On the BBC show Dragon's Den, which investor is known for founding Phones 4u?

John Caudwell is the entrepreneur associated with founding Phones 4u, although he was not a regular Dragon on the BBC programme Dragon's Den.

This question highlights a frequent source of confusion around the show's investors and guest Dragons. Caudwell is a British businessman who co-founded the mobile-phone retailer Phones 4u with his brother Brian in 1990. The company became a major UK retailer before the business was sold in 2006.

Caudwell did appear as a guest Dragon on the programme, which is why viewers may associate him with the panel. His wealth was built primarily in the telecommunications and retail sector, rather than through the businesses commonly linked with the permanent Dragons.

Phones 4u was not the same business as Peter Jones's Phones International Group. Jones founded Phones International Group in 1998, and the similarity between the names can produce incorrect answers. John Caudwell's later work has included philanthropy through the Caudwell Children charity, which supports disabled children.