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 train 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
2007-11-27 19:45:33 · 9 answers · asked by Tabbyfur aka patchy puss 5 in News & Events ➔ Current Events
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.
2007-11-27 19:46:11 · update #1
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
2007-11-27 19:46:47 · update #2
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
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 Mobile launches Virgin's first telecoms venture
1999 - Majority shareholders in London Broncos is sold to David Hughes
2007-11-27 19:47:15 · update #3
2000s
2000 - Virgin launches Virgin Blue
2000 - Virgin sells Rushes Postproduction to Ascent Media - then Liberty Livewire
2004 - Virgin launches Virgin Galactic
2006 - Virgin announces Virgin Fuel, a new company to produce a clean fuel in the future
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.
2007-11-27 19:47:40 · update #4
I think he's great
2007-11-27 19:53:18 · update #5
Yes, he has and he has worked really hard for it all and does a fair bit for charity too. Good for him!
2007-11-27 19:49:55 · answer #1 · answered by Yahoo 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Yes, although you have too look behind that and see that Branson only owns a minority stake in all the earlier Virgin branded services. You point out yourself he no longer owns Virgin Megastore.
Virgin Media, for example, is just a brand, underneath NTL and Telewest still exist they just trade with the Virgin logo and pay Branson for the privilege.
But that's me being churlish, it's almost as silly as aying he's a totla failure for not being Bill Gates rich!
2007-11-28 03:56:35 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, Sir Richard Branson has done extremely well and is an inspiration to others trying to accomplish more positive things with their lives.
2007-11-28 04:00:06 · answer #3 · answered by sunshine25 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
yes he has a natural ability to make money and i hear hes a nice guy though i dont agree with his support of the mccans, but then he can spend his money in which ever way he wants
2007-11-28 05:16:44 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
He might not be Bill Gates, but we can't really criticize. I mean, he's made more money than most of us probably ever will!
2007-11-28 06:26:25 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes he is an amazing bloke.Just goes to prove that anything is achievable if you set your mind to it.
2007-11-28 04:00:02 · answer #6 · answered by x Queen Bee x 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Like to be a pound behind him!! He has earned it and good luck to him. Nice geezer as well...
2007-11-28 03:54:08 · answer #7 · answered by comelucky96 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Think he would like to adopt some of us.-
a few of us might be a bit big for bouncing on the knees
but........................... LOL
2007-11-28 04:28:58 · answer #8 · answered by steven m 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
lets put it this way right place at right time
2007-11-28 04:02:51 · answer #9 · answered by ufo18 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋