Susie Ma

Susie Ma is a British-Chinese entrepreneur, philanthropist, and the founder of Tropic Skincare, one of Britain’s fastest-growing privately owned companies. As the owner of an award-winning independent beauty brand, Susie is a powerhouse of determination, drive, and passion, helping to create an ever-better future. In 2026, she is to be a guest dragon on the 23rd season of Dragons' Den.

From humble beginnings at age 15, making body scrubs with the recipes her grandmother taught her, blending sea salt, macadamia oil, and essential oils, Susie began selling her products at markets across London, building the foundations of her would-be global business, Tropic. In 2011, she was a contestant on the seventh season of the BBC’s The Apprentice, coming third. Despite this, she still secured a £200,000 investment from Lord Sugar. Establishing an ambassador scheme where people earn commission on her product, Susie’s brand now has over 38,000 ambassadors across the UK. Every September, the company hosts its annual ‘Glammies’ for the ambassadors, and in 2025, the event raised over £200,000 for charity partners. Through Tropic, Susie has conducted a variety of philanthropic endeavours, such as funding 6.8 million days of education for children in hard-to-reach communities and opening four schools across Nepal, Cambodia, and Madagascar. Following this, Tropic created the ‘Give Friday Back’ campaign, leading to the funding of over 70,000 additional school days. The campaign was repeated the following year, reaching an increased total of 80,000 school days. In 2023, Susie regained full ownership of Tropic, buying back Lord Sugar’s shares. That same year, she committed Tropic to a four-year patronage to its Women Supporting Women initiative, helping women and girls access resources to secure jobs and careers. 

Alongside her professional career and charity work, Susie has won a number of impressive accolades. Tropic has received over 400 industry awards from the likes of Glamour, Women&Home, Beauty Shortlist, CEW, and more. Susie herself is the recipient of the Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic Fast Track’s ‘Emerging Brand’ award, seven Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the EY Entrepreneur Award for ‘Building a Better Working World’, and the Marie Curie Prix D’Excellence award for ‘Beauty Gives Back’. She has been featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, the London Stock Exchange’s book of 1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain in 2019, Management Today’s 35 Women Under 35 list, and placed ninth on the inaugural The Sunday Times Beauty Rich List. 

Susie brings over 20 years of business experience and entrepreneurial excellence to each talk she delivers. With the desire to empower others and work towards a greener, healthier world, Susie is perfect for a multitude of events, including business summits, International Women’s Day engagements, and more. Her ability to inspire, educate, and unite through her numerous global initiatives sets Susie apart as not only an incredible keynote speaker but a force for good in humanity.