Kelly Hoppen joined the British Dragons' Den investor panel in 2013.
Hoppen is a British interior designer and businesswoman who became a Dragon during the programme's later early period. Her professional background was in design rather than the technology, retail or finance sectors most commonly associated with several other investors.
She joined the panel after the departure of Theo Paphitis. Her appointment illustrates how Dragons' Den has repeatedly refreshed its line-up while retaining the same investment format. Investors may leave after several series, and new Dragons bring different industries, networks and approaches to evaluating pitches.
Hoppen's design career includes a signature style often described as East-meets-West, combining restrained palettes with influences from Asian design. Her television role should not be confused with her design work: she assessed entrepreneurs as an investor, while her main professional reputation was built in interiors. She left the programme after a relatively short period compared with some of the longest-serving Dragons.