From the Editor
- Richard Branson owes his fortune to a conglomerate of businesses bearing the "Virgin" brand name, including Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Galactic.
- The son of a barrister and flight attendant, Branson got his start with a mail-order record business some 50 years ago.
- He primarily lives on a luxe British Virgin Islands retreat, Necker Island, which he bought for $180,000 in 1978.
- Branson's rocket company Virgin Orbit, which went public in 2021 at a $4 billion valuation, went bankrupt in 2023 and sold its assets.
- His digital bank Virgin Money, his largest public holding, is set to sell to Nationwide later this year for more than $3.5 billion.
Wealth History
HOVER TO REVEAL NET WORTH BY YEAR
Forbes Lists
#1545
Personal Stats
- Age
- 74
- Source of Wealth
- Virgin, Self Made
- Residence
- Necker Island, British Virgin Islands
- Citizenship
- United Kingdom
- Marital Status
- Married
- Children
- 2
- Education
- Drop Out, High School
Did you know
When he sold Virgin Records for $1 billion in 1992, Branson ran down London's Ladbroke Grove crying, upset over parting with the business.
Branson suspended talks with Saudi Arabia over a proposed $1 billion investment into Virgin Galactic after the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
In Their Own Words
My biggest weakness in life is that I can't say no.
Richard Branson
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