Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, has built one of the world’s most irresistible brands and has expanded into many diverse sectors from travel to telecommunications, health to banking and music to leisure. There are now more than 60 Virgin companies worldwide, employing approximately 71,000 people in 35 countries. Since establishing Virgin Atlantic in 1984, he has become the only person to build 12 billion dollar companies in eight different sectors. Branson has also found entrepreneurial ways to provoke positive change in the world. In 2004 he established non-profit foundation Virgin Unite to tackle tough social and environmental problems and strives to make business a force for good. Most of his time is now spent working with Virgin Unite and organisations it has incubated, such as The Elders, Carbon War Room/Rocky Mountain Institute, The B Team and The Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship. He also serves on the Global Commission on Drug Policy and supports ocean conservation with the Ocean Elders and Ocean Unite. Richard was awarded a knighthood in 1999 for services to entrepreneurship. He has also written eight books, including autobiographies Losing My Virginity and Finding My Virginity.