Branson: Behind the Mask (36 page)

‘“The Rogue and Virgin brands seem …”’
Daily
Mail,
31 January 2013.

‘“I always wanted Virgin to be a strong model …”’ Richard Branson,
Screw
Business
as
Usual
(Virgin Books), pp. 16,
24.

‘Their disagreements became vicious …’ In its first year it had a turnover of £159,000 and lost £322,000.

‘“The Age of People”, he wrote …’ Richard Branson,
Screw
Business
as
Usual
(Virgin Books), p. 255.

‘“Too many business leaders”, he wrote in his book …’ ibid., p. 4; Showbiznews, 27 September 2012.

‘“Traders appear to think Virgin Media shares …”’
Wall
Street
Journal,
8 September 2010.

‘The gloomy speculation reflected …’
Daily
Telegraph,
29 July 2010.

‘Similarly, the rate charged by Virgin …’
Daily
Telegraph,
16 January 2010.

‘“This is simply not credible,” protested Virgin …’
Guardian,
9 August 2012.

‘In a bidding war, BT bought …’
The
Times,
November 2012.

‘“We will always be a leader in this space …”’
Daily
Telegraph,
19 January 2009.

‘The script was pure Bransonian …’ 18 November 2010.

‘In 2011, Ofcom reported that 22 per cent …’
Daily
Mail,
27 November 2011.

‘The streets, the ASA reported …’ 31 October 2012.

‘Next, Virgin was criticised for misleading …’ Press Association, 9 May 2012.

‘Posing as a sixties hippy …’
New
York
Times,
6
March 2012.

‘Next, he again pledged to spend $300 million …’ 15 February 2012.

‘Branson made a new announcement …’
Financial
Times,
15 October 2012.

‘To execute that transition …’
Aviation
News,
18 May 2013.

‘The media, briefed by Virgin’s publicists …’ Reuters, 19 May 2009.

Branson would say that Virgin Trains’ profits …’
Guardian,
21 June 2013; ‘The Great Train Robbery’, TUC report, 10 June 2013, p. 51 (http://www.tuc.org.uk/greattrainrobbery).

‘The irrefutable truth was that after raising ticket prices …’ Roy McNulty, ‘Realising the Value of GB Rail’. According to the report, Virgin’s profits rose after 2008 from 6.6
per cent to 10 per cent. In 2010, Virgin’s profit per employee was £23,185. The following year, Virgin’s premium payment increased according to the contract by £107 million and its subsidy was reduced by one-third, yet the company’s profit per employee was still £19,132.

‘Branson personally banked £17.8 million …’
Sunday
Times,
3 July 2011.

‘Although in public Branson spoke about Virgin Trains …’ ‘The Great Train Robbery’, TUC report, 10 June 2013, p. 30 (http://www.tuc.org.uk/greattrainrobbery).

‘In America, he mentioned his train company …’ 17 November 2010.

‘and during a visit to India, he said that …’
India
Times,
26 October 2012.

‘One particular advertisement featuring Branson …’
Guardian,
6
May 2009.

‘Virgin, Branson told his guests at Euston …’ 7 December 2011.

‘… Branson did not mention that his profits …’
The
Times,
3 August 2012.

‘Some were hired by Virgin to monitor …’ Laidlaw Report into Lessons Learned from the West Coast Competition, House of Commons HC809, 6
December 2012, 7.17.2, 7.17.3.

‘In February 2012, Furze-Waddock was quietly …’ ibid., 3.2 and 4.12.

‘During more conversations in March …’ ibid., 4.25 and 4.23.

‘In reply, an official explained …’ ibid., 4.107.

‘Leaks to Virgin about the deteriorating situation …’ ibid., 5.17.

‘Then, minutes after leaving the building …’
Sunday
Times,
7 October 2012.

‘None of Virgin’s rival bidders …’ Laidlaw Report into Lessons Learned from the West Coast Competition, House of Commons HC809, 6 December 2012, 3.12, 7.26.5.

‘Virgin had bid conservatively …’
Guardian,
18 August 2012.

‘After the meeting, the officials were warned …’ Laidlaw Report into Lessons Learned from the West Coast Competition, House of Commons HC809, 6 December 2012, 4.73, 4.27 and 4.55, 4.64.4.

‘Thereafter, the department’s officials …’ ibid., 4.80.

‘The officials’ behaviour was later criticised …’ ibid., 4.82 and 7.14.

‘“There is clear blue water” between …’ ibid., 4.75.

‘In a continuing barrage of letters and telephone calls …’ ibid., 4.105.

‘Unknown to Cameron, the transport officials …’ ibid., 4.95.

‘Remarkably, at the same time, Theresa Villiers …’ ibid., 4.106 and 4.110.

‘The final decision, Branson suggested, should …’ ibid., 4.114.

‘FirstGroup, he howled to journalists …’
Daily
Telegraph,
25 August 2012.

‘“We said we’d spend £800 million on new trains …”’
Daily
Mirror,
1 November 2012.

‘Among them was a commitment to start direct services …’ 4 September 2012.

‘“Had Virgin won the bid …”’ 28 August 2012.

‘The department’s officials, he said, had given privileged information …’
Daily
Mail,
5 October 2012.

‘A subsequent investigation would find no evidence …’ Laidlaw Report into Lessons Learned from the West Coast Competition, House of Commons HC809, 6 December 2012, 2.6.

‘… could not compete with a global star who had recently boasted …’
GQ,
October 2010.

‘Innocently, McLoughlin ignored the accusations …’ 12 September 2012.

‘Evidence of the fractured personal relationships …’
Daily
Telegraph,
26 November 2012.

‘A measure of his victory was reflected …’
Financial
Times,
14 October 2012.

‘Fearful of the idol, McLoughlin decided …’ 6
December 2012.

‘“Rumour has it we’ve landed quite …”’
Financial
Times,
14 October 2012.

‘“Richard Branson and Virgin have been …”’
Guardian,
18 July 2012.

‘The idea that he had the money or expertise …’
New
York
Post,
17 May 2006, 10 August 2007

Neither agency could value the Virgin label because …’
Guardian,
18 July 2012.

‘“We are considered pioneers …”’
Business
News,
9 May 2013.

‘“I’d be very disappointed if we’re not up and away …”’
Guardian,
18 July 2012.

‘Among the detailed specifications was Virgin’s …’

parabolicarc.com, 4 January 2013.

‘Euphorically, Branson told Abu Dhabi radio …’ KRQE Albuquerque, quoting interview on Abu Dhabi radio,

‘Virgin’s experts dismissed those concerns …’ Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 7 May 2013.

‘Scaled described the explosion as an intentional …’ 20 May 2013.

‘On 9 July, the FAA had reissued an order …’
Federal
Register,
18 July 2013, vol. 78, no. 138, p. 42,994.

‘But Branson’s boasts that the private space industry …’ RB at Global Financial Leadership conference at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples Beach, 13 November 2012.

‘The airline was about to announce an annual loss …’
The
Times,
31 August 2013.

‘“Consumers”, said Branson without embarrassment …’
The
Times,
12 December 2012.

‘The appointment was a blow to the internal candidates …’
Sunday
Telegraph,
13 January 2013;
Guardian,
17 May 2013.

‘Walsh replied, “I don’t think £1 million …”’
Guardian,
12 December 2012.

‘In December 2013, Virgin revealed …’
Guardian,
12 December 2013.

Aabar Investments,
1
,
2
,
3

Abbott, Trevor,
1

Absa Bank,
1

Adams, Mark,
1
,
2
,
3

Advani, Asheesh,
1
,
2

Advertising Standards Authority (ASA),
1
,
2

Aetatis,
1

Air France,
1
,
2
,
3

Air New Zealand,
1

Airbus,
1
,
2
,
3

Alaska Airlines,
1

Aldrin, Edwin ‘Buzz’,
1

Alexander, Douglas,
1

Alexander, Tom,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4

Alitalia,
1

Allen, Paul,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4

Alstom,
1

AltAir Fuels,
1

Amazon (company),
1

American Airlines,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4

American
Idol
(US TV series),
1

AMP,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4

Anderson, Christine,
1

Angel Trains,
1

Annan, Kofi,
1
,
2
,
3

Ansari X Prize,
1

Ansett Australia,
1

Apple,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4
,
5
,
6
,
7
,
8

Apple iPad,
1
,
2
,
3

The
Apprentice
(US TV series),
1
,
2
,
3

Armitt, John,
1

Armstrong, Neil,
1

Arriva,
1
,
2
,
3

Assura Medical,
1

Attenborough, Stephen,
1

Ausra,
1

Aviation Environment Federation,
1

Barings Bank,
1

Barrichello, Rubens,
1

Batchelor, Paul,
1

Batra, Gaurav,
1
,
2

Baxby, David,
1
,
2

Bayliss, Josh,
1

Bay
watch
(TV series),
1

BBC,
1

Beatrice, Princess,
1

Bell Mobility,
1

Berg, Eric,
1

Berkett, Neil,
1
,
2
,
3

Bermuda Agreement (1976),
1

Bezos, Jeff,
1

Bieber, Justin,
1

Big Pictures,
1

Bigelow, Robert,
1

Biofuel Watch,
1

Bishop, Michael,
1

Black Canyon Capital,
1

Blair, Cherie,
1

Blair, Tony

as adviser to Khosla,
1

and Climate Group,
1
,
2

closeness to RB,
1

endorses Schwarzenegger,
1

guest at Necker and Ulusaba,
1

guest at Pendolino naming,
1

and Murdoch,
1

and private NHS contractors,
1
,
2

RB’s Concorde demand,
1

Blue Origin,
1
,
2

BMI,
1
,
2

Boeing,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4

Bolt, Usain,
1
,
2
,
3

Booth, John,
1
,
2
,
3

Borghetti, John,
1
,
2

Bost, Eric,
1

Boulter, Willy,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4
,
5

Bowker, Richard,
1
,
2
,
3

Boy George,
1
,
2

Boyd, Peter,
1
,
2

BP,
1
,
2
,
3

Bradford, Travis,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4

Branson, Edward (father),
1

Branson, Eve (mother),
1
,
2
,
3
,
4
,
5

Branson, Holly (daughter)

booked on first space flight,
1

at Mojave,
1

and
The
Project,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4

at rail dinner,
1

RB’s succession plan,
1
,
2

and Virgin Care,
1
,
2
,
3

Branson, Joan (wife),
1
,
2

Branson, Sir Richard

adventurer

deep-sea diving,
1

round-the-world balloon trips,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4
,
5

speedboats,
1

transatlantic sailing record,
1

businessman

for
specific
Virgin
entries
see
Virgin Group
and
other
Virgin companies

appeals to regulators,
1

‘bending or breaking the rules’,

betrayal of associates,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4

bidding low,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4
,
5

delegation,
1
,
2

exploiting vulnerable targets,
1

failed lottery bid,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4
,
5

fails to defeat tycoons,
1

Far East tour with Brown,
1

five secrets to success,
1

gambling venture,
1

as genial English toff,
1

as iconic model,
1

knowledge of PFS conspiracy,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4

lack of technical know-how,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4
,
5
,
6

luck,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4

as media mogul,
1

‘memory’ for detail,
1

more loved than loathed,
1
,
2
,
3

no grasp of details,
1

others pay,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4
,
5
,
6
,
7
,
8
,
9

recruiting advisers,
1
,
2

retains
Tubular
Bells
rights,
1
,
2

solving unemployment,
1

spotting partners,
1
,
2
,
3

supports StartUp Britain,
1

as underdog,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4
,
5
,
6
,
7

as victim,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4

the Virgin family,
1
,
2

see
also
Screw
Business
as
Usual

character

acting,
1
,
2

bad loser,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4
,
5

behaviour with women,
1
,
2

Cable questions,
1
,
2

charm,
1
,
2

competitive urge,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4

concealing embarrassment,
1

confidence,
1

destroying others’ reputations,

divorced from reality,
1
,
2

fails to reward friends,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4

gloating,
1
,
2
,
3

lacks flamboyance,
1
,
2

love of litigation,
1
,
2

lying,
1

at Monaco GP,
1

as Peter Pan,
1

secrecy,
1
,
2

self-mythologising,
1

sitting at top table,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4
,
5
,
6
,
7

undeterred by setbacks,
1
,
2

unsympathetic to failure,
1
,
2
,
3

fantasies and hyperbole

A380 non-delivery,
1

anti-BA-AA merger war chest,
1

building oil refinery,
1

Clinton Global Initiative

donation,
1

doubling Virgin Money’s customers,
1

ease of winning F1,
1
,
2

flies economy,
1

F1 investment rescues world

economy,
1

organising Stones gigs,
1

space forecasts,
1
,
2

success of businesses,
1

Virgin Cola’s sales,
1

Virgin Mobile profits,
1

and Formula One

‘addicted’ to,
1

advocates clean fuels,
1
,
2

Brawn stops conversations,
1

Button’s girlfriend incident,
1

Ecclestone attempts to lure,
1
,
2

Ecclestone on,
1

on global effects of,
1

uncommitted over Brawn,
1

value of Brawn’s victories,
1
,
2

hippy and party-guy

business technique as teenager,
1

drug use,
1
,
2

F1 lifestyle,
1
,
2

hippy era as past,
1

masking Trump-like character,
1
,
2
,
3

partying on Necker,
1

as veteran Vietnam critic,
1

Virgin Atlantic parties,
1
,
2

and Virgin brand,
1
,
2

and politics

Commons transport committee meeting,
1

complains to Cameron over West Coast line,
1
,
2
,
3

disdain for Cameron,
1

disillusionment with,
1

lectures politicians on Virgin

Trains,
1
,
2

objects to Murdoch’s ITV stake,
1
,
2

Prescott criticises,
1

proximity to Obama,
1
,
2

seeks action on oil cartel,
1

self-promotion comes naturally,
1

switches from Labour to Tories,
1

publicist

abseils in New Mexico,
1

anti-Murdoch rhetoric,
1

Bollywood-style in Mumbai,
1

Bolt as RB,
1
,
2
,
3

bungee jump in Vegas,
1

Columbus film plan,
1

dangles ‘nude’ from crane,
1

drinks coconut/palm oil at Heathrow,
1

exploding cage in Toronto,
1

as face of Virgin Care,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4

and failed national lottery bid,
1

film and TV appearances,
1
,
2

‘free publicity’ of space flight,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4

hyperbole in US,
1

image as a hindrance,
1

interview technique,
1

misleading advertising,
1

newspaper advert on Northern

Rock,
1

photo-shoot in Euston,
1

The
Project
guerrilla stunt,
1