Susie Ma returns to Dragons' Den as guest Dragon for 2027 series

Susie Ma will join the Dragons' Den panel as a guest Dragon for the upcoming series airing in 2027. The Tropic Skincare founder will appear alongside regular dragons Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, and Steven Bartlett every week. She first appeared on the show as a guest Dragon earlier this year.

From market stall to skincare leader

Susie Ma launched Tropic Skincare at 15 years old from a stall in London's Greenwich Market. She started with just 50 jars of homemade body scrub. The brand has since grown into a £68m beauty business. It now employs 275 people. Tropic Skincare also has a community of more than 25,000 ambassadors across the UK.

Her journey from The Apprentice to full ownership

Ma first made a name for herself on the seventh season of The Apprentice in 2011. After the show, she accepted a £200,000 investment from Lord Sugar for a 50 per cent stake in the company. That arrangement has now ended. In 2023, she struck a multimillion-pound deal to reclaim full ownership of Tropic Skincare. Companies House filings show Lord Sugar's appointment as a director ended in April 2023.

What she brings to the Den

Susie Ma says she returns to back purpose-driven founders. She believes business can be a powerful force for good. "I know how powerful it can be when someone believes in you and your vision," Ma said. She looks for entrepreneurs who balance head and heart. The numbers must stack up, but she also seeks founders with a clear sense of purpose. Ma added that she connected well with existing dragons Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones and Steven Bartlett.

Changes in the Dragons' Den line-up

Ma replaces Touker Suleyman, who left the programme after ten years. Suleyman announced his departure in June to focus on his newly-launched beauty brand, Lipstick London. He also owns clothing brands including Hawes & Curtis and Ghost. Other guest Dragons will join the upcoming series.

Jamie Laing is an entrepreneur, broadcaster, producer, and author. He is the co-founder of Jampot Productions and the confectionery brand Candy Kittens, one of Europe’s fastest-growing confectionery brands. Laing hosts the podcasts NewlyParents and Great Company. He starred in and executive produced the Disney+ Original series Raising Chelsea, presented on BBC Radio 1, and appeared on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2020.

Susie Ma will appear as a guest Dragon when the next series of Dragons' Den airs early in 2027.