Julie Meyer, Former 'Dragons' Den' Star, Faces Liquidation of Swiss Firm Amid Honors Scandal
The venture capitalist, previously stripped of her MBE and honorary doctorate, sees her company VIVA Investment Partners AG enter liquidation proceedings.
Julie Meyer, a former participant on the BBC's "Dragons' Den," has seen her Swiss venture capital firm, VIVA Investment Partners AG (VIP), enter liquidation. This development follows a tumultuous period for Meyer, who was stripped of her MBE and an honorary doctorate over a significant legal dispute.
Meyer, 60, was awarded an MBE in 2012 and an honorary doctorate from Warwick University in 2014. However, both honors were rescinded after a high-profile legal battle in 2022. She was accused of withholding approximately £200,000 in unpaid fees to her solicitors, Farrer & Co. Her failure to appear in court or settle the legal fees led a British judge to brand her "selfish" and issue a six-month suspended sentence for contempt of court.
Warwick University consequently revoked her honorary doctorate in 2022, and the Cabinet Office stripped Meyer of her MBE in August 2025, citing "bringing the honours system into disrepute."
Documents indicate that Meyer's firm, VIP, which she founded in 2018 after relocating her business operations from Malta to Zurich, has accumulated around 435,000 CHF (£400,000) in outstanding claims from tax authorities, IT companies, and other suppliers. VIP officially began liquidation proceedings on August 18, as announced by the Meilen Judicial District Court.
Previously, Meyer operated a UK arm of the firm, VIVA Investment Partners (UK) Limited, which was officially dissolved in April 2023. Meyer, who is listed as VIP's chairman and chief executive officer, has reportedly moved from the UK to Switzerland, though sources suggest she now spends considerable time in Greece.
Despite having lost her honors, Meyer continues to style herself as "Dr Julie Meyer MBE" on her LinkedIn profile and official website, and on promotional materials for related ventures. She has previously claimed to not have received official correspondence regarding the revocation of her MBE and suggested the title might refer to "another organisation" unrelated to the British honor. Evidence from her LinkedIn profile indicates she lists herself as a "Member of the Board of EcosystemEconomics(r) Association (MBE)," though inquiries have not yielded evidence of this organization.
Meyer, originally from the United States, gained prominence in the UK as one of two new Dragons for an online version of "Dragons' Den" in 2009. She also previously advised David Cameron's government. Before her television career, she was recognized for her early support of tech brands like lastminute.com and Skype and for the sale of her firm First Tuesday in 2000.
The legal dispute with Farrer & Co, a firm that represented the late Queen Elizabeth II, highlighted Meyer's absence from court hearings. Her defense cited conjunctivitis and an unvaccinated status for COVID-19 as reasons for her inability to travel from Switzerland, but the court ruled these were not sufficient grounds to avoid personal attendance.
Meyer's name appears on an official list of individuals stripped of their honors, published by the Cabinet Office in the London Gazette and on the gov.uk website. Warwick University confirmed it had contacted Meyer to request the removal of any reference to the revoked award.