Simon Ambrose
{{Short description|Winner of the third series of the British version of The Apprentice}}
{{about|the British businessman|the main antagonist who shares the same name in a British spy comedy film|Johnny English Reborn}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| image =
| name = Simon Ambrose
| caption=
| birth_date =
| birth_place = London, United Kingdom
| occupation = Chartered Surveyor
Internet entrepreneur
| website = {{url|http://www.simonambrose.com/}}
| spouse =
}}
Simon Ambrose is a British businessman and the 2007 winner of the third series of the British version of reality TV show The Apprentice, in which contestants compete for a job working for British TV personality[https://www.theguardian.com/business/2008/mar/23/realitytv.television The Observer profile: Sir Alan Sugar | Business | The Guardian] Sir Alan Sugar.[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/the-apprentice/9090420/Apprentice-winner-Stella-English-to-sue-Lord-Sugar.html Apprentice winner Stella English to sue Lord Sugar - Telegraph] In 2007 Simon became the first Apprentice winner to also be a TV Actor.{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6749303.stm | title=Simon named The Apprentice winner | publisher=BBC News | date=2007-06-14 | accessdate=2008-08-08 }} He is now Chairman of the London Contemporary Orchestra.{{cite web|url=http://www.lcorchestra.co.uk/news/page/2/|title=News|work=London Contemporary Orchestra|date=6 August 2010|page=2|accessdate=21 July 2011}}{{cite news|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article7147838.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615134445/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article7147838.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 June 2011|title=Simon Ambrose: passion will out|work=The Times|accessdate=21 July 2011}}{{cite news|title=Simon Ambrose appointed LCO Chairman|date=5 February 2009|publisher=London Contemporary Orchestra Official Website}}
Background
Ambrose enjoyed a very affluent childhood, attending Westminster School,{{Cite web |url=http://www.oldwestminster.org.uk/NetCommunity/Document.Doc?id=9 |title=Archived copy |access-date=8 January 2010 |archive-date=20 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720063316/http://www.oldwestminster.org.uk/NetCommunity/Document.Doc?id=9 |url-status=dead }} and was a member of Rigaud's house, before graduating from Magdalene College, Cambridge, with a BA in Economics.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} He worked for investment bank Credit Suisse in London{{cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2007/06/13/we-hate-apprentice-katie-115875-19287746/|title=WE HATE APPRENTICE KATIE|author=mirror Administrator|date=12 June 2007|work=mirror}} and then ran his own Internet shopping business{{Citation needed|date=December 2008}} before applying for The Apprentice. He is a member of Mensa having received an IQ score of 174 (SD 24) at 13 years old.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} He is the son of businessman Russell Ambrose, who founded and still owns Optimax, a chain of laser eye surgery clinics in the UK.{{cite web|url=http://www.optimax.co.uk/inside_optimax/russell_ambrose.aspx|title=Russell Ambrose, Founder of Optimax Laser Eye Surgery Specialists|work=optimax.co.uk}} His grandfather also enjoyed entrepreneurial success as a jeweller. The success of both spurred Simon to succeed in the business environment.The Apprentice: Beyond the Boardroom, BBC, 3 June 2007
''The Apprentice''
Ambrose was hired by Alan Sugar in the final episode of series three of The Apprentice, which aired on BBC One on 13 June 2007, after he defeated fellow finalist Kristina Grimes. Ambrose was project manager of his team twice in the show, in weeks 7 and 10, and was on the winning team 5 out of the 10 tasks and also on the losing team 5 out of the 10 tasks, and passed the interview stage putting him to the final.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/apprentice/episode/cid/66.html | title=Episode: 7 The 97 pence victory | work=The Apprentice | publisher=BBC | accessdate=2008-08-08 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080423142112/http://www.bbc.co.uk/apprentice/episode/cid/66.html |archivedate = 2008-04-23}}{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/apprentice/episode/cid/88.html | title=Episode: 10 Selling on TV | work=The Apprentice | publisher=BBC | accessdate=2008-08-08 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080307161437/http://www.bbc.co.uk/apprentice/episode/cid/88.html |archivedate = 2008-03-07}} Ambrose's and Grimes's task in the finale was to design money-making buildings to be sited on the South Bank of the River Thames in London.[http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/2771 "Concepts for IBM South Bank site revealed on Apprentice final"], London SE1 community website, 13 June 2007
Working for Amsprop
After his Apprentice victory, Ambrose was assigned a role at Sugar's property company Amsprop. He was also training as a surveyor. He was to be in charge of developing a hotel and golf course near Stansted Airport, and it was reported that he and Lord Sugar were planning on building London's most expensive office and might bid for a prime site on London's St. James's Square.{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6924004.stm | title=Q&A: Does Sky deal mean end for Amstrad? | publisher=BBC News | date=2007-07-31 | accessdate=2008-08-08 }}
{{As of|2008|03}}, Ambrose had reportedly "been working diligently on a property website that allows buyers to speed up legal obstacles".{{cite news | url=https://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article3578159.ece | title=Sir Alan Sugar's ideas in the firing line | newspaper=The Times| date=2008-03-19 | access-date=2008-08-08 | location=London | first=Adam | last=Sherwin}} {{As of|2009|03}}, he had reportedly relaunched www.amsprop.com – "a one-stop shop giving customers instant access to all of AMSPROP's portfolio".[https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2009/03_march/17/apprentice_notes.shtml "The Apprentice – Notes to Editors"], BBC Press Office, 17 March 2009 However, in April 2010 he was reported to be leaving to start his own venture.{{cite web | title=Apprentice Winner Simon ambrose Leaves Alan Sugar's Firm | publisher=Northcliffe | url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article-23828537-apprentice-winner-simon-ambrose-leaves-alan-sugars-firm.do | date=2010-04-27 | accessdate=2010-12-30 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110101190714/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article-23828537-apprentice-winner-simon-ambrose-leaves-alan-sugars-firm.do | archivedate=1 January 2011 }}
In December 2015, he was reported to be operating several London bars and restaurants, and serving as chairman of the London Contemporary Orchestra.{{Cite web|url=http://www.theweek.co.uk/66101/where-are-previous-the-apprentice-winners-now|title = The Apprentice: Where are the past winners?| website=The Week }}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{The Apprentice UK}}
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{{succession box|title=The Apprentice (UK) winner|before=Michelle Dewberry|after=Lee McQueen|years=Series Three (2007)}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ambrose, Simon}}