Which Dragons' Den investor founded the sofa retailer DFS?

Lord Kirkham founded the sofa retailer DFS.

Lord Kirkham, whose birth name is John Haji-Ioannou, founded the company that became DFS. The business grew from a furniture operation into one of Britain's best-known sofa retailers, with large showrooms and a strong emphasis on upholstered furniture. Kirkham later became a life peer and was known publicly as Lord Kirkham.

The company name DFS is often encountered without its founding story, and the retailer is sometimes confused with other furniture businesses. Kirkham's connection is specifically to DFS, not to the many home-furnishing companies associated with other Dragons or entrepreneurs who have appeared on the programme.

Kirkham served as an investor on the British series, but he was not one of its original five Dragons. His business background illustrates the range of sectors represented in the Den: the panel has included experts in retail, fashion, food, technology and manufacturing. The sofa retailer remains the key business associated with his entrepreneurial career.