List of Richard Branson's business ventures

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

Contents

[edit] 1960s

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

[edit] 1970s

[edit] 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 "The Music Channel", 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.

[edit] 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 Trains is launched
  • 1997 - Virgin Radio is acquired by Chris Evans
  • 1997 - Virgin Cosmetics launches
  • 1999 - Virgin Mobile launches Virgin's first telecoms venture

[edit] 2000s

[edit] See also

[edit] External links