Kelly Hoppen joined the BBC programme Dragon's Den in 2013 after a career as an interior designer.
Hoppen is a British designer known for interiors influenced by a restrained East-meets-West style. Her work has included residential and commercial interiors, product design and books, giving her a creative-business background distinct from Dragons whose careers began in retail, finance or technology.
She joined the investor panel in 2013 and used that experience to assess entrepreneurs seeking funding. Her tenure also broadened the programme's investor mix by adding a prominent design and lifestyle specialist.
Hoppen is sometimes confused with Deborah Meaden because both were prominent female Dragons. Meaden joined earlier and is strongly associated with long-term participation in the series, whereas Hoppen's distinguishing fact here is her design career and her 2013 arrival.