Deborah Meaden first joined the investment panel of Britain's Dragon's Den in 2006.
Meaden became one of the programme's most recognisable Dragons after joining during its early run. She is a British businesswoman and investor whose background includes family businesses, leisure companies and tourism-related ventures.
Her arrival followed the first series and helped establish the panel that many viewers associate with the show's formative years. Although the programme began in 2005, Meaden was not one of its original investors, so those dates should not be treated as interchangeable.
Meaden has remained especially associated with practical questions about margins, valuation, cash flow and the entrepreneur's ability to execute a plan. Her presence also made her one of the longest-serving Dragons in the programme's history.