Richard Branson

“I believe in benevolent dictatorship provided I am the dictator.”

“Taking bold action on climate change simply makes good business sense. It's also the right thing to do for people and the planet. Setting a net-zero GHG emissions target by 2050 will drive i...”

“I think it's quite great to set yourself a big challenge, and then you've got another reason for keeping fit.”

“If you are a small company taking on a big company, you need to have a sense of humor.”

“There's no point in starting a business unless you're going to make a dramatic difference to other people's lives. So if you've got an idea that's gonna make a big difference to other people...”

“I live half the year on Necker, a tiny island in the Caribbean, and it's always full of people in party mode. Everyone comes up to the big house, and we'll be dancing until the early hours t...”

“Like getting into a bleeding competition with a blood bank.”

“My favorite mode of transport is hot-air ballooning. It's so graceful to be blown by the wind, to go where the wind takes you.”

“I suppose Virgin is an unusual brand in that I suspect we're the only 'way of life' brand in the world. We're one of maybe the top 30 best known brands in the world, yet if you look at the o...”

“I'm not sure how I'd survive without English Breakfast tea. Even in the Caribbean, I must drink 20 cups a day.”

“My early business ventures included growing Christmas trees and breeding birds.”

“We are going to transform Britain's rail system from the worst in the world to the best. If you can do a few things like that, when the body gives out, you can say you've lived a good life.”

“The true cost to the world of a burger is far greater than the money you hand over to buy it.”

“Business opportunities are like buses, there's always another one coming.”

“People from all over the world come to London wanting to make their own mark on it, and they add to the energy and vitality of the capital. It's got a bit busier since the '60s, but the more...”

“Every successful businessman will have experienced set-backs and failures - they're lying if they say they haven't. Virgin has had some tremendously successful businesses and some that have...”

“In this digital age, it doesn't really matter if you are in Canary Wharf or the Caribbean; there are opportunities waiting to be grasped by entrepreneurs.”

“I'm a bit like the Queen in that I don't carry much cash.”

“I love travelling full stop - so while I've had some harrowing instances, I never look at them negatively. Memories are made when you're travelling - not when you're chained to your desk.”

“You should not build your customer service system on the premise that your organisation will never question the whims of your clients.”