Virgin Blue Holdings Limited

Infobox_Company
company_name = Virgin Blue Holdings Limited
company_
company_type = Public(asx|VBA] )
company_slogan = Get What You Want
foundation = Brisbane, Australia, 2000
location = Brisbane, Australia
key_people = Sir Richard Branson (President)
Brett Godfrey (CEO)
industry = Airline
num_employees = 4,060 (2007)
products = Virgin Blue
Pacific Blue Airlines
Polynesian Blue Airlines
V Australia
revenue = $2.169 billion AUD (Y.E. 30 June 2007)
homepage = [http://www.virginblue.com.au/AboutUs/Virginbluecorporateinformation/index.htm www.virginblue.com.au]

Virgin Blue Holdings Limited is the company that owns and operates Virgin Blue, V Australia, Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue Airlines. Its main shareholders are Toll Holdings and the Virgin Group.

Ownership History

Virgin Blue was formed in 2000 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Virgin Group.

In 2001 the then Air New Zealand owned Ansett Australia made a buyout offer of $250 million which, in his typically flamboyant style, was publicly rejected by Richard Branson.cite news
last = Daniel
first = Zoe
title = Virgin Blue boss jokes about buy-out deal
publisher = ABC Radio National PM
date = 2001-09-04
url = http://www.abc.net.au/pm/stories/s357900.htm
accessdate = 2007-08-22]

In 2002 Virgin came to an agreement with Patrick Corporation to invest in the airline, to allow it to grow into a national airline, filling the void left by the demise of Ansett Australia.cite web
last = Meier
first = Michael
title = Virgin Blue - Defining a New World Carrier
publisher = Celway Group
date = 2006-07-26
url = http://airsider.net/files/2006/0606/018/virginblue.htm
accessdate = 2007-08-22]

In return for a 50% share of the company, Patrick invested $AU260 million. At the time, the view was that Patrick's shareholding would also allow the company to benefit from their new shareholders political connections with the Howard Government, and also 'Greenwash' the company, allowing it to be described as Australian-owned.cite news
last = Maiden
first = Malcolm
title = Patrick's move on Virgin Blue has a sense of déjà vu about it
publisher = The Age
date = 2003-01-23
url = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/03/12/1015909850867.html
accessdate = 2007-08-22]

In 2003 Virgin Blue Holdings Limited was floated on the Australian Securities Exchange as Virgin Group sought to sell down its holdings.

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.virginblue.com.au/AboutUs/Virginbluecorporateinformation/index.htm Official Virgin Blue Corporate Website]