Dragons’ Den viewers are meeting another new guest Dragon this week as Tropic Skincare founder Susie Ma takes a seat in the famous chairs. Following Sara Davies’ exit, the BBC has brought in a rotating line-up of guest investors – and Susie is the latest entrepreneur ready to face the pitches.
After the departure of fan favourite Sara Davies, BBC One confirmed she would not be permanently replaced for now. Instead, four guest Dragons are appearing across series 23’s 14-week run.
And on Thursday, February 12, it’s Susie Ma’s turn. From her business beginnings to her fortune, here’s everything you need to know about the new Dragon.
Who are the Dragons on Dragons’ Den?
The BBC business favourite has returned with a brand-new series and a refreshed panel thanks to a line-up of guest Dragons.
In 2026, four new faces – or almost new – are joining regular investors Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman and Steven Bartlett.
Former footballer turned entrepreneur Gary Neville has already made his return after appearing in two episodes in 2024. REFY CEO Jenna Meek and rapper Tinie Tempah complete the guest line-up alongside Susie Ma.
Each episode features one guest sitting alongside the resident Dragons. Seven new episodes began on Thursday, January 29, 2026 on BBC One and iPlayer, with more to follow later this year. Like series 22 in 2025, the series is split into two parts.
Who is Susie Ma?
BBC One describes Susie Ma as the “powerhouse behind Tropic Skincare”. She founded and now leads the multi-award-winning beauty brand known for its ethical and effective approach, and it has grown into one of the UK’s fastest-growing beauty businesses with an annual turnover of £68 million.
Her entrepreneurial journey started early. At just 15, Susie began selling homemade scrubs at Greenwich Market to help her mum pay the bills. The scrub was based on her grandmother’s recipe and blended fresh sea salts, macadamia and jojoba oil, and lemon myrtle to ward off mosquitos. She named the brand Tropic after the tropical ingredients.
Over six years, the business steadily grew before she appeared on the seventh series of The Apprentice aged 21. Today, Tropic is a multi-award-winning natural skincare company with 38,000 Ambassadors in the UK and millions of customers.
Did Alan Sugar invest in Tropic Skincare on The Apprentice?
Susie appeared on the seventh series of The Apprentice in 2010/2011 aged just 21, making her one of the youngest contestants to take part. At the time, she lived in Croydon and described herself as “ambitious, optimistic and easy going”.
Twenty-year-old Susie had already earned enough to put down a deposit for a house for her mum, buy a second investment property and fund her way through university.
Although Tom Pellereau won the series and Helen Milligan was runner-up, Susie finished in third place and impressed Lord Sugar enough to secure his investment. He invested £250,000 for a 50% stake in Tropic Skincare.
Despite not winning the show, she built Tropic into a thriving company with a £68 million turnover in 2024 and £8.7 million in pre-tax profits. Tropic Skincare remains the only business run by an Apprentice runner-up to secure investment from Lord Sugar.
In 2023, Susie bought back Lord Sugar’s stake and took full control of the company. She paid herself £20 million in dividends following a 30 percent rise in profits to £8.7 million and is widely regarded as one of the show’s most successful contestants.
How much money is Susie Ma on Dragons’ Den worth?
Susie is a multi-millionaire, with an estimated net worth of around £73 million as of March 2025.
Her fortune earned her a place on The Sunday Times Rich List, recognising her as one of the richest people in the UK under 40. She is now expanding Tropic Skincare internationally.
Where is Susan ‘Susie’ Ma from?
Susie was born in Shanghai before moving to Australia aged six and later settling in London at 13 in 2002.
With her mum unable to speak English, she secured a school place at Croydon High School for Girls and later took evening cosmetic formulation courses to expand her knowledge and product range.
She studied philosophy and economics at University College London, graduating in 2010, and completed an FX sales and trading internship at Citigroup.
Her first job was selling skincare on a market stall – the same venture she would go on to turn into a hugely successful business.
What is Susie Ma’s business Tropic Skincare?
Susie is now the sole owner of Tropic Skincare, a British skincare and cosmetics company. Bestsellers include a smoothing cleanser for £22, Skin Feast moisturiser for £30 and a cleansing body pebble for £12.
Tropic sells a “multi-award-winning range of natural, planet-protective products”, with ingredients sourced from “sun-soaked tropical regions” and vegan formulas freshly made in its Surrey Beauty Kitchen.
The company has won more than 400 awards and is certified by COSMOS and The Vegan Society.
Susie is described as “dedicated to donating 10% of profits to charities and good causes including funding more education and planting hundreds of thousands of trees”.
The Tropic Ambassador community allows others to earn commission selling products, with more than 38,000 ambassadors in the UK as of 2025.
‘To become a Dragon was a real pinch-me moment’
Susie revealed she had “loved Dragons’ Den for years” and called joining the show a “real pinch-me moment”.
She said: “To become a Dragon off the back of what I’ve built with Tropic was a real pinch-me moment. The show has always stood for belief – backing people with ideas, courage and ambition, and that really resonates with me.”
She also said she would love to see food pitches in the Den. Susie added: “Beauty will always be my first love, but food is the industry that excites me most beyond that. I’m a huge foodie, and I’m endlessly inspired by founders who take something simple and turn it into a brand that people genuinely fall in love with.”
Does Dragons’ Den star Susie Ma have children? Who is her partner?
Susie has a daughter called Sienna with her long-term partner Matt, who is not in the public eye. They welcomed their first child in September 2024.
Talking about filming the show, she admitted it was “intense” as she was in the Den while her daughter was just six months old. She said: “Sleep wasn’t exactly abundant. But that’s modern working motherhood. I’m proud to show that it’s possible to build, lead and show up – even when life is full and messy and demanding.”
Susie describes herself as a “nurturing Dragon” and believes you can be “kind and ambitious, empathetic and decisive” at the same time.
Read more: The ingenious way Dragons’ Den star Jenna Meek got so rich