James Caan CBE

About

James Caan is one of the UK’s most successful and dynamic entrepreneurs. He has gained much fame on the panel of Dragons’ Den.

He is the founder and CEO of Hamilton Bradshaw, based in Mayfair, London. The company was founded in 2004 and specialises in buyouts, venture capital, turnarounds, and real estate investment in the UK.

At sixteen he left school with no qualifications. Despite this in the mid 1980′s, he began a successful career in recruitment. James founded Alexander Mann, a UK recruitment business which he successfully grew to £130m turnover. James was keen to explore the international market and launched Humana International, with 147 offices in 30 countries.

Business Ventures

Caan founded the James Caan Foundation (JCF) in 2006. The JCF supports charities in the UK and seeks to promote greater awareness of issues facing the developing world.

The JCF has funded the construction of a new school in Lahore, northern Pakistan. Since first purchasing a barren plot of land and opening the 16-classroom school in 2005, the TCF School, named after Caan’s father, has over 420 children aged from 5-11.

In 2007, James Caan joined the panel of the highly popular BBC TV show Dragons’ Den. During his time on the show, James invested in a diverse range of businesses and as a result increased his profile in the media.

James has worked on a number of projects to support the British entrepreneur. He is has worked with Business Secretary Vince Cable as a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum to help and advise government on the new business policies.

He is a keen supporter of many charities and set up The JCF in 2006 to help underprivileged children get access to education. Entrepreneurship, education and equal opportunities are three key areas that James specifically supports.

Caan is also involved with and supports other charities including the The Prince’s Trust, Marie Curie, Mosaic, Care Foundation and the NSPCC. In 2009 Caan was appointed chairman of The Big Issue Company.