Hilary Devey

Hilary Devey
Hilary Devey
Born	Hilary Lorraine Brewster; 10 March 1957 (age 69); Bolton, Lancashire, England
Died	11 June 2022 (aged 65); Marrakesh, Morocco
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, television presenter
Years active	1996–2022
Known for	Founder of Pall-Ex; panelist on BBC Two's Dragons' Den; presenter on Channel 4's The Intern

Hilary Lorraine Devey CBE (née Brewster; 10 March 1957 – 11 June 2022) was a prominent English entrepreneur and television figure, widely recognized for her participation on the BBC Two series Dragons' Den before transitioning to present the Channel 4 programme The Intern.

Early life

Born in Bolton, Lancashire, on 10 March 1957, Devey experienced her father's financial collapse at the age of seven, which resulted in bailiffs seizing household belongings; he subsequently worked managing pubs and hotels. She left formal education at sixteen and briefly served in the Women's Royal Air Force, where she was involved in air traffic control and supply accounting at RAF Brize Norton. Following this, she moved to London.

Business

Devey amassed her wealth through founding Pall-Ex in 1996, establishing the UK's third palletised freight network. Pall-Ex operates using a hub-and-spoke express parcel system, modeled after Palletline's approach introduced in 1992.

The company processes approximately 8,000 palletised shipments daily via its central hub in Leicestershire and comprises more than 90 network partners. Its revenue increased from £76.6 million in 2020 to £92.1 million in 2021, with gross profits reaching £10.9 million during that period.

Television

Her television career includes appearances on various shows, most notably The Secret Millionaire in 2008, where she contributed over £70,000 to initiatives supporting the community in Rochdale. In March 2010, she hosted The Business Inspector on Channel 5, a four-part series aimed at revitalizing struggling small enterprises.

In February 2011, Devey became a panel member on BBC Two's Dragons' Den, taking over from James Caan. She departed the show in June 2012 after securing an exclusive two-year contract with Channel 4, leaving alongside fellow investor Theo Paphitis. Their replacements were Kelly Hoppen and Piers Linney.

September 2012 saw Devey presenting Hilary Devey's Women at the Top, a brief series co-produced by the Open University and BBC Two. After her move to Channel 4, she fronted The Intern starting April 2013—a business documentary featuring three interns undertaking their ideal jobs. Although initially broadcast during prime time, subsequent episodes were rescheduled for later slots due to declining viewership.

On 3 April 2014, Devey announced a forthcoming Channel 4 series titled Running the Shop, which commenced filming in June that year and premiered on 9 June 2015. Additionally, she appeared as a guest panellist on ITV's Loose Women beginning June 2015, later becoming an occasional regular from September until her departure in November of the same year.

Awards

In recognition of her achievements, Devey was honored with the Vitalise Woman of the Year Award in 2008 and received an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Leicester in 2010 for her industrial contributions. Her accolades also include the Sir Robert Lawrence Award for Lifetime Achievement bestowed by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in 2009 and the Personality of the Year title at the International Freight Weekly Awards in 2010.

The University of Bolton awarded her an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration in 2012 for her business services. She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) during the 2013 Birthday Honours for her influence within transport and charitable endeavors.

In 2014, she obtained an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration from the University of Wolverhampton. Furthermore, Devey acted as an ambassador for the British Citizen Awards, which acknowledge significant contributions to society.

Personal life

Before moving to Boylestone, Derbyshire, Devey resided near Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. Her real estate portfolio included homes in London, Morocco, Spain, and Boca Raton, Florida, where she sold her mansion in 2014 for £5.42 million. Throughout her life, she experienced three marriages and divorces and was a mother to a son named Mevlit, who successfully battled drug addiction.

As an admirer of Bolton Wanderers F.C. and enthusiast of the rock group Status Quo, Devey revealed on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs in 2012 that both her father and a former partner had secret families unknown to her.

Charity

Devey was actively involved in philanthropy, notably taking on the role of vice-president at Carers Trust in 2012. She initiated the 'Penny a Pallet' campaign, contributing one penny for every pallet distributed by Pall-Ex. Additionally, from 2010 onwards, she served as a patron for the Stroke Association.

Death

On 11 June 2022, Devey passed away at her vacation residence in Marrakesh, Morocco, following a prolonged illness. She was 65 years old. Former colleagues from Dragons' Den, including Theo Paphitis, Duncan Bannatyne, and Deborah Meaden, paid tribute to her distinctive impact and spirited character.

Filmography

Television

Year	Title	Role	Channel
2008	The Secret Millionaire	Secret Millionaire	Channel 4
2010	The Business Inspector	Host	Channel 5
2011–2012	Dragons' Den	Dragon	BBC Two
2012	Hilary Devey's Women at the Top	Presenter	BBC Two
2012	Hotel GB	Hotel Shop Manager	Channel 4
2013	The Intern	Presenter
2015	Running the Shop	Presenter
2015	Loose Women	Regular panellist	ITV

Guest appearances

Room 101 (2012)
The Million Pound Drop (2013)
Fifteen to One (20 June 2014)
Through the Keyhole (4 October 2014)
Safeword (3 September 2015)

Books

Bold as Brass: My Story (2012), London, Macmillan,

External links