Apprentice winner Simon leaves Sir Alan's firm

Apprentice winner Simon leaves Sir Alan's firm
Apprentice winner Simon leaves Sir Alan's firm (Image credit: BBC/TALKBACK)

Former Apprentice winner Simon Ambrose is leaving Alan Sugar's real estate company to start up his own property development firm. Simon joined Amsprop in 2007 after being told, "You're hired," and has been training to become a surveyor. Alan wished him the 'best of luck' in his new venture. The Cambridge-educated entrepreneur, who pipped Kristina Grimes on the BBC show to the plum job with Alan, said: "Having completed my studies, I felt it was the right time for me to use the invaluable experience I have gained at Amsprop to start up on my own. "I would like to sincerely thank the staff at Amsprop for all the help, assistance and co-operation they have given me during my three years with the company. "In particular, I would like to thank Lord Sugar for giving me the opportunity to have such a tremendous apprenticeship at one of the most dynamic property companies around." During his time at Amsprop, Simon worked on the development of its website, helping to give customers easy access to Amsprop's portfolio. Sir Alan said: "Having learnt the ropes at Amsprop, Simon is leaving to pursue his own personal projects and we wish him the best of luck for the future."

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.