Search
06 Sept 2025
Search
06 Sept 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Lord Alan Sugar has enjoyed a multi-million pound pay-out after selling his stake in a skincare business run by a former contestant on The Apprentice.
The business magnate and TV personality cashed in after a £200,000 investment in 2011 in Tropic Skincare, founded by entrepreneur Susie Ma.
He also acquired a 50% share in the retailer, which sells freshly made skincare and cosmetics products and is thought to have been one of Lord Sugar’s most successful investments from the BBC One business show.
The buyout of Tropic means Ms Ma will regain full ownership of the brand which she founded in 2004 at the age of 15.
Lord Sugar said the fast-growing business has been “nothing short of remarkable” since his investment, having recorded a turnover of more than £90 million in 2021 and a pre-tax profit of £10.5 million.
The value of the sale has not been disclosed but Lord Sugar is set to make a multimillion-pound profit as a result, the PA news agency understands.
Ms Ma said it has always been her “ambition” to regain ownership of the company that now sells more than 400 products and has more than 300 staff.
She added: “I will always be so grateful for the investment Lord Sugar made, and the potential he saw in Tropic Skincare with me at the helm.”
The 34-year-old, born in Shanghai in China, was a contestant on The Apprentice in 2011, coming third but still managing to secure investment after the series ended.
Lord Sugar said: “Susie is a shining example of what it is to be a business owner today. When I first met Susie in 2010, I saw a unique grit and determination and it’s a drive she has maintained over the years.
“Following the company’s fantastic trajectory over the last few years, it’s now the right time to part ways and allow Susie the space to take the company to new heights.”
Ms Ma, who is also the chief executive of Tropic, said she plans to launch a new website, refresh the branding and roll out new products.
Series 17 of The Apprentice ended last month with winner Marnie Swindells receiving a £250,000 investment to develop her boxing gym concept.
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
