Theo Paphitis acquired Ryman in 1995 before appearing on the BBC show Dragons' Den.
Ryman is a British stationery retailer with roots stretching back to a shop founded by Henry Ryman in London in 1893. Paphitis bought the company during his expansion into high-street retail and subsequently developed its brand and store network.
The acquisition is often mixed up with Paphitis's later ownership of other retail businesses, including the lingerie retailer Boux Avenue. Ryman, however, was the stationery chain that became central to his public business identity.
Paphitis joined the Dragons' Den panel in the early years of the BBC series. His investment style combined retail experience with attention to distribution, branding and practical routes to market, making his background especially relevant to consumer businesses pitched on the programme.