Why did Richard Branson sue the NHS, what is his net worth and when did he buy Necker Island?
SIR Richard Branson is a British entrepreneur who has become a billionaire thanks to his lucrative business ventures. But how much is his Caribbean hideaway Necker Island worth and who is the dad-of-two married to? Why did Richard Branson sue the NHS? Branson’s company Virgin Care sued the NHS after it lost out on an £82million […]
SIR Richard Branson is a British entrepreneur who has become a billionaire thanks to his lucrative business ventures.
But how much is his Caribbean hideaway Necker Island worth and who is the dad-of-two married to?
Why did Richard Branson sue the NHS?
Branson’s company Virgin Care sued the NHS after it lost out on an £82million contract to provide children’s health services in Surrey in 2016.
The company cited concerns over “serious flaws” in the way the contract was awarded.
The NHS settled the legal dispute in November 2017 with an out of court settlement for an undisclosed sum.
NHS Surrey Downs clinical commissioning group (CCG) initially disclosed that its liability in the case was £328,000 in its October public finance papers, the Health Service Journal reported at the time.
Virgin Care’s co-founder, Dr Vivienne McVey, said the money from the NHS settlement went into developing services for patients.
“Virgin Care has never made a profit and the Virgin Group has actually invested more than £60 million across the UK in people and technology, supporting doctors and nurses in their jobs and significantly reducing waiting lists,” she said.
What is Richard Branson’s net worth?
Sir Richard, 69, is said to have a net worth of around £3.8billion and is a self-made businessman who launched his company Virgin almost 50 years.
The Virgin boss was born in Blackheath, London, in 1950 and started his first venture, Virgin Records, in 1972, which he later sold to EMI in 1992 for £500million.
The dad-of-two has started up some very lucrative companies along the way, including Virgin Atlantic Airways in 1984 and Virgin Trains in 1993.
He also has a keen interest in space, and launched space tourism company Virgin Galactic in 2004, with the hope of offering future trips to space for £153,000 a go.
Sir Richard has also created Virgin Media, Virgin Racing and Virgin Comics.
Recently, the multi-billionnaire was given his own star at the iconic Hollywood Hall of Fame for his achievements in music and entertainment.
When did Richard Branson buy Necker Island?
Sir Richard Branson has hosted A-listers from Mariah Carey and Harry Styles to the Obamas at his private Caribbean retreat – Necker Island.
The Virgin boss bought Necker in 1979 for around £137,538 ($180,000) and ever since he has used the private paradise to schmooze the rich and famous.
Over the next three years, he spent a reported £7.63million ($10million) transforming it into a luxury resort with a ten-bed villa overlooking the beach.
Today there are several other luxury residences, private pools, tennis courts and a helipad.
He has hosted everyone from Ronnie and Sally Wood to David Hasselhoff at the luxury retreat.
If you are lucky enough to be a friend of Branson’s, then it will probably cost you nothing to stay on Necker.
But mere mortals need to shell out £40,000 a night.
Was Necker Island totally destroyed by Hurricane Irma?
The island resort was completely destroyed by Hurricane Irma as it pummelled the British Virgin Islands, but “all humans survived” at the luxury hideaway.
The Virgin boss hid in his wine cellar along with his staff members as the eye of the hurricane passed over the Caribbean retreat.
He posted a blog after the storm passed which gave an insight into the hell that was unleashed on his private island.
Speaking via satellite phone, he said: “I have never seen anything like this hurricane.
“Necker and the whole area have been completely and utterly devastated.
“We are still assessing the damage, but whole houses and trees have disappeared.
“Outside of the bunker, bathroom and bedroom doors and windows have flown 40 feet away.
“I’m speaking these words from a satellite phone that is just about working, but all other communications are down.”
Who is the Virgin boss’s wife Joan Templeman?
The business mogul has been married two times, firstly to Kirsten Tommasi from 1972 to 1979, but the pair divorced.
He married Joan Templeman in 1989 at his Necker Island resort, and the pair has a daughter called Holly who was born 1981 and a son Sam who was born in 1985.
In 2o016 the couple celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary, and the Virgin boss penned a love letter to Joan as a tribute.
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The letter included: “I experienced love at first sight upon meeting a blonde-haired, down to earth, Scottish beauty named Joan, who just happened to be making a cup of tea.
“I generally make up my mind about someone within 30 seconds of meeting them, and Joan won my heart instantly. She was unlike any other women I had ever met.
“She was beautiful. She was bright. She was witty. She was down to earth. She was fun. And she had eyes made of magic.”