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Virgin Group founder Richard Branson is among the first group of billionaires from outside the U.S. who have signed up to donate at least half of their wealth to charitable causes as part of the Giving Pledge initiative started by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates.
The 12 foreign billionaires who have signed on to the pledge bring the total of signatures to 105 families, according to Bloomberg News. The initiative asking billionaires to pledge at least half of their fortune to philanthropy has largely been focused on the wealthy in the U.S.
“As a young man, I never set out to make money,” Branson wrote in his pledge letter. “We set out to create things that we could be proud of and try to make a difference.”
Other international billionaires pledging include mining magnet Andrew Forrest, Ukrainian businessman Victor Pinchuk and German entrepreneur Hasso Plattner.
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