'Knee in the groin' bet by BA boss

[Iron]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/news ... rvive.html

You've got to love Willie Walsh!

Jeff

[gazuty]

What would the English man in the street view be of Richard Branson? Hero or villain?

Nob or good bloke?

[Iron]

I'd say that there is a great deal of jealousy in this country towards successful people, so I imagine more people regard him as a nob than admire him.

Personally, I admire his success. I also admire the way he has encouraged people to be more entrepreneurial. However, I wouldn't presume to comment on him as a person, given that the way the media portray him may not bear any resemblance to the real man...

Jeff

[TheTub]

I'd say that there is a great deal of jealousy in this country towards successful people, so I imagine more people regard him as a nob than admire him.
Jeff

I've got to disagree with this. Almost everyone I know admires him and the brand. This is what makes Richard Branson the man with the midas touch.

What makes him stand out is the way he has managed to maintain a good and balanced personal image whilst being the figurehead of such an enormous brand.

I know people who have worked for him and was lucky enough to be invited to a house party he held at his home in Oxfordshire. He was a humble and charismatic man ready to speak to anyone. I expect there are not many people who have been invited to a Willie Walsh house party.

Having said that, I admire Willie Walsh also. He is a business man and dealt with the strikers at BA a few years ago with a strong, no nonsense approach. Many other business leaders would have folded or made mistakes at that point IMHO.

[andyfuller]

I'd say that there is a great deal of jealousy in this country towards successful people, so I imagine more people regard him as a nob than admire him.
Jeff

I've got to disagree with this. Almost everyone I know admires him and the brand. This is what makes Richard Branson the man with the midas touch.

+1

I think the recent West Coast Main Line issues highlighted the high regard people hold for Richard Branson

[Euler]

Well Branson can do things other bosses can't because he isn't a boss as such. The Virgin group is a brand and Branson IS the brand. He doesn't actually actively run any of the businesses. So that is the key to his success, he licenses the brand. I worked around the edge of his business in a previous life and was fascinated by it.