Bio
Peter Jones is a British entrepreneur and businessman with interests in mobile phones, television, media, leisure and property best known for starring as one of the "Dragons" on the reality television series Dragons' Den, since 2005.
The feeling of power gained from sitting in his dad's office chair as a boy sparked Jones's motivation to make big money. His parents saved up to send him to private school, but he found it difficult to adapt to the change and returned to state school for the rest of his education.
Peter's entrepreneurial journey started early when, at the age of 16, he founded a tennis academy. His career then took a technical curve, as he set up first a computer business and later a computer support company.
Peter then experienced a run of bad luck in the form of a "fun if costly mistake" investing in a restaurant and losing his house and cars when his computer business closed.
At the age of 28, Peter joined corporate giant Siemens Nixdorf and ran its computer business in the UK. In 1998 he founded Phones International Group, a telecommunications firm that now generates revenues in excess of £200m.
The Peter Jones Foundation was established in 2005 to offer funding and support to underprivileged children in the UK.
He sold his TV show idea called The Inventor to the American Broadcasting Company. American Inventor, which was co-produced by Fremantle, Simon Cowell and Peter Jones Television – aired in March 2006.
In 2008 a national newspaper challenged Peter to sit an A-level Business Studies exam - he passed with flying colours, gaining an A grade without formally studying the course material.
In 2009 Peter founded the National Enterprise Academy (NEA) as a way to improve entrepreneurial capabilities within the UK. The NEA is a centre of excellence for enterprise and entrepreneurship and has three campuses in Buckinghamshire, Manchester and Sheffield.
He was awarded a CBE in the 2009 New Year Honours List for services to business, entrepreneurship and young people.
Along with Duncan Bannatyne, Peter has been an ever-present Dragon since the programme started in 2005.