Duncan Bannatyne was known as the founder of the Bannatyne Group before joining Dragon's Den.
Duncan Bannatyne is a Scottish entrepreneur, author and television personality. He built a business empire that became the Bannatyne Group, whose activities include health clubs, spas and hotels. That operating business is the central reason his name is closely linked with leisure and fitness entrepreneurship.
Bannatyne joined the BBC's Dragon's Den as an investor and became one of the programme's most recognisable early Dragons. His direct manner and background in building companies from smaller ventures made him a prominent member of the panel.
The answer should not be confused with the Bannatyne Group itself. The group is the business; Duncan Bannatyne is the entrepreneur who founded it. Nor should he be confused with Peter Jones, Theo Paphitis or James Caan, who were also investors on the programme but built different businesses.