Randolph Fields

Randolph Fields (29 December 1952 in Santa Monica, California – 24 February 1997 in Jersey, Channel Islands) was an Anglo-American lawyer who founded British Atlantic Airways, which later became Virgin Atlantic. After differences with Richard Branson, Fields sold his share of Virgin Atlantic in 1985, becoming a sterling millionaire. He subsequently invested much of his fortune in the short-lived Highland Express Airways, which flew from New York to Prestwick, Scotland. Fields was born in California, and moved to London aged 9. He qualified as a lawyer, and was a member of the English Bar and California Bar. Renowned in insurance circles as an expert on asbestos and environmental hazards coverage, his work involved weekly trans-Atlantic commuting where he took full advantage of lifetime complimentary first class travel on Virgin Atlantic, long after being bought out. Fields was also a well-known poker player on both sides of the Atlantic. Principally known as a "cash" player, Fields won a European Poker Title and was a fixture at the major poker tournaments in Las Vegas, including the World Series of Poker. Fields was an early financial backer of Phil Hellmuth.