Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (born 18 July 1950) is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies. His first business venture was a magazine at age 16 and has been an entrepreneur ever since; expanding his Virgin Records music label and launching Virgin Atlantic airways.
Branson has been involved with GEW since 2010, offering a trip to network with successful entrepreneurs on his private island as a grand prize to Startup Open contest winner. In 2012, Branson was a keynote speaker at the annual Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Liverpool, UK, where he inspired a crowd of 3,500 interested citizens, government leaders, university researchers, aspiring entrepreneurs and the media.