Richard Branson
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Richard Branson

Richard Branson
Richard Branson
The latest news on Richard Branson, English business magnate and co-founder of Virgin, including celebrity news and updates.
Born
18 Jul 1950
Industry
Business
Job Title
Businessman
Richard Branson and his wife, Joan, attend an event in Beverly Hills in February 2016. Photo: TNS
Obituaries

Joan Branson, wife of British billionaire Richard Branson, dies at 80

The Virgin Atlantic founder called his spouse his best friend, rock, and his guiding light in a social media post about her death.

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France

Prince Harry, Meghan join calls to halt AI surpassing human intelligence

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Tourism

How much is a trip to space? Virgin Galactic eyes price rise for 2026

Wellness

Dyslexia is ‘a superpower’. Learn how to use it to become successful

Dyslexic billionaire Richard Branson has launched free courses for people to learn how to harness dyslexic thinking and make it an asset.

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(From left) Tom Cruise, Steve Jobs, Jennifer Aniston and Jamie Oliver have dyslexia. Sir Richard Branson, who is also dyslexic, has launched DyslexicU, offering free courses for people to learn how to harness dyslexic thinking. Photo: AFP, AP
Tourism

Got US$600,000? Virgin Galactic looks for space tourists in Asia

Virgin Galactic is now discreetly soliciting interest in Asia for its space tourism flights, which will restart on new spaceships in 2026

Hong Kong economy

Editorial | Those with special needs are capable of adding special value

With the right support, Hong Kong employers can reap the benefits as seen by the likes of entrepreneur Richard Branson and Olympic champion Simone Biles.

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Cinema

Filmmaker Thomas Over on driving a food truck across the Philippines

How the Hong Kong-born filmmaker came to drive 1,000km across the Philippines, cooking free meals for strangers

“We wanted to mesh the two ideas of giving back and going on an adventure,” said filmmaker Thomas Over. Photo: Handout
Music

How Beyoncé, ‘non-dom’ tax, made Paul McCartney UK’s first billionaire musician

McCartney wealth is estimated at US$1.26 billion, partly due to government plans to scrap the ‘non-dom tax status’ where people do not pay tax on overseas earnings, and Beyoncé covering a Beatles’ song, the Sunday Times Rich List said.

Singapore

Most Singaporeans support putting drug traffickers to death, law minister says

A Home Affairs Ministry survey conducted last year found 69 per cent of respondents agreed that the mandatory death penalty was appropriate, K. Shanmugam told parliament.

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Millionaires and billionaires

Who is Ankur Jain, the 34-year-old just-married Bilt Rewards billionaire?

Jain is only 34, but he’s already worth US$1.2 billion thanks to his successful company Bilt Rewards, and he’s just spent big on a lavish Egyptian wedding – here’s what you need to know

Bilt Rewards CEO Ankur Jain and Erika Hammond just married in a stunning Cairo ceremony in front of the Great Pyramids. Photos: @ankurjain/Instagram
Lunar New Year

Chinese horoscopes for February 2024: what will Fire Tiger month bring?

The first month of the Chinese calendar and Wood Dragon year is represented by the Tiger, whose representatives include Marilyn Monroe, Jim Carrey and Karl Marx

The Chinese zodiac consists of 12 different animals. Photos: SCMP Graphics
Luxury travel

Richard Branson’s private Necker Island paradise – now available to book

The Virgin Group founder’s exclusive hideaway has hosted celebrities like Barack Obama, Harry Styles, and Kate Winslet – and now individual rooms are available to book for the first time too

Aviation

Jetliner makes first-ever transatlantic flight with low-carbon fuel

Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787 flight from London to New York was powered without using fossil fuels, relying on so-called sustainable aviation fuel made up largely of tallow and other waste fats.

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Millionaires and billionaires

Move over, Mar-a-Lago: billionaire Ken Griffin’s epic property portfolio

Citadel exec Ken Griffin manages over US$60 billion and is the 36th richest person in the world – now he’s building the biggest estate in Florida, which will dwarf Donald Trump’s signature resort

Per Forbes, Citadel exec Ken Griffin has an estimated net worth of US$35 billion and is the 40th richest person as of writing. The billionaire has made several record-breaking purchases for expensive homes in Chicago, Manhattan and Palm Beach – and could one day be King Charles’ neighbour. Photos: Getty/Gold Coast Realty
Royalty

10 most expensive Princess Diana items sold at auction since her death

From a Garrard cross bought by Kim Kardashian for almost US$200,000 to a Warm & Wonderful jumper she wore to one of then-Prince Charles’ polo games – which Diana item fetched the most at auction?

Princess Diana’s black sheep jumper on display at Sotheby’s auction house on July 17 ahead of its sale. Photo: AFP
Space

Virgin Galactic flies its first tourists to the edge of space

The passengers, who got to experience a few minutes of weightlessness, included ex-UK Olympian Jon Goodwin and a mother-daughter duo from the Caribbean.

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Tourism

9 of the world’s most beautiful lakes to see, from Canada to Italy to China

From Italy’s Lake Como, where Hollywood stars including George Clooney have villas, to monster hunters’ favourite Loch Ness, and Dal Lake, in India’s Himalayas, we survey 9 of the world’s most beautiful lakes.

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Tourism

Why Bezos, Branson’s risky adventures aren’t what most wealthy tourists want

The likes of Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic and OceanGate have made daring adventures available to the ultra-rich but, unlike Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson, most wealthy travellers prefer exclusivity without the risk.

Richard Branson likes to hang off skyscrapers, and his company Virgin Galactic takes the ultra rich to space. But these aren’t the preferences of your average wealthy traveler. Photo: Twitter / @richardbranson
Space

Virgin Galactic takes its first paying customers to space

The Galactic 01 mission took Italian Air Force pilots 85km above sea level, where they enjoyed several minutes of weightlessness.

Crime

Letters | Consensus on death penalty must be reached through dialogue

Readers discuss the international reaction to the hanging in Singapore of a man convicted of a drug offence, nations’ failure to prioritise peace, and the Hong Kong equality watchdog’s sensitivity to potential discrimination.

Singapore

Singapore executes citizen for conspiracy to smuggle 1kg of cannabis

Tangaraju Suppiah, 46, was hanged at Changi Prison Complex on Wednesday. His execution came despite a concerted local and international effort to persuade the Singapore government to grant him clemency.

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The Merlion statue is pictured at Marina Bay in Singapore. Photo: AFP
Singapore

Singapore slams Branson over death penalty critique; UN urges against execution

Singapore criticised UK billionaire Richard Branson for saying authorities ‘may be about to kill an innocent man’ over one kilogram of cannabis, stating his remarks were ‘patently untrue’, and the guilt of Tangaraju Suppiaht had been proven beyond reasonable doubt.

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Photo: AP
Singapore

Branson says Singapore ‘may be about to kill innocent man’ over 1kg of drugs

Tangaraju Suppiah is expected to be hanged on Wednesday for a 2017 conviction, but billionaire Richard Branson said the case against Tangaraju was circumstantial and that Singapore ‘may be about to kill an innocent man’.

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Singapore

Family of Singapore man due to be hanged over cannabis pleads for mercy

Tangaraju Suppiah was sentenced to death for conspiring to smuggle 1kg of cannabis and will die on Wednesday unless the authorities change position. In some nations, including Thailand, cannabis has been decriminalised.

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Japan

Blow to Japan’s space dreams after Virgin Orbit bankruptcy

Two Japanese companies emerged as among the top six creditors when UK billionaire Richard Branson’s space company went bankrupt this week.

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Virgin Orbit, the satellite launch company founded by Richard Branson that has filed for bankruptcy, owes money to two Japanese firms. Photo: EPA-EFE
Malaysia

Mercy for whom? Malaysians split over scrapping of mandatory death penalty

Malaysia’s move has raised hopes other Southeast Asian countries can follow suit.

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A motorcyclist is seen between barbed wire fence at the entrance of Sungai Buloh Prison in Malaysia. Photo: EPA-EFE
Art

Space was his escape: now this Hong Kong artist uses it to mock consumerism

Artist Ernest Chang’s Hong Kong show, the result of his obsession with Mars and the notion of escape during the pandemic, explores space and our unhealthy relationship with consumerism.

Singapore

Singapore lawyer who defended death row inmates slapped with 5-year suspension

Ravi had made allegations of improper conduct by prosecutors after he helped a Malaysian drug convict escape the gallows on review.

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