America
* 2007 - Buys 20% stakes in AirAsia X
* 2007 - Sells Virgin Megastore in the UK and Ireland
* 2007 - Virgin Media Television Launchs Virgin 1
* 2007 - Closes Virgin Digital in the UK (Virgin now sells music downloads though Virgin Media's website)
* 2007 - Virgin Fuel US$400 million in Virgin Atlantic jet flight on biofuels and in renewable energy.
* 2007 - Virgin Money becomes preferred bidder for acquisition of Northern Rock.
* 2007 - Virgin Radio Italia launches in Italy in joint venture with Gruppo Finelco S.p.A.
* 2008 - Virgin Australia Airlines offers competitive prices between Australia and Los Angeles. Known as V Australia due to naming rights.

See also

* Richard Branson
* Virgin Group
* Virgin Earth Challenge
* Virgin Limobike

External links

* [http://www.virgin.com/ Virgin Corporate Website]
* [http://www.virginbrand.com/ virginbrand.com] Unofficial blog of the Virgin Group
* [http://www.intrescue.org.uk/ International Rescue Corps]
* [http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/87/branson.html Gonzo Way of Branding] Fast Company magazine article on Sir Richard Branson
* [http://www.janes.com/transport/news/jtf/jtf060213_1_n.shtml Is the US Virgin territory?] Jane's Transport Finance
* [http://records.fai.org/balloons/current.asp?id1=ax&id3=2&id2=1 Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI)]
* [http://www.ballong.org/peter/jesper/cia/report.php?period=09&title=Part%209,%201984-1990 International Ballooning Commission (CIA) notable flights]
* [http://www.ballong.org/peter/jesper/cia/report26.php Svenska Ballongfederationen, Pacific ocean flights]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3693588.stm Profile] on BBC News dated September 27, 2004
* [http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/thehour_player.html?20051121-Africa_branson Video Interview] on dated November 21, 2005
*
* [http://www.askmen.com/men/december99/6_richard_branson.html AskMen.com feature on Richard Branson] - includes pics, pictures, biography, video, related news, vital stats, and commentary.


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