Iconic Entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson Charges Young Leaders to Follow Dreams, Find What Needs Fixing and Use Business as a Force for Good in the Cayman Islands and Beyond

CAMANA BAY, Grand Cayman (November 2, 2012) – Against a backdrop of the Camana Bay Harbour, Sir Richard Branson addressed the Cayman Islands’ emerging leaders, encouraging them to channel their entrepreneurial ingenuity into building businesses centered on issues they are passionate about.

“Bizarrely, I’ve never thought of myself as a businessman, and yet we have quite a few companies around the world,” said Sir Richard. “What I love to do is if I see something not being done well is to try and see if we can improve it.”

Sir Richard spoke to about 200 young Caymanians and business leaders at a waterfront breakfast courtesy of Michael’s Genuine in support of Virgin Unite, the Virgin Group’s not for profit foundation.  Honoured guests included Minds Inspired Scholarship winner Ethan Whittaker, more than 60 students nominated by the administrations of local schools, participants in Junior Achievement of the Cayman Islands and past nominees and recipients of the Young Caymanian Leadership Awards.

Budding entrepreneur Simon Henry Watson, a student at Layman E. Scott Sr. High School in Cayman Brac, came to Grand Cayman to hear Mr. Branson speak.

“He inspired us to not only take Junior Achievement seriously and do the best we can, but to take that into the real world and to start our own business, said Mr. Watson. “Look at where Sir Richard Branson got. He inspires us to do the same as he did.”

Lucy Day, a student at St. Ignatius, is considering opening her own business after getting her degree and some real world experience.

“He make his businesses out of things that start out small and things he thinks can make a difference; he thinks about what is missing,” noted Ms. Day. “He has similar businesses to other people, but makes it better and makes people happy with the business he does. “

Mirroring the philosophy of the Virgin Group, which covers all the overhead expenses of Virgin Unite, Dart Cayman Islands and Camana Bay sponsored the event so that the future leaders of the Cayman Islands could discuss their own ideas with Sir Richard in an informal setting.