ABOUT US Our timeline Our story begins in 1967 when Richard launched Student magazine, aged 15. 1970s 1970 The Virgin brand is born. Virgin Mail Order starts selling cut price records in Student. 1971 Virgin opens its first record shop. 1972 Richard purchases a residence in Oxfordshire, England and uses it to open the first Virgin Records recording studio, called The Manor. The Sex Pistols, The Rolling Stones, Janet Jackson, The Smashing Pumpkins and The Spice Girls would all eventually appear on Virgin's label. Image from the Branson family 1973 Virgin Records and Virgin Music Publishing launch in the UK. Virgin Records later expands to the USA (1986). 1977 Virgin Records goes where all other major record labels fear to tread - like belting out “God Save The Queen” on Silver Jubilee day, opposite the Houses of Parliament. 1978 Richard purchases Necker Island, which later becomes his family home. 1979 The first Virgin Megastore opens. The brand later expands globally, including Japan (1990), the USA (1992), the Middle East (2001) and Australia (2002). Image from Barry Plumber Richard in the studio at The Manor | Image from the Branson family 1980s 1981 We get into gaming with Virgin Games (later to become Virgin Interactive), releasing video games for classic systems such as the Amiga, the ZX Spectrum, the Amstrad CPC and the C64. 1984 Virgin takes to the air for the first time, launching Virgin Atlantic. 1985 Virgin Holidays arrives. Not content with just getting people there in style, we want to keep them there in style. For around two weeks or so, anyway. Mates Condoms launches. A non-profit low-cost condoms company, it was aimed at young people to help combat the AIDS crisis. The Branson family 1986 Miami anyone? Virgin Atlantic buys another Boeing 747 to launches its second route from London Gatwick to Miami. 1987 The Virgin Airship and Balloon Company (later to become Virgin Balloon Flights) takes off. It becomes quite hard to keep Richard’s feet on the ground… Image from Virgin Balloon Flights Richard and family on Virgin Atlantic's inaugural flight | Image from the Branson family. 1990s 1991 Virgin Publishing is formed (later becoming Virgin Books). 1992 Virgin Records sells to Thorn EMI for $1 billion. 1993 We hit UK airwaves with Virgin Radio (which relaunches in 2015). Virgin later expands to open stations in Thailand (2002); India (2006); Italy (2007); France, Dubai, Turkey (2008); Jordan (2009); Canada (2010); Lebanon (2013); Indonesia (2015); Romania (2017); Oman and Switzerland (2018). 1994 Virgin Cola and Virgin Vodka launch as part of Virgin Drinks. 1995 Virgin Direct launches. Virgin Cinemas launches. Image from Virgin.com 1996 V2 Music, Virgin.net, Virgin Brides, and Virgin Express are born. The first V festival is held in the UK. It later expands to the USA and Canada (2006). Rock on. Virgin Trains launches and the following year is awarded a 15 year franchise for the West Coast Main Line route in the UK. Image from Virgin Trains 1997 The Virgin Cosmetics Company launches. Virgin Direct launches the Virgin One account with Royal Bank of Scotland. 1998 Virgin Books publishes Richard's first autobiography, Losing My Virginity. Image from Virgin.com 1999 Virgin Mobile launches in the UK. The brand later expands to Australia (2000); the USA (2002); Canada (2005); China, France, South Africa (2006); India (2008); Chile, Poland (2012); Colombia (2013); Mexico, Saudi Arabia (2014); UAE (2018). Virgin Active launches in the UK. The brand later expands to South Africa (2001); Italy (2004); Spain, Portugal (2006); Australia (2008); Singapore (2013); Thailand (2014). Image from Virgin Active Launching Virgin Radio UK | Image from Virgin.com Virgin Balloon Flights at Bristol Balloon Fiesta in 1995 | Image from Virgin Balloon Flights Richard launching Virgin Mobile | Image from Virgin Mobile. +2 images 2000s 2000 Richard receives a knighthood for services to entrepreneurship. Virgin Blue launches in Australia. Virginmoney.com, Virgin Cars, Virgin Energy, Virgin Student and Virgin Wines launch. Virgin Wines later expands from the UK to the USA (2010) and Australia (2011). Virgin Blue | Launching Australia's first low-cost airline Virgin Limited Edition launches with Ulusaba (South Africa), Necker Island (British Virgin Islands), and the Roof Gardens (UK). The portfolio later expands to Kasbah Tamadot (Morocco) in 2006; The Lodge (Switzerland) in 2007; Mahali Mzuri (Kenya) in 2013; Mont Rochelle (South Africa) in 2014 and Son Bunyola (Mallorca) in 2016. Image by Jonathan Cosh of Visual Eye 2001 Virgin Trains unveils its innovative Pendolino trains. Virgin Money is born after Virgin Direct merges with Virginmoney.com. It later expands to Australia (2002), South Africa (2006) and the USA (2008). Virgin Experience (later to become Virgin Experience Days) launches. After the tragic events of 9/11, the aviation industry enters a global slump. Most airlines cut back, but Virgin Atlantic invests more in customer experience - including commissioning a new Clubhouse at London Heathrow. Image from Virgin Trains 2002 - 2003 2002 Virgin Money's credit card launches in the UK. 2003 Virgin Atlantic introduces its 'Upper Class' suite, with innovative, fully flat beds - and unveils its new Clubhouse. Image from Virgin Atlantic 2004 Virgin Unite, the non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group, is founded to unite people and entrepreneurial ideas to create opportunities for a better world. Virgin Galactic, the world's first commercial spaceline, launches. Virgin Digital launches a download and subscription music service. Virgin Games launches Virgin Casino and Virgin Poker. Image from Virgin Galactic 2005 Virgin Unite incubates two initiatives in South Africa: Pride ’n’ Purpose and the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship, which later expands to Jamaica (2011). Image from Clare Louise Thomas | Virgin Unite 2006 Virgin Media is born from a merger of Virgin Mobile UK, Virgin.net and NTL Telewest. It later expands to Ireland (2015). Virgin Fuels (later to become Virgin Green Fund) launches. Two years later Virgin Atlantic is the first airline to fly a Boeing 747 using biofuel. Virgin Unite and partners open the Bhubezi Healthcare Clinic in South Africa. With Virgin Mobile USA, it also launches RE'Generation to support at-risk and homeless youth. Image from Tom Oldham | Virgin Media 2007 - 2009 2007 Virgin America launches. Virgin Health Miles (later to become Virgin Pulse) launches in the USA. Virgin Unite partners with Nelson Mandela and Graça Machel to form The Elders. 2008 V Australia and Virgin Healthcare launch. 2009 Virgin Money Giving launches. Virgin Racing launches its own Formula 1 team. Virgin Digital Help launches. Virgin Unite incubates the Carbon War Room (now merged with the Rocky Mountain Institute). Image from Jeff Moore | The Elders Branson family BA Can't Get It Up | Image from Virgin Atlantic. Nelson Mandela and Richard | Image from David Turnley. Virgin America safety video | Image from Virgin America. +3 images 2010s 2010 Holly and Sam Branson launch education charity Big Change at the Virgin Money London Marathon, breaking a world record with 32 friends linked together as a giant caterpillar. Virgin Produced makes its debut with science fiction thriller Limitless. Virgin Unite supports the launches of Galactic Unite and the Ocean Elders. Image from Virgin Money 2011 Virgin Australia is formed from the merger of Virgin Blue, V Australia, Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue. Richard joins the Global Commission on Drug Policy. Virgin Money UK acquires Northern Rock at the second attempt. Image from Virgin Money 2012 Virgin Care launches as a private provider for the NHS. Virgin Galactic announces orbital space-launch system LauncherOne, now part of Virgin Orbit. Virgin Pure launches. Virgin Trains loses - then regains - the West Coast Main Line route after successfully challenging the UK government decision in court. Image from Virgin Orbit 2013 Virgin StartUp launches. Virgin Galactic’s spaceship VSS Enterprise makes its first powered flight. Virgin Racing Formula E team launches. Virgin Unite and Richard partner with Jochen Zeitz to incubate The B Team. Image from Virgin StartUp 2014 - 2015 2014 A tragic accident during a Virgin Galactic test flight leads to the death of pilot Mike Alsbury. The incident was devastating to the whole team, but they vowed not to give up. 2015 Virgin Trains East Coast launches. Virgin Hotels' first property opens in Chicago. Virgin Group invests in OneWeb. Image from Virgin Hotels 2016 Ship ahoy! The Virgin Voyages brand is born. Virgin Sport is founded. Its first festival takes place the following year. Richard joins Breakthrough Energy Ventures. Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | Image from Virgin Voyages 2017 Virgin Orbit is founded. Not-for-profit foundation Unite BVI is founded. Virgin Group invests in Hyperloop One to create Virgin Hyperloop. Image from Virgin Orbit 2018 Virgin Books publishes Richard's second autobiography, Finding My Virginity. Virgin Money UK merges with CYBG. Virgin Pulse merges with RedBrick Health and acquires SimplyWell (formerly Viverae) to create the world’s leading employee-health platform. After a successful Virgin Galactic test flight, VSS Unity becomes the first vehicle built for commercial service to put people into space. Image from Virgin Galactic 2019 Virgin Hotels opens its second property in San Francisco, with further expansion planned across the USA (Dallas, Las Vegas, Nashville, New Orleans, New York) and beyond, including the UK (Edinburgh). Brightline unveils Virgin MiamiCentral Station as its Florida hub. Virgin Orbit conducts its first drop test successfully. Virgin Bet launches. Virgin Hotels Richard and the Virgin Unite team completing the first Virgin London Marathon | Image from Virgin.com Launching Virgin Australia | Image from Virgin Australia Envision Virgin Racing driver Sam Bird in 2015 | Image from Envision Virgin Racing. The V Festival crowd in 2015 | Image from Tom Oldham. VSS Unity glides home after its second supersonic flight in 2018 | Image from Virgin Galactic. Fiippo Vinardi The Everdene Rooftop Bar at Virgin Hotels San Francisco | Image from Virgin Hotels. +6 images 2020s 2020 Virgin turns 50, and Virgin by Design is published by Thames & Hudson to celebrate. Virgin Hotels Dallas and Virgin Hotels Nashville open. The Virgin Group responds to the COVID-19 pandemic. Richard turns 70. Image from Virgin.com. Contact Virgin Web Terms of Use Web Privacy Policy Web Cookie Policy Report a Scam Virgin Modern Slavery Statement Virgin Tax Strategy Statement Virgin Corporate Governance Virgin Group FAQs Newsletter “In order to grow, you must be able to let go.” Richard Branson © Virgin 2021. All rights reserved. Our website uses cookies We use cookies and similar technologies to personalise content, to provide you with relevant marketing, to enhance your user experience and to gain insight and track how you interact with us and our partners. Learn more in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. 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