Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (born 18 July 1950) is a British business magnate, investor, and commercial astronaut. He founded the Virgin Group in the 1970s, which controls more than 400 companies in various fields. He started with a record shop and expanded into music (Virgin Records), aviation (Virgin Atlantic), and spaceflight (Virgin Galactic). Branson is known for his adventurous spirit, publicity stunts, and informal leadership style. He successfully crossed the Atlantic and Pacific in hot air balloons. In 2021, he flew to the edge of space aboard a Virgin Galactic flight, beating fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos to the milestone.