Hilary Devey CBE is a British businesswoman, investor and professional business speaker best known for her stint on popular television business show Dragons’ Den.
Born and raised in Bolton, Hilary experienced hardship from an early age when, as a seven-year-old, she witnessed bailiffs removing furniture and household goods from the family home after her father became bankrupt.
Devey made her fortune launching Pall-Ex, a palletised freight network, in 1996. Only the third palletised goods distribution network to be launched in the UK, it was based on the well-established hub and spoke express parcels distribution model.
Pall-Ex handles around 10,000 palletised consignments through its Leicestershire hub each day and has annual revenues of approximately £75m, highlighting the business acumen of Hilary, the company’s CEO and chair.
She featured in several television programmes including Secret Millionaire and The Business Inspector before becoming one of the Dragons on the BBC2 show Dragons’ Den for a year-long stint.
Outside from her business ventures, Hilary’s tale is one of overcoming adversity and hardship to climb and remain at the top of her field.
She suffered a stroke in 2009 after having an abdominoplasty operation, was involved in helping her son overcome a seven-year drug addiction, and endured the trauma of finding out that both her father and her ex-partner were both married to other women and had children.
Hilary is an expert keynote and corporate speaker for your event, proof that hardships in life need not thwart a person’s drive and possibility of reaching the top.
