Who founded the Virgin Group?

Richard Branson founded the Virgin Group.

Branson’s entrepreneurial career began in 1967, when he launched Student, a magazine aimed at young people. In 1970, he and Nik Powell started a mail-order record business called Virgin, selling discounted records through advertisements in the magazine. That venture developed into record shops and then Virgin Records, creating the foundation for the broader Virgin brand.

Virgin Records became a major independent music company, releasing albums such as Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells and signing prominent artists. Branson later extended the brand into airlines, telecommunications, finance, travel, health, media, and space ventures. Virgin Atlantic, launched in 1984, became one of the group’s most recognizable businesses.

A frequent misunderstanding is that Branson personally founded every company carrying the Virgin name. In reality, the Virgin Group is a collection of businesses and investments, often created with partners or separate management teams. Branson is correctly identified as the group’s founder and the central figure behind its brand and expansion.