When Richard Branson left school at the age of 17, his headmaster predicted that he would either go to prison or become a millionaire.

This case follows the development of Richard Branson from his early days as the editor of his own student magazine to his current status as founder and Chairman of the Virgin Group. It focuses on the iconoclastic, yet extremely effective, management style and business philosophy of a man who has become one of the world's best-known entrepreneurs. The case offers insights into numerous management topics, including the transition from an entrepreneurial to a more 'systematic' management approach; the management of rapid growth, particularly into unrelated areas and overseas; informal, youth-centred and creative corporate cultures; and the transition from a private enterprise to a public company and back again to private.