Touker Suleyman

Touker Suleyman (born Türker Süleyman; 4 August 1953) is a British-Turkish Cypriot fashion retail entrepreneur, investor, and reality television personality. In 2001, his company Low Profile Group purchased UK shirt maker Hawes & Curtis, and in 2002 he purchased UK fashion label Ghost. Since then, he has invested in a number of start-up companies including Bikesoup and Huxley & Cox. Since 2015 he has been a dragon on Dragon's Den. In 2015, The Sunday Times listed Suleyman as 637th in its Rich List, estimating his fortune to be in excess of £200 million. Early life Suleyman was born in Famagusta on 4 August 1953, into a Turkish Cypriot family. In 1958, he moved to England with his family and settled in Bermondsey, South London. He arrived not speaking English and attended Peckham Manor secondary school. At age 10, he suffered a serious hand infection that resulted in him missing a year of school and at risk of an amputation of his left hand. Suleyman helped out working at his family's restaurant in Camberwell. He credits his father for being his inspiration to start his own business. Career After leaving school, Suleyman joined a chartered accountancy firm in Southampton Row, London, heeding to his father's wishes that he enter a secure profession. He worked as an articled clerk earning £5.50 a week. Speaking of his experience there he states "I did the accounts for small clients like dentists and doctors, other accountants and small businesses. In a way it was educational, but quite boring. I saw that there were three ways to make money. You were either a pop star, in the fashion business, or in property."