Dragons' Den tycoon Hilary Devey says she regrets prioritising work as she opens up about son's drug battle and her turbulent love life
She may be one of Britain's most successful business woman but haulage tycoon and Dragons' Den star Hilary Devey hasn't had as much fortune in her private life.The 56-year-old, who launched her freight distribution company Pall-Ex in 1996 to fund her son Mevlit’s education, made her first million within three years and is now worth an estimated £50million.But while she has seen her professional life prosper, the entrepreneur maintains that her personal life has suffered as a result of putting her career first.
Candid: In a frank interview, Hilary Devey has admitted that she put work before her personal life but did it to support her family 'I prioritised [work] at the time because it was my way of providing for my family. I have regrets about this, and some of its consequences,The self-made multimillionaire's son became a heroin addict at the age of 17 and helping him overcome his demons was the hardest thing she has ever had to do but revealed her best investment yet was spending more than £500,000 to help him beat drug addiction.
Mistakes: The haulage tycoon also admits that she has made mistakes again and again in her personal life when it comes to men .She said: ‘He said that there was nothing that I could have done to have stopped him getting in with the wrong crowd and becoming an addict, but it still troubles me.’
Hilary became a single mother to Mevlit when he was just 18 months old after discovering his father was living a double life - he was already married with five children.'In my private life, I have made bad choices as far as men are concerned again and again. 'But dwelling on the past is at odds with a successful future,' she said.
The self-made multimillionaire's son became a heroin addict at the age of 17 and helping him overcome his demons was the hardest thing she has ever had to do.Hilary has also had to fight health battles of her own after suffering a stroke in 2009 which paralysed her left arm and left her unable to speak for a week.
But she she's in a great place now thanks to being happily married to her third husband, Philip, and securing a role in a new Channel 4 show, The Intern, in which she sets a group of 18-24 year olds a series of challenges as they bid to succeed in their dream jobs.
With her indomitable presence and unique style, Hilary has breathed new life into TV, especially Dragon's Den, which saw viewing figures rise since she joined.
The self-confessed fashionista, who has a wardrobe full of designer clothes and shoes from Alexandra McQueen dresses to Jimmy Choo heels, told the magazine that she is a slave to fashion and credits her style credentials to giving her more self-confidence.
