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Sir Richard Branson leaves Britain for island home

2 points by yapcguy 13y ago

yapcguy 13y ago
Eduardo Saverin moved to Singapore and renounced US citizenship before the Facebook IPO. Richard Branson, being British, doesn't have to resort to such measures to avoid worldwide taxation. More from the FT: "The entrepreneur, one of the most public advocates for British industry across the world, has not paid taxes on non-UK personal income since moving to Necker Island in 2007. A report in The Sunday Times highlighted the lack of British tax being paid by Sir Richard, who is frequently pictured with Union Jacks and has been reported to talk disparagingly of tax exiles." http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/26c8fd60-33f9-11e3-af0f-00144feab7de.html http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/26c8fd60-33f9-11e3-af0f-00144feab7...
ballard 13y ago
Branson writes on http://virg.in/on http://virg.in/on : "We are fortunate enough to live on Necker, the most beautiful place in the world, because it is our home where we can live life to the full. I have not left Britain for tax reasons but for my love of the beautiful British Virgin Islands and in particular Necker Island, which I bought when I was 29 years old, 34 years ago, as an uninhabited island on the edges of the BVI. Over that time, we have built our home there, a place where my family and I are able to truly relax. Seven years ago we decided to move permanently to Necker as we feel it gives me and my wife Joan the best chance to live another productive few decades. We can also look after our health (Joan is approaching 70 and I'm not far behind). I still work day and night, now focusing on not-for-profit ventures with Virgin Unite, but on Necker I can also look after my health. There is no better place to stay active and I can kitesurf, surf, play tennis, swim, do Pilates and just play. Over three decades Necker and nearby Moskito Island have become the places where my family gathers together, where my friends come to visit and where my father chose to have his ashes scattered last year. In 2011 the main house on Necker burnt down. We're incredibly thankful for the overwhelming support we received from thousands of people both in person and online as we spent the past two years rebuilding our home, work which is now completed." Via https://twitter.com/richardbranson/status/389353700587618304 https://twitter.com/richardbranson/status/389353700587618304 The only question is that health is a primary concern when aging gracefully, what are the plans for getting to major medical in a timely manner from an island at the NE tip of BVI? Is there a large city with a modern hospital within helicopter range and flight time? UPDATE: a hospital (no telling how good) is 90 minutes away subject to weather conditions, which maybe much too long in a critical emergency. p. 3, column 3: http://www.neckerisland.virgin.com/resources/pdfs/necker_island/how_to_book/exclusive_use/NeckerIslandRatecard2012.pdf http://www.neckerisland.virgin.com/resources/pdfs/necker_isl... Does anyone have experience with hospitals in BVI?

2 points by yapcguy 13y ago

Eduardo Saverin moved to Singapore and renounced US citizenship before the Facebook IPO. Richard Branson, being British, doesn't have to resort to such measures to avoid worldwide taxation. More from the FT: "The entrepreneur, one of the most public advocates for British industry across the world, has not paid taxes on non-UK personal income since moving to Necker Island in 2007. A report in The Sunday Times highlighted the lack of British tax being paid by Sir Richard, who is frequently pictured with Union Jacks and has been reported to talk disparagingly of tax exiles." http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/26c8fd60-33f9-11e3-af0f-00144feab7de.html http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/26c8fd60-33f9-11e3-af0f-00144feab7...

ballard 13y ago

Branson writes on http://virg.in/on http://virg.in/on : "We are fortunate enough to live on Necker, the most beautiful place in the world, because it is our home where we can live life to the full. I have not left Britain for tax reasons but for my love of the beautiful British Virgin Islands and in particular Necker Island, which I bought when I was 29 years old, 34 years ago, as an uninhabited island on the edges of the BVI. Over that time, we have built our home there, a place where my family and I are able to truly relax. Seven years ago we decided to move permanently to Necker as we feel it gives me and my wife Joan the best chance to live another productive few decades. We can also look after our health (Joan is approaching 70 and I'm not far behind). I still work day and night, now focusing on not-for-profit ventures with Virgin Unite, but on Necker I can also look after my health. There is no better place to stay active and I can kitesurf, surf, play tennis, swim, do Pilates and just play. Over three decades Necker and nearby Moskito Island have become the places where my family gathers together, where my friends come to visit and where my father chose to have his ashes scattered last year. In 2011 the main house on Necker burnt down. We're incredibly thankful for the overwhelming support we received from thousands of people both in person and online as we spent the past two years rebuilding our home, work which is now completed." Via https://twitter.com/richardbranson/status/389353700587618304 https://twitter.com/richardbranson/status/389353700587618304 The only question is that health is a primary concern when aging gracefully, what are the plans for getting to major medical in a timely manner from an island at the NE tip of BVI? Is there a large city with a modern hospital within helicopter range and flight time? UPDATE: a hospital (no telling how good) is 90 minutes away subject to weather conditions, which maybe much too long in a critical emergency. p. 3, column 3: http://www.neckerisland.virgin.com/resources/pdfs/necker_island/how_to_book/exclusive_use/NeckerIslandRatecard2012.pdf http://www.neckerisland.virgin.com/resources/pdfs/necker_isl... Does anyone have experience with hospitals in BVI?