Piers Linney, co-CEO of Outsourcery, is leaving the BBC2 show Dragons' Den to focus on growing the company as well as his work related to diversity and inclusion, including his not-for-profit digital platform, workinsight.org
He joined the programme two years ago as part of a show refresh by a new production team, which saw ratings grow by an average of 45 per cent, and was responsible for the highest valuation for an investment in the history of the Den.
Linney said: "I have enjoyed every minute of my time on Dragons' Den and feel honoured to have had the opportunity to contribute to such an iconic and long-running TV show and to have been the first Dragon with Afro Caribbean heritage.
"It is now the right time for me to move on, although entrepreneurship and diversity are two of my greatest passions so I will continue to focus my energies on supporting both.
"It has been a great experience and a pleasure to share with millions of viewers the growing importance of digital innovation and how the technology and creative sectors are making their profound marks on the evolving landscape of British business.
"Among the fantastic entrepreneurs I have backed in the Den, I was especially delighted to have spotted the potential of the full stack digital publisher, Lost My Name, which became the UK's highest selling children's picture book in 2014 and is already one of the biggest success stories to come out of the Den. It will be interesting to see who takes my seat."
Linney will continue to work closely with the entrepreneurs he has backed, including Lost My Name, the technology start-up which takes children on a storytelling journey, creating beautifully illustrated and individual stories using their own names.
He invested £100,000 in the company which received a valuation of £2.5 million, the highest ever valuation in Dragons' Den history.
Linney will also focus on growing Outsourcery . He said: "We have invested ahead of the curve to create differentiated capabilities that are enabling us to win new business against traditional providers of IT and communications solutions.
"We now count a growing number of the UK's largest companies as end-customers and are entering a period of sustained growth. It is a very exciting time for Outsourcery and the cloud market in general."