Branson: Behind the Mask (34 page)

‘In its first year, Eurostar carried …’ Tom Bower,
Branson
(HarperCollins), p. 199.

‘Instead, he relied on a consultants’ report …’
Guardian,
1 April 2004.

‘The pugnacious politician had already condemned …’ Tom Bower,
Branson
(HarperCollins), p. 292.

‘With skill, Virgin’s executives …’ 21 March 2007.

‘“Richard broke my back,” he recorded …’ Tom Bower,
Branson
(HarperCollins), p. 270.

‘Despite Branson’s denunciation of those who …’ ibid., p. 206.

‘Virgin’s annual management fees …’
Daily
Telegraph,
19 June 2009.

‘His philosophy had become famous …’ Tom Bower,
Branson
(HarperCollins), p. 204.

‘Branson was furious about AMP’s decision …’ Reuters, 4 December 2002.

‘In
Screw
Business
as
Usual,
Branson described Virgin Money …’ Richard Branson,
Screw
Business
as
Usual
(Virgin Books, 2011), p. 131.

‘His best idea was to launch a Virgin credit card …’ 12 May 2003.

‘Unlike AMP, Westpac refused …’
Sydney
Morning
Herald,
28 July 2010.

‘Branson had taken a punt …’
The
Australian,
12 January 2006.

‘Four months later, before he had actually …’ Reuters, 18 March 2004;
Australian
Financial
Review,
12 August and 18 October 2004.

‘The joint venture to provide insurance …’ Dow Jones, 26 June 2006.

‘Over the next five years, he added …’
Wall
Street
Journal,
15 October 2007.

‘The government’s loan to the bank …’ Alistair Darling,
Back
from
the
Brink
(Atlantic, 2011), p. 26.

‘Days later, the prime minister announced …’ Dow Jones, 26 November 2007.

‘“We have made it clear …”’
Guardian,
30 November 2007.

‘Just before leaving from London …’ Dow Jones, 17 January 2008.

‘Cable returned to the attack. He described Branson’s bid …’
Financial
Times,
13 December 2007.

‘“There are serious public-interest grounds …”’
Daily
Mail,
9 February 2008.

‘Virgin’s bid, advised the government’s bankers …’ 21 February 2008.

‘Branson cursed that Brown …’ Agence France-Presse, 15 September 2008.

‘Two days later, a huge wave …’
Wall
Street
Journal,
23 October 2008.

‘He added, unsmilingly, “We’re ready …”’ Reuters, 27 and 29 July 2009.

‘Alitalia, he added, should also …’
Daily
Telegraph,
16 September 2008.

‘Virgin America’s unusual comfort …’
New
York
Times,
17 July 2007; Reuters, 8 July 2007.

‘Just ten months after the inaugural flight …’
Guardian,
18 June 2008; Associated Press, 10 September 2010.

‘“The bank’s demands”, Branson retorted …’ Reuters, 30 August 2002.

‘His litigation against the government …’ 6 December 2007

‘“I always travel with a bar …”’ interview,
Daily
Mail,
2 March 2009.

‘The apology from Virgin’s customer-relations department …’
Daily
Telegraph,
26 January 2009.

‘The company’s flights to Mumbai were among …’ 12 March 2009.

‘Branson agreed that Nigerian businessmen …’ Reuters, 8 April 2005.

‘“The Nigerian government ignored …”’
The Times,
31  August 2008.

‘His appeal to President YarAdua …’
Financial
Times,
20 August 2008.

‘“I think Branson needed to understand …”’ Reuters, 2 June 2010.

‘At the end of 2008, the airline’s …’ 27 August 2009.

‘In a financial crisis, Branson’s characteristics …’
The
Times,
17 December 2009.

‘“At least if you’ve got a job …”’
Daily
Telegraph,
9 February 2009.

‘“For some of you,” Branson wrote …’
The
Times,
1 January 2008.

‘Although Julie Southern, Virgin Atlantic’s commercial manager …’ 10 April 2012.

‘“It’ll be the end of Branson …”’ Reuters, 13 September 2008.

‘In private, he admitted …’ Bloomberg, 14 August 2009.

‘In his letter to a man whom …’
Wealth,
winter 2009.

‘Other statistics showed …’
Daily
Telegraph,
13 August 2009.

‘But as Branson’s campaign developed …’
Daily
Telegraph,
15 August 2008;
The
Times,
31 August 2008.

‘Branson, said Walsh, “should wake …”’
Daily
Telegraph,
8 August 2009.

‘“Airlines”, he said, “risked alienating …”’
New
York
Times,
16
October 2009.

‘Branson’s condemnation was odd …’ 29 March 2009.

‘For years he had single-mindedly focused …’
Independent,
16
September 2002.

‘“I am absolutely delighted”, he exclaimed …’ Dow Jones, 10 July 2002.

‘Even Branson admitted that if HBOS had crashed …’ Fox News interview, 20 October 2008.

‘In July 2009, after Bishop activated …’
The
Economist,
4 July 2009

‘“We would relish the chance to buy Gatwick …”’ 2 September 2008; 14 November 2008.

‘“Oil is too precious to burn in cars …”’
Business
Day,
1 August 2010.

‘Although global aviation was allegedly responsible …’ Friends of the Earth, 15 April 2013.

‘Over the following three days, he continued to jet …’
Toronto
Star,
14 February 2008.

‘Friends of the Earth challenged …’ Friends of the Earth, 15 April 2013.

‘“Boeing has done five flights using biofuels”’
Guardian,
27 August 2009.

‘“Up to now,” he said, perplexingly …’
Daily
Telegraph,
26 June 2009.

‘The manager of the fund, Shai Weiss …’
Independent,
11 August 2009.

‘Khosla sermonised about “the green-technology revolution” …’
Sunday
Times,
29 March 2009.

‘including Tony Blair, who in 2010 agreed to join Khosla …’
Guardian,
25 May 2010.

‘The federal government advanced a $535 million loan …’
LA
Times,
28 September 2011.

‘Despite receiving this money …’
Atlanta
Journal-
Constitution,
2 September 2012.

‘“Richard has been in touch with Jim Lovelock …”’ 27 September 2007.

‘“I want to give something back,” he said …’ Richard Branson,
Screw
Business
as
Usual
(Virgin Books, 2011), p. 233.

‘With a smile acknowledging the applause …’
New
York
Times,
12 October 2009; Joel Kirkland, ‘Climate Wire’,
New
York
Times,
22 April 2010.

‘He was baffled when Branson subsequently wrote …’ Richard Branson,
Screw
Business
as
Usual
(Virgin Books, 2011), p. 291.

‘He even joined those demanding that carbon trading …’ 16 December 2009.

‘In his reliance on Will Whitehorn, Virgin’s …’
Daily
Telegraph,
22 May 2008; Tom Bower,
The
Squeeze:
Oil,
Money
and
Greed
in
the
21st
Century
(HarperCollins, 2009), p. xx.

‘“I think a real collapse of oil prices …”’
Daily
Telegraph,
16 September 2008.

‘Investing in a new refinery …’
Edinburgh
Evening
News,
11 May 2008; 31 May 2007.

‘On the same day in September 2009 that Branson …’ 22 September 2009; 24 September 2009

‘Its income from the trustees had fallen from $5.5 million …’ Carbon War Room accounts, 2011.

‘In another report, he now predicted …’
Guardian,
7 February 2010.

‘King pronounced in 2010 that the world’s oil …’ 22 March 2010.

‘Helped by Virgin publicists to appear on …’ 26 April 2010.

‘Unusually emotional, he told his audience that oil prices …’ 6 December and 14 December 2010.

‘“Because we’ve been believers that …”’
Financial
Times,
10 August 2009.

‘“We’ve also been investing”, continued Whitehorn …’
Business
Day,
1 August 2010.

‘The Department of Energy, he complained …’
Financial
Times,
10 August 2009.

‘On the contrary, the proof gathered in America …’ 18 June 2011.

‘Branson himself had invested in Solazyme …’
Australian,
9 September 2008.

‘Under the banner of Virgin Unite, he cast business …’ Richard Branson,
Screw
Business
as
Usual
(Virgin Books, 2011), p. xx.

‘The charity’s principal bequests were £209,000 …’ Virgin Unity Accounts, p. 31.

‘The accounts did not clarify all the bequests …’ ibid., p. 27.

‘The charity claimed to have generated …’ ibid., p. 41.

‘The competition began to attract criticism …’
Sydney
Morning
Herald,
26 April 2013.

‘His carbon-capture schemes were described …’ ibid.

‘Across the globe, his image as an intrepid buccaneer …’ 23 April 2009.

‘An attempt to launch Virgin Radio in Dubai …’
Guardian,
1 September 2007.

‘Branson blamed supermarkets for selling CDs too cheaply …’
Daily
Telegraph,
19 November 2006 and 18 March 2009.

‘In Britain, after transferring twenty-two Megastores …’ Agence France-Presse, 17 September 2007; Dow Jones, 24 December 2008;
Financial
Times,
5 December 2009;
Observer,
6 April 2008.

‘In New York, an attempt to launch Virgin Comics …’
The
Times,
7 January 2006; Reuters, 27 November 2007;
New
York
Times,
27 August 2008.

‘Virgin Vine, a new wine label …’ 15 January 2008.

‘… and Virgin abandoned the music business.’ Sold to Sheridan Square Entertainment of New York.

‘Within the first months, the £1,500 ($2,940) charge …’
Seattle
Times/
Merlin
Biosciences, 2 February 2007.

‘In Miami, he told local journalists that Virgin …’
Miami
Herald,
20 November 2005.

‘Once Ho realised that Branson …’ Dow Jones, 25 January 2007.

‘Virgin’s substitute was a virtual casino …’ 29 August 2010.

‘Casting around for other opportunities, Branson envied …’
Daily
Telegraph,
31 January 2008; Reuters, 15 May 2008.

‘Ignoring his promise not to make a third attempt …’ Reuters, 2 April 2008; other sources 27 March 2005, 27 September 2009, 8 November 2009, 22 November 2009, 23 February 2010.

‘Pertinently, after the death of Steve Jobs …’
Daily
Telegraph,
6
October 2011.

‘The mocked-up images of the tycoon flying …’
Time,
5 September 2010.

‘Branson’s hope, said Peter Norris …’ Mark Kleinman, Sky News, 4 November 2010.

‘“Formula One must tidy itself up …”’
Daily
Mirror,
8 February 2009.

‘But after Button described the incident to Piers Morgan …’
Daily
Mail,
7 July 2009.

‘He offered to help Ecclestone reduce costs …’ Agence France-Presse, 31 March 2009.

‘“Everyone is just frozen in the headlights …”’
New
York
Times,
5 April 2009.

‘“The prospects of healthy profits …”’
Financial
Times,
11 November 2010.

‘“They’ve certainly got me addicted”’
Motorsport,
22 June 2009.

‘“We’re the new car on the block …”’ Reuters, 15 December 2009.

‘Converted to Branson’s credo, Booth exaggerated …’ Crash.net, 8 January and 17 March 2010.

‘Formula One, he complained …’ 23 December 2009.

‘Without spending the same as Ferrari …’ 16 December 2009.

‘Eales was unaware of a recent admission …’
Sydney
Morning
Herald,
7 May 2011.

‘“Virgin cars will limp to …”’ Crash.net, 3 March 2010.

‘Formula One, he added, could only prosper …’ Crash.net, 17 March 2010.

‘“We’re still hoping to be the best of the new teams …”’
6 April 2010.

‘At that moment, a computer glitch …’ 27 September 2010.

‘“This cements our place on the Formula One grid,” said Branson …’
New
York
Post,
17 November 2010.

‘Soon after this latest setback, Branson posted …’ virgin.com/richard-branson/blog.

‘Days after leaving Abu Dhabi, Media Control …’ 26 November 2010.

‘“Kate Middleton turns to Sir Richard Branson …”’ 2 August 2009.

‘“It’s a fantastic halo” effect …’
Independent,
10 December 2012.

‘Together, they had launched Global Zero …’
New
York
Times,
10 December 2008.

‘Angered that his group of self-appointed …’ Reuters, 8 May 2009.

‘“The Elders”, he said, “are in …”’
Wealth,
winter 2009.

‘Israel, urged Carter, should negotiate …’
Washington
Times,
28 January 2009.

‘The resentment towards him …’ Richard Branson,
Screw
Business
as
Usual
(Virgin Books, 2011), p. 252.

‘Eric Bost, the American ambassador in Pretoria …’
Independent,
14 October 2011.

‘Branson denied Bost’s report …’
Observer,
27 January 2008.

Ever since 1969, when he had …’ Tom Bower,
Branson
(HarperCollins), pp. 23, 26/31, 44.

‘Without the benefit of BA’s disasters …’ 30 July 2010.

‘He had lied about his purchase-tax fraud …’ Tom Bower,
Branson
(HarperCollins), p. xx.

‘In
Screw
Business
as
Usual
he had written …’ Richard Branson,
Screw
Business
as
Usual
(Virgin Books, 2011), p. 57.

‘Although he denied having “direct contact” …’
Daily
Telegraph,
14 July 2009.

‘Richard Latham QC, the British prosecutor, intended …’
The
Times,
29 April 2010.

‘“A staggering omission by the OFT,” a defence lawyer …’
R
v.
George
and
others,
Ref. T20080944, day 11, pp. 90/93.

‘Yet throughout that period, the two airlines were furiously …’ ibid., day 11, p. 26.

‘Every lawyer in the courtroom noted …’ ibid., day 14, pp. 23, 38.

‘From the outset, the four accused …’ ibid., day 10, p. 13.

‘According to the defence’s claims, Virgin was refusing …’ ibid., day 10, p. 42.

‘Virgin’s executives, claimed a defence lawyer, “thought it was …”’ ibid., day 10, p. 41.

‘In other words, the OFT relied …’ ibid., day 15, p. 15.

‘Herbert Smith’s letter to Moore asking …’ ibid., day 14, P. 39.

‘Just before the trial started, Virgin agreed to show …’ ibid., day 7, p. 54.

‘Herbert Smith, however, declined to disclose …’ ibid., day 14, p. 26.

‘“This is deeply disquieting,” said the judge …’ ibid., day 11, pp. 112, 115.

‘Just before the lawyers ended that day’s arguments …’ ibid., day 11, p. 34.

‘“That sounds good to me,” said Moore …’ ibid., day 7, p. 115.

At exactly 1.56 p.m., ten minutes …’ ibid., day 10, p. 39.

‘In its defence, Virgin claimed that Knowles’ message …’ ibid., day 12, p. 27.

‘Nevertheless, the disclosure …’ ibid., day 15, p. 14. p. 193 ‘The defence had been denied access …’ ibid., day 12, p. 26.

‘Virgin was now accused by the defence …’ ibid., day 13, p. 19; day 12, p. 35.

‘Herbert Smith found themselves criticised …’ ibid., day 12, p. 33; day 13, p. 22; day 14, pp. 25, 33.

‘“My feelings are of grave …”’ ibid., day 13, pp. 19, 24, 30.

‘Moore added, “I might ring Iain Burns at British Airways …”’ ibid., day 7, p. 97;
day 11, p. 46.

‘Moore then called again and heard that BA …’ ibid., day 9, p. 90; day 11, p. 39.

‘The prosecutor revealed to the judge …’ ibid., day 14, p. 14; day 15, p. 10.

‘After his client’s acquittal, Ben Emmerson QC …’ ibid., day 15, P. 37.

‘The OFT’s last gasp was an announcement …’
Guardian,
23 April 2010; Reuters, 10 May and 22 April 2010.

‘Virgin Atlantic set aside £35.4 million …’ Virgin Atlantic Accounts 2013, note 6, p. 19.

‘He dismissed a further 600 employees …’ Bloomberg, 14 August 2009.

‘“I wouldn’t forgive anybody …”’
Daily
Telegraph,
18 January 2012.

‘The masquerade of the underdog …’
Time,
5 September 2010.

‘“The preliminary decision beggars belief …”’
Independent,
15 February 2010.

Over the following weeks, he fumed that the alliance …’
Financial
Times,
13 April 2010.

‘“I’ve long argued …”’
Time,
5 September 2010.

‘Amusing quips and his description …’ ibid,

‘Asked, “Is Virgin Atlantic going to be around …”’
USA
Today,
4 August 2011.

‘“Anyone can make an offer …”’ Reuters, 6 June 2011.

‘Although the airline, which had 11 per cent of …’ Associated Press, 10 December 2009.

‘criticised the decision not to open one …’ BBC, 16 March 2012.

‘The Germans were equally bewildered …’
City
A.M.,
9 September 2010.

‘“It is vital”, Branson protested immediately …’ Dow Jones, 15 April 2012.

‘They had secretly been pleased …’
Independent,
7 April 2012.

‘Those critics applauded Walsh for adding …’
Daily
Telegraph,
18 January 2012.

“The only reason that British Airways …”’
Sunday
Telegraph,
11 March 2012.

‘“We will challenge every aspect of this process …”’ Dow Jones, 15 April 2012.

‘He demanded that government regulators …’ 12 December 2011.

“The decision is a travesty …”’ Bloomberg, 4 April 2012.

‘“Whatever he says”, replied Walsh …’
Guardian,
30 March 2012.

‘Isolated, he was now compelled to search for an alliance …’
Daily
Telegraph,
21 February 2011.

‘In May 2011, he admitted …’
Evening
Standard,
20 May 2011.

‘His potential partners were Air France …” 27 May 2011.

‘His contemplation of the sale of his own …’ Bloomberg, 26 May 2011.