Deborah Meaden replaced Rachel Elnaugh as a Dragon on the British series Dragon's Den in 2006.
Meaden became one of the programme's most enduring investors after joining the panel in its early years. Before and alongside her television career, she built experience in leisure, retail and property-related businesses, which shaped the practical questions she asked entrepreneurs.
Her arrival followed Rachel Elnaugh's departure and marked an important change in the early panel. It is distinct from the question of who was the first female Dragon: Elnaugh held that distinction, while Meaden became the long-running successor most viewers associate with the role.
Meaden's tenure has made her one of the show's defining figures. Her investment approach is commonly linked with careful attention to margins, sales channels and whether a founder understands the numbers behind a pitch.