Few business entrepreneurs ever step forward into the limelight; Donald Trump and Richard Branson are among the exceptions to the rule. But the Dragons’ Den television show has unleashed more than a few business figures into the public. One of these businessmen with new found celebrity status is James Caan, not to be mistaken with his Hollywood actor counterpart. James Caan from Dragons’ Den was born Nazim Khan in Pakistan, moving to the UK at a young age. The Dragons’ Den series showcases young inventors all looking to have their inventions invested in by the ‘dragons’ who dissect and pick apart the inventions; James Caan is one such dragon.
James Caan’s Business Career
Operating in business since 1985, James Caan has overseen any type of business imaginable chewing through the average office for rent like bubblegum. The Alexander Mann Group was his first attempt at a company and even though he didn’t need to go through the effort of pitching it to a Dragons’ Den, the UK recruitment agency took off; he sold it in 2002. He is also known for co-founding the executive human resources firm Humana International. The company has seen young college students from the classroom all the way to serviced offices; some even go on to be CEOs. If you watch Dragon’s Den then you know James Caan tends to be a strong presence although a shrewd businessman. Today he is the CEO of the UK-based private equity film Hamilton Bradshaw which he also founded yet he continues to participate in charitable activities. James Caan left Dragons’ Den in 2011 and the show is at a loss for it, but he plans on starting a new Dragons’ Den in his country of birth, Pakistan.
The James Caan Foundation
It seems unlikely that James Caan left high school at 16 with no qualifications and has become one of the 100 most influential Asian people in the UK according to the Asian Power 100. However seeing his fair share of scandals, he has remained quite conservative yet effective in his business practices. James Caan actively participates in charities that benefit children, but his own James Caan Foundation seeks to raise awareness of issues facing the developing world. During the Pakistan flooding of July 2010, Caan personally flew to Pakistan to aid relief and continued to work with UNICEF upon his return to the UK. The Dragon’s Den entrepreneur is, as they say, perhaps not a perfect man but a perfect businessman.
Eugene Calvini is a keen businessman who enjoys writing on the world through his own pair of rose-tinted glasses.
