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Richard Branson Steps Down As Chairman of Virgin Hyperloop One (reuters.com)

Richard Branson is stepping down as chairman of Virgin Hyperloop One -- "the company that plans to build a supersonic transport system in the United Arab Emirates and other countries," reports Reuters. The reason is because the company needs a more actively involved leader. From the report: The Financial Times reported last week that Saudi Arabia had terminated a planned deal with Virgin Hyperloop One after Branson halted investment talks with Riyadh over the Jamal Khashoggi affair. "At this stage in the company's evolution, I feel it needs a more hands-on Chair, who can focus on the business and these opportunities," the statement quoted Branson as saying. "It will be difficult for me to fulfill that commitment as I already devote significant time to my philanthropic ventures and the many business within the Virgin Group."

48 comments

  1. No Virgin Ones in FEDERAL PRISON by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Get your asses ready TRUMP TRAITORS!

    1. Re:No Virgin Ones in FEDERAL PRISON by BeauHD++(19)+BeauHD · · Score: -1

      Shut up already. He isn't going to prison because he just installed that traitor sexist pig Kavanov who is obviously a Russian plant. Kavanov is probably taking direct orders from the KGB which I find rather sickening if true. So if we impeach him, it's like a merry go round, he jumps off and punches everyone in the face while the the teacher isn't looking with all that momentum he got. What we must do now is plan for the 2020 election. We need to get the electronicl college's participation to keep this guy from ever getting a chance when the Republitards put him up again. Our world cannot take another four years of Orange Hands.

    2. Re: No Virgin Ones in FEDERAL PRISON by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Damn. Is this really the shit-flinging insane asylum slashdot.org has become? Makes me sorry I stopped by. You should really seek some help, duder.

    3. Re: No Virgin Ones in FEDERAL PRISON by IInhaleFatCashews · · Score: -1

      If you think that is bad go to some of the articles and behold the hatred and bigotry bestowed upon creimer who is trying his best to make a dent in the world with his YouTube channel but keeps being shut down by people who have nothing better to do than hate on him and spam Slashdot with anti-Chris memes that make no sense anyway.

    4. Re: No Virgin Ones in FEDERAL PRISON by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      You're doing it wrong, you have to take the notoriety and make a rioty!

    5. Re: No Virgin Ones in FEDERAL PRISON by Rei · · Score: 1

      Yes. Yes it is.

      --
      "What is the difference between a Ponzi Scheme and an Investment Bank?" -- Jon Stewart
    6. Re: No Virgin Ones in FEDERAL PRISON by jellomizer · · Score: 1

      You must be new here.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
  2. Old people have no reason to live by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    They are dangerous. Everyone should fear old people.

    1. Re:Old people have no reason to live by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      Their houses smell like onions and old books.

    2. Re:Old people have no reason to live by jellomizer · · Score: 1

      Is it fear or anger?
      The older people fear the youth, with their "progressive" ideas and understanding of the new technology that makes them a threat to their way of life.
      The youth are angry at the older people because they are ignoring obvious problems and bringing older problems that had been managed and making them worse.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
  3. Wasted opportunity by SuperKendall · · Score: 4, Funny

    Imagine how much the Saudi's would pay for a hyperloop that shipped body parts from embassies all over the world back to Saudi Arabia for proper untraceable disposal! No more embarrassing sewer tell-tales.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re: Wasted opportunity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      What's it like to be a right wing traitorous bastard? Shouldn't you be worshipping at your shrine to Donald Trump rather than posting here? Go pray to your Dear Leader and leave Slashdot, you worthless conservascist.

    2. Re: Wasted opportunity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Body parts soaked in a barrel of acid for a few days. Then the noxious soup is poured down the drain and flushed with water.

      It's what they do in Mexico

    3. Re: Wasted opportunity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Have a look at this, you might find it enlightening. You are welcome to respond with some more expletives if you wish, however I'm sure that you are intelligent enough to be able to back up your own political beliefs.

      http://esr.ibiblio.org/?p=260

    4. Re: Wasted opportunity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

      fuck off you god damn troll

    5. Re: Wasted opportunity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, it looks like you weren't intelligent enough to support your own political views after all.

      It must feel humiliating to realise that you are too stupid to do anything but blindly lash out with profanities.

      I pity you.

    6. Re: Wasted opportunity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      fuck off you god damn troll

      tsk tsk such hate. no wonder the world is getting worse.

  4. Elon can do this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Bring him in, Branson is unproven while Elon has many successes to point to. He is exactly the leader needed for such an important and ambitious project.

    1. Re:Elon can do this by 110010001000 · · Score: 1

      Elon already built a super awesome hyperloop. Been there, done that.

    2. Re:Elon can do this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fuck you, anyone familiar with your posts will know that the original AC post was actually yourself making a poor attempt at humor, and you are now replying to yourself.

      You are a piece of shit troll. I don't particularly like Elon Musk, but the lengths that you go to to try and discredit him on this site are beyond belief. I hope you have lost a lot of money shorting Tesla.

    3. Re:Elon can do this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Elon already built a super awesome hyperloop. Been there, done that.

      I would imagine that for Elon, murdering his opponents is also similarly passé!

    4. Re:Elon can do this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fuck you, anyone familiar with your posts will know that the original AC post was actually yourself making a poor attempt at humor, and you are now replying to yourself.

      You are a piece of shit troll. I don't particularly like Elon Musk, but the lengths that you go to to try and discredit him on this site are beyond belief. I hope you have lost a lot of money shorting Tesla.

      Ah shut up, you stupid fucking bazinga!

    5. Re:Elon can do this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Shorting Tesla" is Elon's version of "Russian Bot!"

      It wouldn't be possible to short Tesla so easily if it was a competently run car company. But it isn't. It's a confidence scam.

      People are investing or shorting based on their confidence in Elon Musk and his CGI promises.

      And the shortsellers are winning - because he is nothing more than an African con man.

    6. Re:Elon can do this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, you've had numerous opportunities to deny it, binary boy, but you never have.

      And I see you're not denying mixing up AC posts with those from your account either. You would get a ban from most forums for multi-handling.

  5. APK Hosts File Engine for MacOS... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

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  6. branson who? by sittingnut · · Score: 1

    richard branson is an irrelevant bore.
    he made some money some time ago through conventional means in some noncompetitive market. good for him.
    now he is wasting it, to his his credit slowly, in order to pass himself as some sort of innovator and edgy personality. he try to act and dress he part too. boring!

    1. Re:branson who? by quanminoan · · Score: 1

      I used to think so as well, particularly despised him with the constant spraying everyone with champagne while grinning like an idiot that seemed to be constantly on TV. A friend convinced me to read his book "Losing My Virginity", really made me admire him. Very adventurous businessman who understands life and seems to genuinely care about his employees.

      But you're fairly spot on about the change I think. His book that came out last year as a follow up was an absolute pain to finish - all politics along with his views and opinions on extremely complex issues stated as fact. I get the sense he's seeing people like Musk innovating and realizing he hasn't truly made a transformational mark on society. It's eating at him so he's getting involved in space, hyperloop, etc. Not his strong suit, but hey if he succeeds great.

    2. Re:branson who? by Strider- · · Score: 2

      He always sort of reminded me of Zaphod Beeblebrox. Now hand me a pan galactic gargleblaster so I can end my miserable mind.

      --
      ...si hoc legere nimium eruditionis habes...
    3. Re:branson who? by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

      y. It's eating at him so he's getting involved in space, hyperloop, etc.

      I mean, his space company is only like 1.5 years younger than Musk's, his hyperloop company less than a year younger. So, it's not like he's Johnny Come Lately to these.

      --
      Your ad here. Ask me how!
  7. c6gunner's impersonating me & lying by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    See subject: c6gunner's name on this post as submitter yet signed "APK" https://linux.slashdot.org/com... & he ran from a fair challenge I put to him https://linux.slashdot.org/com... after insulting me.

    * I never say hosts cure Spectre/Meltdown OR it'd be on the Start64.com download page & I do NO MacOS X one!

    (I cut him to pieces for his lies here https://tech.slashdot.org/comm... & https://tech.slashdot.org/comm... too & on hosts' technicals https://tech.slashdot.org/comm... )

    APK

    P.S.=> You say hosts = shit https://slashdot.org/comments.... ?

    FACTS: /.ers & security pros + RESULTS say DIFFERENT:

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    2nd: SECURITY PROS https://slashdot.org/comments....

    3rd: REAL RESULTS w/ hosts vs. threats https://slashdot.org/comments....

    EAT YOUR WORDS

  8. Do you mean the toy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Do you mean the toy one that is used in the Hyped-up Pod competition? That's just a toy.

    1. Re:Do you mean the toy? by 110010001000 · · Score: 1

      Haha, not a toy. Just another scam.

  9. Branson is being more than polite by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Branson realizes it's not worth his time and probably wants to distance himself from Musk.

    1. Re:Branson is being more than polite by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Very wise. The whole thing is a crock of shit and will never work. Branson is smarter than Musk and understands the need to create some distance.

  10. Run, Forrest, run! Run like a chickenshit! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    APK, you got caught lying when you denied saying hosts do port forwarding: http://hardware.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=12792965&cid=57521005.

    You got caught overstating the capabilities of hosts and now you're running like the chickenshit coward you are. You're not enough of a man to admit you lied, so you ran.

  11. APK is a Dickhead by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject.

  12. Reading between the lines by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "The reason is because the company needs a more actively involved leader." translates to:"The venture is going down in flames, and I want to be as far from the splash zone as I can get."

  13. YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES FOR YOUR LIES KENDOLL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    YOUR WHOLE FAMILY WILL SUFFER FOR YOUR DISHONEST ADVOCACY KEN DOLL.

    Filter error: Don't use so many caps. It's like HANGING DISHONEST TRAITORS.

    Filter error: Don't use so many caps. It's like HANGING DISHONEST TRAITORS.

  14. Branson self interests by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    If Saudis can go to another country and dissect a journalist alive, and the consequences are ZERO, then Saudi Arabia isn't a country of laws, and any agreement you think you have with them is unenforceable. Because they can do whatever they like.

    Your contract is worth jack shit, your life is worth jack shit, the life of your staff is worth jack shit. Branson knows this, he cancelled his Saudi deals because he's not an idiot.

    All of these executives cancelling their trips to Saudi Arabia, are totally aware they cannot push for enforcement of any contract, they cannot ensure any business dealings because Prince Bone Saw is a WhatsApp friend of Jareds, and he can kill them, tear up their contracts, do anything he wants, and there will be zero consequences.

    The audio from the Embassy has the Consulate head saying , "do this outside, I'll get into trouble" as they were cutting up the screaming Khashoggi. The men turned to him and said "if he wanted to live when he returns to Saudi Arabia, he'd better shut up". The head of a Consulate must comply with the brutal murder of a man in front of him, simply in order to ensure he himself doesn't get the same treatment. How safe do you now feel even visiting a Saudi Embassy for any paperwork knowing the man issuing the paperwork must help with a murder if asked to?

    It all comes down to Jared's 'friend' and how big a defense contract it is. It's a matter of PRICE not laws.

    You think a US Senator, a Republican, a Fox News executive are somehow special? Are somehow safe. That the laws protect them and not others? Yet a very high profile Washington Post journalist isn't safe? Can I remind you, it is a VERY BIG arms deal.

  15. More money than sense by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Branson is nothing but a marketing front end to a venture capital company. He has a record of leaping on Bandowagons and exploiting new companies eager for cash investment. He rarely finances everything in a way which carries the risk and has been known pull out early leaving everyone else to carry the can. It's a little known fact Branson actually has very little to do with the business apart of the operation and has used a very low profile COO to manage the business for years. The books he has put his name to were ghost written.

    Branson is well known for selling the aspirational lifestyle to people with more money than sense and paying staff as little as he can get away with with.

    Ifit wasn't for the different business and social environment in the UK Branson would be another Trump.

  16. Elon won't do this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Right, Elon who likes to speak 'freely', often attack speech, words said for effect rather than veracity. Is supposed to build a hyperloop which may or may not work, in a country where loss of face gets you strung up and slaughtered.

    He's supposed to visit the consulates of the countries to get his paperwork, meet and smooze Prince Bone Saw, modify his speech to say only what pleases Prince Bone Saw, never never upset prince bone saw, take the risk of all the work to build the hyperloop, and know that if he displeases his boss, gets into disagreements etc. he can end up murdered brutality and his snuff video shared among his enemies on a WhatsApp group.

    Why exactly would he do that?

    Why exactly would he let his employees share that same risk?

  17. c6gunner your past deeds frame you by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    You're submitter cut/paste/ALTERING my posts SIGNING as "APK" TO PROVE MY POINT HERE https://linux.slashdot.org/com...

    & you FORGOT to submit Anonymous Coward THERE c6gunner!

    FACT: I've posted that material many times you did your usual & cut /alter/paste IMPERSONATING ME as you do here even in this thread!

    * Do you REALLY think you're fooling ANYONE BUT YOURSELF when you've been CAUGHT doing it c6gunner!

    YOU JUST TRIED IT ON THE PORT FILTERING POST YOU POINT TO & I DIDN'T CATCH IT you weezil!

    CLUE/AGAIN: I don't HAVE a MacOS X model & I never said hosts cure Spectre/Meltdown BUT YOU DO IMPERSONATING ME in tons of posts!

    APK

    P.S.=> It's your STANDARD "modus operandi" coming back to HAUNT YOU c6gunner - not even a "nice try": IF port filtering in hosts was possible MY PROGRAM WOULD DO or WORK with it (it does not) & I'd tout it as a feature @ Start64.com too (I do not)... apk

  18. Hyperloop BS. by Chas · · Score: 1

    Glad that someone finally realized that the Hyperloop is just hype and nothing more.

    --


    Chas - The one, the only.
    THANK GOD!!!
  19. PooperVandal sucks by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

    Imagine how much the Saudi's would pay

    You left out the thing that the Saudi owns.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    1. Re:PooperVandal sucks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "the Saudi is would pay"

  20. Next Celebrity CEO? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Who will head up this scam after both Elon Musk and Branson have already cashed out?

    Also:

    The ring came off my pudding can!

  21. SIMPLE TEST THAT SHUTS YOU UP...ap by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    0.0.0.0 test1.com:53
    0.0.0.0 test2.com:53
    0.0.0.0 test1.com:53
    0.0.0.0 test2.com:53
    0.0.0.0 test1.com:53
    0.0.0.0 test2.com:53
    0.0.0.0 test1.com:53
    0.0.0.0 test2.com:53
    0.0.0.0 test1.com:53
    0.0.0.0 test2.com:53
    0.0.0.0 jowie.com
    0.0.0.0 jealous.com
    0.0.0.0 jowie.com
    0.0.0.0 test1.com:53
    0.0.0.0 test2.com:53
    0.0.0.0 test3.com
    0.0.0.0 test3.com
    0.0.0.0 borlnd.com
    0.0.0.0 tester.com

    * RUN THAT DATASET THRU MY PROGRAM & WHAT RESULTS COME OUT THAT HAVE A "PORT FILTER" ATTACHED?

    NONE!

    Only borlnd.com, tester.com, test3.com, jealous.com & jowie.com (last 2 are for YOU, lol) REMAIN (no filters on them)

    MY PROGRAM EVEN PREVENTS THAT MISTAKE!

    PK

    P.S.=> THIS PROVES MY PROGRAM'S OUTPUT DOES NOT ALLOW "PORT FILTERING" ENTRIES IN HOSTS as I said DESPITE you IMPERSONATING ME & LYING (already PROVEN YOU DO THAT c6gunner https://linux.slashdot.org/com... )... apk

  22. Next Steps by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The next steps in distancing Branson from this:

    1). Change the name. Make up a cover story, doesn't matter what the content is. "We are renaming Virgin Hyperloop to Banana Hyperloops, because everyone knows that Banana's identify with hyperloops and virgins don't. It just makes sense!"

    2). Spawn off the renamed entity, thereby conceptually disentangling the Virgin Group from the Hyperloop entity. "Today we have exciting news. Banana Hyperloops is going to become a pure play company, enabling investors to gain maximum exposure to the hyperloopified transportation sector!" Virgin retains controlling interest at this point;

    3). Virgin steps back and announces that they intend upon becoming a silent investor, uninvolved in any operational decisions or control;

    4). Virgin starts selling stock and eventually has none. "We sold off our final holding, which was less than 0.000000001% of Virgin's total assets. It was no longer core to our business and could not substantially contribute to Virgin's financial picture."

    5). Banana Hyperloops declares bankruptcy. Virgin Group is contacted for a comment but tactfully declines, saying "Virgin Group remains committed to the exciting brand opportunities of Virgin. We are laser focused on our shareholders and adding value to our products."

    6). Sir Richard Branson writes his autobiography. Relevant quote, "Really dodged a bullet on Virgin Hyperloop, but it was the 201x's, Elon Musk was exciting, SpaceX, Tesla, etc. What was I smoking? Underground vacuum tubes thousands of miles long?! Best decision I ever made was getting out from under that mess!"