Theo Paphitis acquired the Ryman stationery chain in 1995.
Ryman was founded in London in 1893 by Henry Ryman, so Paphitis was not the company's original founder. His acquisition helped establish him as a major British retail entrepreneur, and he later expanded his business interests across several consumer brands.
Paphitis joined Dragon's Den as an investor in the second series and became known for his direct questioning and interest in retail businesses. His entrepreneurial background made stationery, retail operations and brand development recurring themes in his contributions to the panel.
A common mix-up is to describe Paphitis as Ryman's founder. The accurate distinction is that he bought the established chain in 1995; the business itself dates back to the Victorian period.