Duncan Bannatyne founded the Bannatyne Group before appearing on the BBC programme Dragon's Den.
The Bannatyne Group is a British health-club and spa business associated with entrepreneur Duncan Bannatyne. He established a business empire spanning health clubs, hotels and related leisure interests before becoming one of the original investors on the BBC series.
Bannatyne's pre-television business career is important because Dragons are selected for their commercial experience as well as their wealth. On the programme, he assessed entrepreneurs' plans, challenged their financial assumptions and negotiated ownership stakes in exchange for investment.
The Bannatyne Group should not be confused with another Dragon's business interests, such as Peter Jones's technology and investment companies or Theo Paphitis's retail enterprises. The group is specifically tied to Bannatyne's health and leisure operations and remains the clearest business name associated with him.