In the UK series Dragon's Den, Deborah Meaden was the first woman to join the panel after Rachel Elnaugh.
Meaden joined Dragon's Den in 2006, replacing Rachel Elnaugh after the original investor left the programme. She became one of the show's most recognisable Dragons and was known for evaluating businesses through their financial performance, management quality and potential to scale.
Before television, Meaden built a career in business and became particularly associated with the family-owned Weststar Holidays group. She later developed a broad investment portfolio, including interests in leisure, retail, property and consumer businesses.
This fact is distinct from questions about the original panel. Elnaugh was an original Dragon, whereas Meaden joined during the programme's early run and remained a prominent member of the cast for many series. Sara Davies and Jenny Campbell arrived much later.