Richard Branson

[LionHeart6]

Can’t believe there’s not a thread for him, I looked for ages but couldn’t find one for him at all! What does everyone think of him? I accept he’s very successful but I’ve always found him a little bit strange and crazy if I’m honest. I don’t know why, it’s just the vibe he gives off I think but it could just be me who thinks that. What do you all think of him?

 

[LionHeart6]

Anyone?

 

[Mcomics]

I think his your average eccentric man - think Howard Hughes too much money & no idea what to do with it.

 

[Skewbedu]

I was on a flight he was on once. All the Stewardesses had to put up with him coming up and putting his arm round their waist and being all matey with them.

Then he decided to go down the aisle trying to chat to passengers. I hid under a blanket.

 

[LionHeart6]

I think his your average eccentric man - think Howard Hughes too much money & no idea what to do with it.

Definitely got more money than sense!

I was on a flight he was on once. All the Stewardesses had to put up with him coming up and putting his arm round their waist and being all matey with them.

Then he decided to go down the aisle trying to chat to passengers. I hid under a blanket.

Wow This is what I mean, I’ve always found him a little bit strange/crazy to be honest!

 

[Piff paff puff]

Love his pickle (not a euphemism)

 

[Anastasia B]

I had a relative who worked for him for years,he was quite high up in the company and absolutely hated him with a passion. He said the persona on tv was literally for tv. He said no nice person ever becomes a multi millionaire, rarely are they decent people. I was surprised because he's usually the most relaxed, out going guy but hates Branson.

 

[PeteM]

He's known for being quite sleazy from what I've heard.

 

[Mark81]

I'm shocked he hasn't had a Me Too moment

He is known for his love of slim blondes, and in the early days of Virgin that's all he pretty much hired.

 

[Skewbedu]

Having observed him in close up it was a bit sleazy actually. I don't know why he has to put an arm round each stewardess as he spoke to them. Some probably weren't comfortable with that.

 

[Tatooine_legend1]

I had a relative who worked for him for years,he was quite high up in the company and absolutely hated him with a passion. He said the persona on tv was literally for tv. He said no nice person ever becomes a multi millionaire, rarely are they decent people. I was surprised because he's usually the most relaxed, out going guy but hates Branson.

Did he originally come from money? I'm sure I read that his parents, or at least his father, was well off and Richard basically had a big headstart financially. I mean, I know it's normally the case with rich people that their parents are either well off and well connected, or either one of those.

 

[Anastasia B]

I don't know I'll ask him at the next family advent. But that's really interesting if its true.

 

[ZeldaPinwheel]

His dad was a barrister and he got a bank loan from Coutts when he bought a manor house to turn into a recording studio. It's safe to say he didn't start from nothing.

 

[bottlewrapper]

I'm shocked he hasn't had a Me Too moment

He is known for his love of slim blondes, and in the early days of Virgin that's all he pretty much hired.

A school friend's dad worked for Virgin in the early days, and the uniform only came in a punishing size 10 (eighties size ten, not modern size 10).

Like Al Fayed, but with a cheery public image.

And don't forget, he's another one with his own island....

 

[LionHeart6]

I had a relative who worked for him for years,he was quite high up in the company and absolutely hated him with a passion. He said the persona on tv was literally for tv. He said no nice person ever becomes a multi millionaire, rarely are they decent people. I was surprised because he's usually the most relaxed, out going guy but hates Branson.

Doesn’t surprise me to be honest! Millionaires are never nice people!

 

[OoolongGaboolong]

I knew someone who worked for the tabloids and he said they had files on various celebs who where known for their philandering. He said they had very thick files on several high profile people. One of the names he mentioned was Branson.

 

[LionHeart6]

I knew someone who worked for the tabloids and he said they had files on various celebs who where known for their philandering. He said they had very thick files on several high profile people. One of the names he mentioned was Branson.

I always thought he seemed strange and sleazy!

 

[Reverend]

Private Eye has always hinted about his business affairs not being exactly transparent.

I knew someone who worked at Virgin records. He said that the real driving force was Bransons cousin, and perhaps that can be proved that after Branson sold Virgin records to EMI he started another label called V2 which he ended up flogging after 10 years because it was running at loss.

 

[Piff paff puff]

I always thought he seemed strange and sleazy!

I think the fact he named his business 'virgin' would bear that out

 

[Mark81]

I think the fact he named his business 'virgin' would bear that out

Possibly. It's very tongue in cheek British humour though when he was the new guy on the block and doing things differently to everyone else. It's pretty clever branding, and it worked in the still quite stuffy 80s.

But yeah it could also have a darker meaning for him.