Richard Farleigh was born on 9 November 1960 in Kyabram, Victoria, Australia. He grew up in poverty as one of eleven children and spent time in foster care after being separated from his family at a young age.

Despite early hardship, he excelled academically, particularly in mathematics, and won a scholarship to study economics at the University of New South Wales.

After graduating, he worked at Bankers Trust in Australia before moving into hedge fund management in Bermuda. By his mid-30s, he had made enough money to retire and began investing his own capital in technology and research-based businesses.

He joined Dragons’ Den (BBC Two) in 2006, appearing in series 3 and 4 as an investor. He was known for his thoughtful and respectful approach and made several notable investments.

Farleigh later continued investing, writing books, and supporting entrepreneurship. He lives in London and remains active as an investor and public speaker.