ANC (African National Congress), 51, 150, 152
Anderson, Chris, 349–50
Anderson, Richard, 198, 199
Andrewes, Artie (grandson), 2, 425, 434, 436, 442, 443
Andrewes, Etta (granddaughter), 2, 425, 434, 436, 442, 443
Andrewes, Freddie (son-in-law), 10–11, 250, 257–59, 282, 284, 289, 417, 418, 433, 434, 436
Annan, Kofi, 76–77, 153, 154, 160, 388
Ansari, Anousheh, 90, 317
Ansari XPRIZE, 83, 84, 86–90, 122, 165, 317
Ansett Australia, 24, 29–34, 69, 192
Apocalypse Now, 384
Apollo program, 12, 83, 335
Apple, 232, 261–63, 269, 302
Apprentice, The, 104, 108
Arctic, 143–45
Armitt, John, 171
Armstrong, Neil, 12, 121
Arriva, 45
Ascencia Winter Shelter, 230–31
Asia, 21
Atlantic, 167
Atlantic Ocean, 200–203, 212
Attenborough, David, 140, 277
Audacious Ideas, 349–53
Australia, 25, 140–41, 397, 430
Australian, 70
bail, 352
Bain Capital, 360
Baladi, Joseph, 336–37
Banda, Joyce, 386
Banister, Jessica, 187
Bardem, Javier, 268
Barrichello, Rubens, 224, 226, 227
Barron, Andrea, 146
Bartoli, Marion, 204–5
Basra, 77
Bastille, 276
Bay, James, 276
Bayliss, Josh, 173, 174, 177, 306, 338–39
BBC, 56, 132, 162, 180, 181, 183, 279, 296, 332
Beatrice, Princess, 214, 242
Becker, Boris, 246, 247
Beikmanis, Peter, 18
Berdych, Tomáš, 245
Berry, Ken, 260
Bezos, Jeff, 110–11, 219–20
Bhatt, Ela, 154
Bhubezi Community Health Center, 52, 152–53
Bieber, Justin, 217–18
Big Change, 241, 412–13
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 74
Billionaire’s Paradise: Inside Necker Island, 279–80
Binnie, Brian, 85, 88–89, 317
Black, Iain, 170
Blackwell, Eric, 125
Blair, Tony, 47, 72
Blakely, Sara, 104, 106, 107
Blanc, Raymond, 68
blogs, 235–36
Body Shop, 311
Boeing, 71, 81–82, 120, 126, 165
Bolger, Amanda, 32
Bolt, Usain, 231, 407
Bono, 274, 331, 351
Booth, Aaron, 292
Borghetti, John, 193
Bowie, David, 377–78
Bowker, Richard, 67
Boy George, 159, 274
Boyle, Danny, 262
Bradley, David, 167
Bradley, Katherine, 167
Brahimi, Lakhdar, 154
Branson, Bluey Rafe Richard (grandson), 2, 435, 436
Richard’s letter to, 441–45
Branson, Clare Sarah (daughter), 432–33
Branson, Edward (father), 12, 132–33, 212, 236, 248–54, 257, 259, 289, 357, 387, 399, 430, 435, 439
Branson, Eva-Deia (granddaughter), 2, 377, 379–80, 419, 434–36, 442, 443
Branson, Eve (mother), 138, 151–52, 203, 211–12, 253, 254, 257, 271, 273, 289, 290–92, 316–17, 331, 357, 377, 396, 415, 430, 434, 435, 439
Branson, Holly (daughter), 5, 10–11, 14, 62–64, 66, 136–38, 141–43, 174, 206, 214, 241, 244, 252–54, 256, 272, 273, 282, 284, 285, 289, 291, 298, 349–50, 361, 405, 412, 418, 419, 428, 433–37
in Atlantic sailing challenge, 200–203
Richard’s letters to, 436–37, 438–41
wedding of, 250, 257–59, 289
Branson, Joan (wife), 5, 10–13, 19, 45, 50, 52, 56, 57, 62–64, 66, 116, 138–39, 142, 165, 168, 174–75, 200–201, 205, 210, 229, 250–53, 256, 258, 259, 260, 272, 279, 280, 282, 284–88, 308, 353, 377, 390, 402, 407, 410, 417, 420, 425–26, 431–34, 436
blood clot of, 284–86
Richard’s letter to, 438–39
Branson, Richard:
ancestors of, 429–32
in Atlantic sailing challenge, 200–203, 212
ballooning of, 5–6, 25, 81, 82, 97, 106, 115, 201, 212, 221, 249, 277, 317, 357, 375, 431–32, 437, 438
British Virgin Islands as home of, 272, 397–99
close shaves of, 413, 449–58
cycling accident of, 413–15, 417, 444–45
export records sold by, 183
farewell letters of, 437, 438–41
fires experienced by, 35, 253–58, 273, 360
first marriage of, 284, 287
forgetfulness of, 415
grandchildren and, 2, 432–36
kitesurfing of, 115–18, 293, 362, 427
knighthood of, 55–57
Losing My Virginity, 1–2, 35, 42, 312, 440
as ordained minister, 95, 287–88
in school, 11, 232, 238–40, 305, 435–36
spaceflight training of, 211
world records of, 115, 116, 118
Branson, Sam (son), 5, 10, 11, 46, 63, 64, 90, 136–41, 143–45, 162, 174, 211, 241, 243, 244, 252–54, 256, 258, 272, 273, 282, 284, 285, 289, 298, 320, 324, 326, 349, 370, 377, 381, 405, 410, 416, 431–37
in Atlantic sailing challenge, 200–203
in kitesurfing challenge, 115–18
Richard’s letters to, 436–37, 438–41
in Virgin Strive Challenges, 203–7, 412–13, 416–19
wedding of, 288–89
Branson Centers of Entrepreneurship, 292–93
Braun, Scooter, 217, 218
Brawn, Ross, 223–26
Brawn GP, 223–27
Breaking the Taboo, 162
Breakthrough Energy Coalition, 166
Brexit, 396–409, 424
Bright, Mark, 186
Brightman, Sarah, 379–80
Brilliant, Larry, 147
Brin, Sergey, 371
British Airways (BA), 25, 102, 311
American Airlines and, 190–92, 197
London Eye and, 9
September 11 attacks and, 67
Virgin Atlantic and, 6, 8–10, 58, 134, 175, 189–90, 198, 260
British Rail, 41–44, 130, 311
British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB), 129, 131–34
British Virgin Islands (BVI), 293–94
Branson as resident of, 272, 397–99
Moskito Island, 114, 184, 280, 283, 293, 349–50, 353, 407, 426–28, 436, 438
Obamas in, 426–28
see also Necker Island
BRITS, 260, 261
Brockway, Jack, 253–54, 257, 273
Bronx Defenders Bail Project, 352
Brophy, Mike, 345
Broun, Heywood, 238, 247
Brown, Gordon, 182–84
Brown, Jon, 357
Brundtland, Gro Harlem, 154
Bryan, Mike, 247
BT, 15–16, 129, 134
B Team, 166–67
Bucknall, Matthew, 35–39, 49, 52, 244, 342, 343
Buffett, Jimmy, 246–47
Buffett, Warren, 107, 158
Bugg, Jake, 271
Bush, George W., 72, 77, 90
Business Travel Awards, 178
Business Traveller Awards, 102
Button, Jenson, 223–27
Byers, Stephen, 67
Cable, Vince, 182
Cable & Wireless Communications, 17
Calder, Jonath
an, 184
Calder, Simon, 411–12
Calthorpe, Isabella “Bellie,” 206, 282, 284, 288–89, 370, 377, 380, 419, 433–36
Calvert, Luanne, 346
Cameron, David, 172, 294–97, 396–98, 401–2, 405–8
Carbon War Room, 166–67
Cardoso, Fernando Henrique, 154, 160
Carey, Mariah, 274
Carphone Warehouse, 15
Carter, Jimmy, 147–49, 154, 421–22
Cartland, Barbara, 6
Challenger, 331
Chan, Priscilla, 369
Channel 4, 132, 328–29
Charles, Prince, 57
Chemical Brothers, 260
Cheong, C. K., 31
China, 5–6, 68, 182, 383, 384, 394
Chirac, Jacques, 158
Choi, Christine, 96, 233, 322, 346, 429
Christie, David, 10
Chung, Alexa, 278
Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), 189–90
Clarke, Helen, 111, 177, 235, 282, 321, 322, 414
Clarkson, Jeremy, 114
Cliff View House, 239–40
climate change, 143–45, 156–58, 164–67, 351, 390, 421, 422, 425, 428
Clinton, Bill, 157–58, 421–22
Clinton, Hillary, 103, 423, 424
Clinton Global Initiative, 157
Clooney, Amal, 391–92
Clooney, George, 392
CNN, 370
Coca-Cola, 38, 367
Cocker, Jarvis, 265
Cockle, Ted, 276
Cole, Lily, 278
Coleman, Chuck, 125
Collins, Phil, 271
Collins, Tony, 44, 47, 168–69, 174, 175
Competition Commission, 133
Condé Nast, 99, 359, 407
Control: Shift, 290, 291, 295
Cooke, Jeremy, 60
Cool, Kenton, 205
Corbyn, Jeremy, 410–12
Cox, Brendan, 401
Cox, Brian, 283–84, 289, 332, 381
Cox, Jo, 401
Cox, Sam, 235
criminal justice reform, 395, 421, 422, 425
death penalty, 392–95, 397, 421, 423, 424
cruises, 359–61
Cruz, Penelope, 268
Crystal Palace, 186
Cush, David, 98, 340, 346
Cyrus Capital, 339
Daft Punk, 260
Dahl, Sophie, 278
Daily, The, 232
Daily Express, 400
Daily Mail, 47, 280, 329, 330, 400
Daily Mirror, 232
Daily Telegraph, 361, 398, 400
Dainty, Paul, 267
Dalai Lama, 78, 428
Darfur, 155
Darling, Alistair, 183
Dean, Roger, 270
death penalty, 392–95, 397, 421, 423, 424
Death Penalty Focus, 394
Delta Air Lines, 193, 197–99, 344, 346
Department for Transport (DfT), 46, 172–78
Deutsche Telekom, 17, 60
Devereaux, Noah, 203, 205, 206, 412
Diamandis, Peter, 317
Diana, Princess, 299
Dixon, Geoff, 30–31, 70
Djokovic, Jelena, 245–46
Djokovic, Novak, 244–46
Dona, Emma, 235
Don’t Look Down, 431–32
Dornan, Saskia, 235
Dornan, Simon, 131
Douglas, Simon, 264
Doukas, Sarah, 277–78
Dre, Dr., 269
drugs, 158–64, 192, 295, 298, 397, 421, 422
Duffy, Simon, 128–30
EAA Oshkosh air show, 122
eBay, 349
Eddington, Rod, 67
EDF, 350, 352
Edwards, Jamal, 298
Elbow, 261
Elders, the, 75–76, 78–80, 146–55, 166, 192, 387–88, 423
Elizabeth II, Queen, 55–57, 214, 396, 428
Elliott, Jonno, 233, 310
Elliott, Nicki, 235
Elworthy, Scilla, 146–47
Emerson, Peter, 62
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 332
EMI, 55, 266
English Channel, 112–18
Enterprise, VSS, 214–16
accident of, 316–25, 326–34, 338–39, 378, 442
Entertainment UK, 264
entrepreneurs, 290–305, 310–12, 354–55, 421, 428
Equal Justice Initiative, 423
Esray, Bill, 21
Etihad Airways, 193, 195
Eugenie, Princess, 214
European Union (EU), 399–400
Brexit and, 396–409, 424
Evans, Gareth, 25
Evans, Tim, 284–85
Evening Standard, 405
Facebook, 236–37, 302, 312, 368–71
Fallin, Mary, 393
Farage, Nigel, 397, 400, 402
Farah, Mo, 173
Faria, Louella, 235
Farnborough Air Show, 218, 407–8
Fast Track, 15
Fast Track 100 awards, 298, 405
Fear, Bob, 233
Federal Aviation Administration, 99
Federer, Roger, 130, 244
Ferdinand, Rio, 173
Fernandes, Tony, 227–29
Field Guides Association of Southern Africa, 51
financial crisis of 2007–8, 158, 164, 179–81, 358, 425
Fincantieri, 360, 361
Finding Your Roots, 429–32
FirstGroup, 171–78
Fitzsinger, Keith, 125
Flannery, Tim, 165
Ford, Harrison, 377
Formula 1, 223–27
Fortune, 220
Fossett, Steve, 5, 82, 119–22
46664 concerts, 52
Fox, 104, 110
Fox, Nick, 174, 177, 181, 346, 401–2
Francis, Pope, 392
Freefest, 265–66
Friends, 91
Fry, Stephen, 173
Full Monty, The, 21
G8 Innovation Conference, 297
Gabriel, Peter, 75–76, 78–80, 146–48, 154, 260, 275
Gadhia, Jayne-Anne, 180–81, 186–87, 240, 307–8, 339, 340, 401–2
Galactic Unite, 99
Galifinakis, Zach, 2
Gates, Bill, 54, 73–75, 77, 107, 158, 166
Gates, Henry Louis, Jr., 429–30
Gates, Jennifer, 314–15
Gates, Melinda, 73–75, 77
Gates Foundation, 74
Gautronneau, Stephane, 116
Gibbs Aquada, 112–14
Giménez, Carlos A., 361
Gisin, Gene, 125
Giuliani, Rudy, 69
Giving Pledge, 107
Global Commission on Drug Policy, 158, 160–63
Global Entrepreneurship Congress, 292
Global Goals, 351
global warming, see climate change
Glossip, Richard, 392–94
GNER, 44, 354
Godfrey, Brett, 23–28, 30–32, 192–93
Gold, Caroline, 235
Goldman Sachs, 15, 184
Good Morning Britain, 403
Goodwin, Fred, 180
Google, 220, 293, 302, 366, 370, 371, 402
Google.org, 147
Gordon, Daniel, 432
Gore, Al, 143, 156–57, 165, 166
Gormley, Rowan, 180
Gove, Michael, 397, 402, 407
Grameen Bank, 292
GRAMMY award, 269
Grand Prix, 223–27
Green, Chris, 47
Green, Professor, 271
Greening, Justine, 172, 173
Grenier, Adrian, 418–19
Griffiths, Martin, 174
GTECH Corporation, 58
Guinness World Records, 113, 115, 116, 200, 202, 242
Gulf War, 73
Hale, Sue, 235
Hall, Ernestina, 295
Halliwell, Geri, 271
Hammond, Richard, 114
Hanks, Tom, 269
Hannah, Daryl, 390
Hansen, James, 165
Hargrave, Alexia, 235
Harm Reduction International, 162, 163
Hart, Christopher A., 323
Hasselhoff, David, 242
Hatfield rail crash, 44
Hawaiian Airlines, 193
Hawking, Stephen, 217, 337, 379, 380
Hayes, Robin, 344
Health & Racquet Club, 48–50, 52–53
health clubs, 37, 342
Health & Racquet Club, 48–50, 52–53
Healthland International, 49
LivingWell, 40
Virgin Active, see Virgin Active
Healthland International, 49
Hefner, Hugh, 280
Helm, Toby, 41–42
Henman, Tim, 245
Heshmati, Sam, 105
Hicks, Arthur, 243–44
Hill, Olivia, 300–302
Hinch, Derryn, 32
HIV/AIDS, 48, 51–52, 74, 149–52, 388
HMV, 264
Hockey, Joe, 195, 196
Hockney, David, 232, 301
Homans, Rick, 122
homelessness, youth, 230–31, 265–66
Houston, Whitney, 269
Hudson, Tim, 106
Humanity United, 147
Human Universe, The, 332
Huttner, David, 32
Ige, Ronke, 295
Imbruglia, Natalie, 241
Inconvenient Truth, An, 156
Indecent Advertisements Act, 57–58
Independent, 411–12
India, 68
Institute of Customer Service, 47
International Space Station, 331
internet, 231, 293, 424
OneWeb, 365–69, 372–73, 375
see also social media
Inuit, 143–44
iPad, 230–32
iPod, 261–62
Iraq, 73
Iraq War, 72–73, 75–78, 388
Ireland, 21, 403
Ireland, Sarah, 235
Ironwood Prison, 395
Italy, 43
ITV, 131–33
Ivens, Todd, 125
Izzard, Eddie, 173
Jackson, Janet, 276–77
Jackson, Zoe, 295
Jagger, Mick, 232, 266–68, 301
Japan, 41
JetBlue Airways, 27, 344–45
Jobs, Steve, 3, 261–62, 299
John, Elton, 299
Johnson, Boris, 245, 397, 400, 402, 407
Johnson, Lyndon B., 72
Jones, Harris, 58, 60