Richard Branson is a British entrepreneur known for his philanthropic projects and his taste for adventure.

He is the founder and chairman of Virgin Group Ltd., a conglomerate of separately run companies that includes radio stations, airlines, and mobile phones. The Virgin Group now owns around 200 companies in over 30 countries. Virgin also plans to launch commercial space flights over the next few years in a venture called Virgin Galactic. Branson’s involvement in social and environmental projects includes the Virgin Green Fund, the Carbon War Room, and the global leadership council called The Elders.

Branson was born in 1950 in Surrey, England, and was educated at Stowe School, where he established a national magazine, Student, at the age of 16. He is married with two children and lives in London and Oxfordshire.