Tej Lalvani
Tej Lalvani | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 13, 1974 Bangalore, India |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, business executive, television personality |
| Years active | –present |
| Known for | CEO of Vitabiotics, investor on Dragons' Den (2017–2021) |
Tej Lalvani (born 13 July 1974) is a British entrepreneur and the chief executive officer of Vitabiotics, the largest vitamin manufacturer in the UK, originally established by his father, Kartar Lalvani. He became widely known as one of the investors on the BBC programme Dragons' Den from 2017 until 2021.
Early life and business career
Lalvani spent his early years between Bangalore, India, and the United Kingdom, before relocating permanently to London at age 16. He completed his studies at Westminster Business School, part of the University of Westminster, graduating in 1996. His professional journey began in Vitabiotics' warehouse, eventually leading to his appointment as CEO, succeeding his father.
Together with his wife, Lalvani operates a property investment enterprise based in London.
He earned accolades such as Young Entrepreneur at the Asian Business Awards in 2012 and was honoured as TiE's Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013. In 2017, he was placed 48th on the GG2 Power List, which highlights influential Asians in Britain.
In November 2020, The Grocer included him on its NPD Power List for spearheading innovation within the UK's grocery industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. He maintains an active presence on social media platforms, particularly LinkedIn, where he was recognised among LinkedIn’s ‘Top UK Voices’ in 2020.
The University of Westminster conferred upon him an honorary doctorate in November 2021 and later appointed him visiting professor at Westminster Business School in May 2022.
Dragons' Den
Lalvani took over from Nick Jenkins as a "dragon" on Dragons' Den starting in 2017. In January 2021, he declared his exit from the show to concentrate on scaling his business ventures. His final appearances were broadcast during Series 18 in spring 2021.
Personal life
Of Indian heritage, Lalvani's family background includes Hindu and Sikh Sindhi roots. He married Tara Ruby in London in 2011. His mother previously held titles as Miss India and was a runner-up at Miss World.
Residing in London, Lalvani balances his business activities with musical pursuits, playing instruments such as drums, keyboard, and guitar. According to the Sunday Times Rich List published in May 2019, his estimated net worth stood at £390 million.