Richard Branson is a British entrepreneur, known for his philanthropic projects and taste for adventure. He is the founder and chairman of Virgin Group Ltd., a conglomerate of separately run companies which include radio stations, airlines, music stores and cellular phones. The Virgin Group now owns around 200 companies in over 30 countries. Branson was born in 1950 in Surrey, England, and was educated at Stowe School, where he established a national magazine, Student, at the age of 16. Branson recently announced a $25 million prize to the person who finds a way to remove significant amounts of carbon from the atmosphere. Virgin also plans to launch commercial space flights over the next few years. The venture will be called Virgin Galactic. Branson is married with two children and lives in London and Oxfordshire.

Ideas recorded at the 2007 Aspen Ideas Festival on: 7/5/07