Which business did Peter Jones found before becoming an investor on Dragons' Den?

Peter Jones founded Phones International Group before becoming an investor on Dragons' Den.

Phones International Group was a telecommunications business established by Jones in 1998. It became one of the important foundations of his entrepreneurial career and helped establish his expertise in mobile phones, communications and technology. Jones later built and invested in businesses across several industries, including media, retail and leisure.

Jones joined the original Dragons' Den panel when the British programme began in 2005. He is the only original Dragon to have remained a regular investor throughout the programme’s long television run, making him particularly closely associated with its identity. His investment decisions often focus on scalable brands, distribution and the ability of founders to execute a plan.

Phones International Group is sometimes confused with better-known high-street mobile retailers such as Phones 4u or Carphone Warehouse. Those were separate businesses. The “International” name refers to Jones’s own telecommunications company, not to a retail chain. The company’s success helped give him the commercial background for his later television role.