Three new guests will appear for the next series of the BBC’s Dragons’ Den to help the next generation of changemakers.
Tinie Tempah, Jenna Meek and Susie Ma will join former footballer and current TV pundit Gary Neville alongside regulars Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman and Steven Bartlett. As previously announced Sara Davies will not return.
Singer Tinie Tempah made his breakthrough in 2010 with the UK number one single Pass Out. In 2007 he co-founded record label Disturbing London and later, he launched Imhotep, a publishing company and creative agency.
Three years ago he established RAPS – a virtual soul food brand alongside Chef Hasan Semay (Big Has) and the food incubator Kitchen Ventures. Earlier this year, Tinie founded his own record label, Imhotep Records.
Tinie is engaged in mentoring emerging talent and supporting creative entrepreneurship, particularly among people from under-privileged backgrounds.
“I have a keen interest in supporting emerging entrepreneurs as well as investing in a wide-ranging portfolio of businesses, so Dragons’ Den was an opportunity I simply couldn’t turn down,” he said.
Susie Ma has built one of the UK’s fastest-growing beauty brands with an annual turnover of £68 million. She reached the finals of The Apprentice in 2011 and despite not winning the series she secured investment in her company from programme host Lord Sugar.
Two years ago she bought out Lord Sugar’s stake in the company and is now the sole owner of Tropic Skincare, which has over 38,000 ambassadors and serves millions of customers.
She said: “I started Tropic from a market stall at 15, and I know the grit, vision and belief it takes to turn a spark of an idea into something extraordinary. I’m here to back the bold – the next generation of changemakers building businesses with purpose, creativity and courage.”
Jenna Meek also works in the beauty business, having launched her first venture, SHRINE, a festival make-up and cosmetic glitter brand, at the age of 20. In November 2020, she co-founded REFY which has become one of the fastest-growing beauty brands in the UK with an annual turnover of more than £40m and is stocked in blue chip stores across the UK, Ireland, Canada and the Middle East.
She said joining Dragons’ Den has been “a lifelong goal” and is the reason she became an entrepreneur.
“It is such an empowering environment and I am thrilled to be a part of it,” she said.
Former England and Manchester United footballer Gary Neville is a previous guest dragon and began invest in property development alongside his playing career. He owns the Stock Exchange Hotel in Manchester and his St. Michael’s project is one of the landmark property developments in the dity centre.
“It’s an honour to be invited back into the Den and join the dragons again,” he said.
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