Duncan Bannatyne - Dragon’s Den Special November 22

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Mini CV

Duncan Bannatyne Entrepreneur- From a poor background
- Started in the ice cream van business at 31
- Built up The Bannatyne Group from scratch
- Has an OBE and appears on BBC show Dragon’s Den

Duncan Bannatyne is one of the judges on BBC television series Dragon’s Den and owns a string of health clubs, casinos, housing developments, hotels and bars across the UK.

The stern Scot comes from a poor background in Clydebank, but has worked his way up to become on of the UK’s top business leaders.

Bannatyne joined the Navy in his early teens, leaving at 19 following a disagreement with a commanding officer. He moved to Jersey for a while before moving back to the UK with the aim of becoming a millionaire.

The dragon started his career in business trading cars in Stockton-On-Tees, followed by a foray into the ice cream business at the age of 31, which he built up to a fleet of four vans and then sold.

An investment in Quality Care Nursing Homes saw Bannatyne become a millionaire, building and developing one home after another and setting up a chain of Just Learning children’s daycare centres. He floated the company on the stock exchange after ten years and, after suffering a leg injury and joining a gym, created the Bannatyne’s Fitness chain of health centres.

Bannatyne’s Fitness now owns around 30 clubs around Britain and Bannatyne has since set up a string of casinos, hotels, housing developments and bars under the Bannatyne Group label. The company is now one of the UK’s most profitable independently owned businesses and he plans to create a casino empire in Britain, taking advantage of key changes to gambling legislation.

Bannatyne has been awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) and an honorary Doctor of Science (DSc) from Glasgow Caledonian University for services to business and charity.

He claims that his impoverished childhood spurred him on to business success and urges anyone interested in setting up on their own to start.

In a statement on the BBC website, Bannatyne advises hopeful entrepreneurs pitching to the dragons to “know your numbers, know your percentages” and warns them that the worst possible thing to do is to arrive late.

The business mogul is worth an estimated £170 million and has brought out his autobiography charting his rags to riches story, entitled Anyone Can Do It, aimed at inspiring potential entrepreneurs.

His straight talking style and no nonsense attitude to the contestants pitches inventions and business ideas to him on Dragon’s Den has proved popular with viewers and Bannatyne has presented BBC show Mind Your Own Business in 2005, in which he attempted to change the fortunes of struggling businesses.

The Scottish millionaire’s motto is: “You only live once. If you don’t enjoy it, it’s your fault, nobody else’s.”

Bannatyne has worked extensively with charities such as UNICEF, Scottish International Relief and his Bannatyne Hospice for Children with HIV and AIDS in Romania. He appears regularly as a business speaker and states that his interests include spending time with his family, climbing, running, scuba diving and water skiing.

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