14 and a half hours with Richard: 3pm - 10pm
- Dec 04, 2008
Here's the final part of my big day with Virgin Group chairman Richard Branson on his visit to Toronto to promote his Business Stripped Bare book...
3:10 pm
We head back downtown. Richard is about to become the first non-Canadian to receive the 'Recognition of Achievement Award' by the National Quality Institute in Canada for his success in building the Virgin Group into an international conglomerate of some 350 companies; funding several charity projects which have raised close to $200 million; and his financial contributions towards developing renewable alternatives to carbon fuels, and to the search for a solution to the greenhouse gas problem.
3:39 pm
Our driver, Joe, gets us there with seconds to go. The MC for the awards presentation meets us at the entrance. We go backstage. Richard goes on stage and is presented with his award. Richard thanks everyone and delivers an 'off the cuff' thank you speech.
3:55 pm
We're back on schedule. Now it's back to the hotel for a break and to catch up on calls and emails.
In the meantime, I've got to check that a TV crew has arrived at the hotel. Richard wants to make two video recordings - one for Pratt & Whitney (30 mins long) and the other for the Virgin Unite Gala in LA (5 mins long). He has 45 mins to nail them and they are both required for tomorrow. It's going to be touch and go.
4:30 pm
The film crew is all set up.
5:35 pm
Richard arrives in the room bang on time. He goes straight into the recordings and gets both speeches done in one take.
6:20 pm
It's time to leave for the Virgin Unite Mad Hatters Ball Fundraising Gala. Traffic is heavy though and we arrive a little late.
6:47 pm
Richard, Feist and Kathy Griffin walk the red carpet. All the media are there clambering for 'THE' photo and interviews with Richard. It's crazy to think that in less than 6 hours Richard will be setting sail from NYC on his record breaking attempt to cross the Atlantic in the Virgin Money yacht.
The first snow fall of the winter begins to fall outside. It's October!
7:15 pm
Richard finishes on the red carpet and mentions to us that he needs to be on a call at 7:45pm re: the record attempt tomorrow.
The snow has stopped for now.
7:30 pm
Richard opens the Virgin Unite Gala.
7:45 pm
Richard is on his mobile. He then tells us he has to leave at 10pm to fly to NYC to begin his record attempt. The weather forecast is still high winds and high seas. But it's their best bet this year for attempting to break the record.
9:45 pm
Richard and Andrew Black are on stage at the gala thanking everyone for coming and raising funds for Virgin Unite. Richard lets the guests know that he will soon be leaving to attempt to break the sailing record across the Atlantic.
10:03 pm
Richard runs off stage. He thanks Andrew Black, Nathan Rosenberg and Andrew Bridge.
I am now running with Richard up three flights of escalators to his waiting car.
The jet has to take off from Toronto airport by 10:30pm – otherwise they won't make the curfew at the New York airport they are flying into. We make it to the car.
Richard stops and turns to me and says "Thanks for another great day. Well done."
"Thanks and best of luck for tomorrow," I say.
Richard jumps into the front seat. The car pulls away and heads for Toronto Airport – they are on time. Phew.
My BlackBerry rings. It's Nathan. More work to be done... !
