Serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist and multi-millionaire, James Caan, is to join the next series of Dragons' Den to be screened on BBC Two this autumn.
Caan, who lives in both London and Cannes, is founder and CEO of private equity firm Hamilton Bradshaw, through which he has invested millions in both start-ups and mature businesses in sectors ranging from retail and leisure to financial services and technology.
Commenting on his signing to the Den, Caan said: "I'm thrilled to be invited to be in one of the highly coveted 'Dragon' positions. In business I make a point of investing in people, as I'm a great believer that it is people who create a success in business through their passion and conviction."
Caan has been creating, building and selling businesses for over 20 years.
In 1985, he set up the Alexander Mann Group, one of the UK's leading HR outsourcing companies, and achieved a turnover of £130million before selling it to a private equity firm in 2002.
Caan also founded an executive headhunting firm which he successfully expanded globally through its Humana International brand and grew to over 147 offices across 30 countries before it was bought by a New York-listed company.
Helen Bullough, Executive Editor for Dragons' Den said: "I'm delighted that James Caan is joining the other Dragons for this new series. He's got a great track record as an entrepreneur himself and a unique approach to spotting investment opportunities – I'm sure he'll make quite an impact in the Den."
A graduate of Harvard Business School's prestigious Advanced Management Programme, in 2003 Caan was named PricewaterhouseCoopers' Entrepreneur Of The Year.
In 2001 he won the Enterprise Of The Year Award for his outstanding business success and was recently a Resident Entrepreneur Mentor for MBA students at London Business School.
With his wide-ranging business and entrepreneurial experience, James Caan is set to be an exciting addition to the Dragons team, joining Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Duncan Bannatyne and Theo Paphitis in the Dragons' lair.
Dragons' Den is about to go back into production and the programme-makers are keen to receive applications from budding inventors and entrepreneurs who have got an idea, venture or small business that they think could catch the Dragons' eye and requires some investment to take it to the next level
JM
he is a nice man ,,,it doesnt matter if he has changed his name , becuz name doesnt mean anything ,,,its ur deed its what u do ,,,and trust me he has done it ......Anonymous
i think ur mistaken its not a white mans world either.i dont think ur an asian in the 1st place if u r then i guess ur a white wanabeeV
The Dragon's Den consists of some seriously business savvy people with the highest calibre of expertise in creating and maintaining sucessful business, spotting and cultivating ideas.
So why dont the Dragons get togther and bloody well figure out a plan to sort out deprived countries where people live in famine with no water and no food, poor sanitation...
like building a pipeline to supply water, plumb in water works,teach people how to make use of their land (ie. how to eat from their land), teach how to build, etc etc.
Im not a great mind... im just a bog standard dude. I just think that people who can, should at least try.
Ants can move mountains.
Come on Dragons... lets help those that would never have a chance in this lifetime.
Anonymous
When I went to Hajj in 2000, Alhamdolillah, the Imam I travelled with (with whom I had a close relationship) changed considerably when the rites commenced. He became serious and reflective and cautioned us against speaking about matters concerning the dunya. James, regardless of why, has appeared to have done the right thing by excusing himself from interacting too extensively with the rest of the Hajji's. On the day of judgement, believe you me, we won't even be offering salams to our own children. Please let's not embarass ourselves by submitting such poorly thought out posts. We must look for the good in people and influence directly the people we interact with rather than take pot shots at people we don't know.
I hope I have not offended.
Wassalam.
Anon
Lol I like how people who havent made hundreds of millions criticise and actually come across as looking down on the man. I doubt he'd be too concerned.
The Hajj comment is full of ironies, lol how sad, you were at hajj, and you were busy judging your fellow man, ur not supposed to have these thoughts at hajj, of course thats easier said, but you really should have put it out of your mind but instead you thought hey I'll post a negative comment on the internet when I get back!!
He changed his name to fit in and make it more interesting for business without the cultural hang ups a name like Nazam would entail and well it's damn well worked hasnt it!
To those who criticise dont hate the man for his success, you do remember the teaching, want for your brother as you'd want for yourself, why would Allah ever help a man who is stagnating in utter jealousy and looking down on other people as if he is better????
You do understand outward appearance will be the last thing that will help you on the last day, even if you like to look like a pakistani villager and think that gives you a right to look down your noses at other people guys!
Anonymous
y he change his name
hes a sellout
Timothy
I was abused by a scottish woman with a large dildo.
Anonymous
I agree, he is a nice bloke from what i've seen of him. We should offer constructive criticism, not pull the man down.He has been given his wealth by ALLAH, and we should say mashallah and if we must, we should advise him in person not in public.Peace
Anonymous
Why don't he just change his name back? now that he has made it.
Manchester United Fan
Stop criticizing James, he's a nice bloke and people at the Haj should have left him alone to get on with it. He changed his name in the early 80's to make his progress in business easier (am asian man in a white man's world). Even his family calls him James now (not Nazim), so if they've accepted it, fair enough, you should accept it. Cut out the jealousy and just accept he's not a bad bloke.
MK
Orginal name Nazam Khan
Free Pointers
what's his real name?
Nasser
I think its good that james has achieved a level of success, that we all dream of... but is james his real name? I think he should use his name that his mother or father gave him but hey thats just my opinion.
Moss Sayed
Hi,
I would just like to say, it's great to see the success built on hard work, focus and commitment by individuals such as James Caan. Well done James and wish you the very best of luck with Dragons Den I am sure your ability to see potential in people will be of great benefit to the programme.
Kind Regards
Moss Sayed
Wolf
Mr M why all the bitterness toward Caan? He's got a good rep and perhaps didn't go to the Hajj to gossip and chat with other people. Perhaps he wanted some spiritual 'quiet time' and wanted to be left to it? Or maybe he was deep in thought about things? Either way, you have no right to make such assumptions about him or any other person that you don't even know. Don't you have days when you don't feel like socializing or chatting? Think you need to stop making uneducated blind assumptions about people
Nawaz
MrM,
You state you saw Mr Caan during Hajj in Dec 2007. Were you there just to watch, or did you too perform the Hajj? The reason I why ask is, do you not see the irony of what you have written and the act that you have performed (Hajj)? You are not given the right to bad-mouth another Muslim.
May Allah show all of us the error of our ways.
Nawaz.
MrM
Recently spent a few days / nights alongside James Caan at the Muslim Hajj 2007 in Saudi Arabia. A wonderful Islamic event compulsory for every Muslim able to afford it at least once in their life.
Quite funny watching such a rich and famous person beside you in a simple cotton terry bath sheets wrapped around him, kind of odd as you expect them to be in Armani or Boss .. but no, just a simple terry cloth bath sheets. LOL.
Well one of my gripes about him was that he refused to communicate with anyone .. like he was ashamed to be alone in a tent with 25 men unequal to him, he felt he was better than all the rest ... even when I tried to greet him, it was like cold and abrupt ... little did he know he was surrounded by doctors, lawyers, teachers, bankers, and millionaires (I know).
Never mind perhaps the Den will bring some comforts James .. shame on you for even changing your name to disguise your Muslim roots ...perhaps it helps to confuse your business associates or investors ..
I would hope that the Hajj has changed him, as it should ... that he gives up some of the obvious haram acts he has been engaged in on TV and that it teaches him that even with limitless money in the eyes of god he is equal to all other human beings.
Oh and he does have a family, in fact a wonderful family, god has blessed him.
I speak the truth as I was in the same tent December 2007.
Dragon Slayer
Richard Farleigh was probably dropped as he is a large shareholder, chairman and supporter of Oxonica PLC, who are embroiled in a lawsuit with R&D minnows, Neuftec.
How can Richard support entrepreneurs on Dragons Den and then off camera continue to support a PLC that has ripped off a small company of entrepreneurs? The BBC must have acted to avoid more media coverage. One only needs to "google" neuftec & Oxonica to see how the media have linked Richard Farleigh to the battle.
Also see:
http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/18072007/250/neuftec-statement-regarding-oxonica-dispute.html
ian
Hi Asif,
You will find investors like James will only invest in businesses
which match their funding criteria...I know this, having researched
the investor market...most entrepreneurs will never get funding because they don@t find out what is required first..and are applying to the wrong (for them )investor..
Millions of pounds and thousands of hours are wasted because the initial research is not done...
My tip to you ,Asif is find a mentor as soon as possible...there are ways of getting advice by using the assets you already have...
Then build up the value of your business with a strong focal point..
Could be a website (get a free one )Investors will only be interested if you have a viable unique idea which has been tested in the market place....ideally with traction (revenue flow )
Best wishes on your enterprise... ian http://www.testmyidea.com
PS..One final tip..Don@t give up.....
ian
It's good to see James Caan join the dragon's ...He seems the quiet astute type.
My quess is he will find it hard to be nasty to the budding entrepreneurs....but with his investment company background.. might encourage a more global
outlook...perhaps to asia.
Why is it no one has ideas to use language translation to globalise
their marketing.. ( urdu / Chinese )or was that in the episode i missed...
He has two children and houses in London;France and Lahore....
ian http://www.testmyidea.com
Asif Khan
Hi
Not sure if Jason reads this, but i just wanted to say that he has given a different view point to the other dragons; I have also like to mention that I have just recently set up my own recruitment business, in my back garden with my own money. I would like to find out if Jason has any handy tips for me and that if he would like to invest in me!
Kind Regards
Asif Khan
www.searchandselection.biz
Simba
Everybody I speak to prefers Richard Farleigh to this Caan fella. We have even started an online petition to bring back Richard Farleigh. You can leave your name and a comment if you wish on the petition here...
http://www.bringbackrichardfarleigh.com
Please leave your name. If there are enough people asking for Richard's return then the BBC might change their mind.
Anonymous
Mon 22 Oct, programme features Youdoodolls, small canvas mini-me dolls that could take over the world........if only the Dragons invest
Anonymous
I use to work for this guy in Alexander Mann Group.
He is actually a really good guy, with a very very clever business head.
Think he might of pulled out of AMG a little early, but hey ho, they would not of got were they are today without the extra cash.
Anonymous
I use to work for this guy in Alexander Mann Group.
He is actually a really good guy, with a very very clever business head.
Think he might of pulled out of AMG a little early, but hey ho, they would not of got were they are today without the extra cash.
Anonymous
oh he is?....from your mums side or dads?
it's a coincidence cz he's my uncle too...
chas
Is'nt he the guy who bought Benjeys the sandwhich shops in the city and drove them into liquidation. Did he nor sell Alexander Mann just before it became huge?
tridgebird
is he a good bloke? does he have kids?
Anonymous
James Caan is my unclee
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