NEWS FROM SIR ALAN SUGAR

YASMINA SIADATAN - YOU’RE HIRED!

After the job interview from hell with tycoon, Sir Alan Sugar, 27 year-old restaurateur, Yasmina Siadatan, has beaten 14 other candidates to land the coveted six-figure salary job, with the self-made millionaire, who has over 40 years of experience under his belt. Yasmina follows in the footsteps of last year’s winner, Lee McQueen, and previous winners Simon Ambrose (2207), Michelle Dewberry (2006) Tim Campbell (2005).

In last night’s final task, over X million viewers tuned in to BBC ONE to watch Yasmina battle it out with 27 year-old Licensing Development Manager, Kate Walsh, manage a team of this year’s fired candidates in the toughest task to date - designing an original box of chocolates, creating a brand and advertisement, and presenting them to a room full of industry experts.

Although Yasmina and her team - consisting of Howard, Lorraine, James and Philip got off to a shaky start, she quickly pulled herself and her team together and held a focus group, before deciding to target consumers searching for an “electrifying” chocolate experience. With a strong brand identity in place with “Cocoa Electric,” and a confident pitch Yasmina won over both the experts and Sir Alan, despite the actually chocolates being accused of lacking in quality.

Meanwhile, Kate’s team - consisting of Ben, Debra, Kimberly and Rocky, designed “Choc D’Amour”, a three-tier box of chocolates aimed at couples enjoying a romantic night in. But Kate’s high prices didn’t fit with her positioning in the mass consumer market as a credit-crunch alternative to a night out. However, Sir Alan did compliment her on the innovative idea and outstanding quality of the product.

In the nail-biting final boardroom scene, Sir Alan told the girls that choosing who to hire would be the hardest decision he had ever had to make over the past five series. He told them: “You are two very, very, very good finalists.”

When Sir Alan asked Yasmina what she’d learned over the last twelve weeks, she replied:“The highlights for me were doing things I’ve never done before, and finding that I’d done them well. Yesterday I pulled it off… that was such a massive personal achievement to know that I could do that, and can go and do it again…I know you don’t want to take a risk on me, but letting me slip through your hands would be a much bigger risk.”

Yasmina confidently answered Sir Alan’s tough questions on her already successful restaurant business, by telling him: “All it should say (owning my own business) is that I’m damn good at what I do and that I’ve got a creativity and a spark about me and I’m a risk taker. Right now I’m determined, I’m eager to learn….I’ve grown up as a natural businessperson… I look at everything from a business perspective and I think that’s the main difference between me and Kate.”

Sir Alan decided on his winner and said: “It’s a tough decision. You are the best that I’ve ever had in the final in this boardroom, that I promise you. My instincts are telling me… Yasmina… YOU’RE HIRED!”

One job. 15 candidates. Sir Alan’s search for his Apprentice has come to an end.