DOB:29.04.1937 Position:GBR Challenge Chairman and Chief Executive

Harrison has pumped a large part of his vast fortune into Britain's first America's Cup challenge in 15 years.

The 65-year-old is a sailing enthusiast who has won a number of trophies down the years.

He continues to play an active sailing role in a number of regattas and his most recent achievement was to break the annual Round The Island Race.

Harrison qualified as an accountant in 1959, but within 15 years had turned his attention to entrepreneurial adventures after acquiring Chernikeef - a marine company.

He foresaw the potential micro-computers and a forerunner to e-mail and by 1987 had introduced Cisco to the UK as the computing revolution took off.

He subsequently turned Chernikeef into the largest privately held computer networking and internet integration company in the UK.

Having sold his business he turned his attentions to sailing and will be hoping to match his business success in the America's Cup.