Peter Jones

If you watch Dragons’ Den in the UK, you already know Peter Jones. He’s the last original dragon still on the show, which has been running since 2005. That’s over two decades of listening to pitches, which means he’s probably heard more startup ideas than just about anyone on television.

Jones grew up in Maidenhead, Berkshire, and got into business young. He founded Phones International Group, a mobile phone company that did seriously well during the boom years of the mobile industry. He’s also built and invested in businesses across telecoms, media, TV, and leisure. The man has a wide portfolio.

He was awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 2010 for his services to entrepreneurship, which is about as official as recognition gets in the UK.

On Shark Tank, Jones shows up as a guest shark and brings a distinctly British perspective to the panel. He’s more measured than some of the American sharks, tends to ask pointed financial questions, and doesn’t go in for a lot of theatrics. After twenty years on Dragons’ Den, he’s seen every type of pitch imaginable, so he’s pretty hard to impress with just a flashy presentation. You need real numbers.

He’s also put a lot of effort into supporting young entrepreneurs through the Peter Jones Foundation, which helps young people in the UK learn business skills and start their own companies.

A few highlights:

• Last remaining original investor on BBC’s Dragons’ Den (since 2005)
• Awarded CBE for services to entrepreneurship in 2010
• Founded Phones International Group in the mobile telecoms space
• Runs the Peter Jones Foundation to support young entrepreneurs