Simon Ambrose
Encyclopedia
Simon Ambrose was the 2007 winner of the third series
of the British version of reality TV show The Apprentice, in which contestants compete for a £100,000-a-year job working for British business magnate Sir Alan Sugar. He is now Chairman of the London Contemporary Orchestra
.
, and was a member of Rigaud's house, before graduating from Magdalene College, Cambridge
, with a BA in Economics
. He worked for investment bank Credit Suisse
in London
and then ran his own Internet shopping business before applying for The Apprentice. He is a member of Mensa having received an IQ score of 174 at 13 years old. He is the son of successful businessman Russell Ambrose, who founded and still owns Optimax
, a chain of laser eye surgery clinics in the UK. His grandfather also enjoyed entrepreneurial success as a jeweller. The success of both spurred Simon to succeed in the business environment.
, 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. 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.
. He is also training as a surveyor. He will be in charge of developing a hotel and golf course near Stansted Airport
and it is reported that he and Lord Sugar are planning on building London
's most expensive office and may bid for a prime site on London's St. James's Square
.
, Ambrose had reportedly "been working diligently on a property website that allows buyers to speed up legal obstacles". , he had reportedly relaunched www.amsprop.com – "a one-stop shop giving customers instant access to all of AMSPROP's portfolio".
However, in April 2010 he was reported to be leaving to start his own venture.
The Apprentice (UK Series Three)
Series Three of The Apprentice was a television series which aired in the UK on BBC One. The series began on 28 March 2007 and finished on 13 June 2007, with Simon Ambrose as the winner. Ambrose's prize was to work on a project to develop a hotel and golfing complex near Stansted Airport, whilst...
of the British version of reality TV show The Apprentice, in which contestants compete for a £100,000-a-year job working for British business magnate Sir Alan Sugar. He is now Chairman of the London Contemporary Orchestra
London Contemporary Orchestra
The London Contemporary Orchestra is an ensemble of young musicians formed in 2008 whose stated aim is "to explore and promote new music to an increasingly wide audience". LCO staged its inaugural season at LSO St Luke's and has since performed at venues and festivals including The Roundhouse,...
.
Background
Ambrose went to Westminster SchoolWestminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
, and was a member of Rigaud's house, before graduating from Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hostel, in time coming to be known as Buckingham College, before being refounded in 1542 as the College of St Mary Magdalene...
, with a BA in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
. He worked for investment bank Credit Suisse
Credit Suisse
The Credit Suisse Group AG is a Swiss multinational financial services company headquartered in Zurich, with more than 250 branches in Switzerland and operations in more than 50 countries.-History:...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and then ran his own Internet shopping business before applying for The Apprentice. He is a member of Mensa having received an IQ score of 174 at 13 years old. He is the son of successful businessman Russell Ambrose, who founded and still owns Optimax
Optimax
Shell V-Power is the brand name given to Royal Dutch Shell's - aka Shell - enhanced high specification fuels for road motor vehicles.Initially used for higher octane Super Unleaded petrol/gasoline, , it is now additionally used for high specification diesel fuel.-V-Power petrol:Petrol or gasoline...
, a chain of laser eye surgery clinics in the UK. His grandfather also enjoyed entrepreneurial success as a jeweller. The success of both spurred Simon to succeed in the business environment.
The Apprentice
Ambrose was hired by Sir Alan Sugar in the final episode of series three of The ApprenticeThe Apprentice (UK)
The Apprentice is a British reality television series in which a group of aspiring young businessmen and women compete for the chance to win a £100,000-a-year job as an apprentice to the British business magnate Lord Sugar in series one to six...
, which aired on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
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. Ambrose's and Grimes's task in the finale was to design money-making buildings to be sited on the South Bank
South Bank
South Bank is an area of London, England located immediately adjacent to the south side of the River Thames. It forms a long and narrow section of riverside development that is within the London Borough of Lambeth to the border with the London Borough of Southwark and was formerly simply known as...
of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
in London.
Working for Amsprop
After his Apprentice victory, Ambrose was assigned a role at Sugar's property company AmspropAmsprop
Amsprop is the property company of Alan Sugar. Amsprop now holds the majority of Sugar's £800 million wealth and owns several office building freeholds in Mayfair and other parts of London...
. He is also training as a surveyor. He will be in charge of developing a hotel and golf course near Stansted Airport
London Stansted Airport
-Cargo:-Statistics:-Infrastructure:-Terminal and satellite buildings:Stansted is the newest passenger airport of all the main London airports. The terminal is an oblong glass building, and is separated in to three areas: Check-in concourse, arrivals and departures...
and it is reported that he and Lord Sugar are planning on building London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's most expensive office and may bid for a prime site on London's St. James's Square
St. James's Square
St. James's Square is the only square in the exclusive St James's district of the City of Westminster. It has predominantly Georgian and neo-Georgian architecture and a private garden in the centre...
.
, Ambrose had reportedly "been working diligently on a property website that allows buyers to speed up legal obstacles". , he had reportedly relaunched www.amsprop.com – "a one-stop shop giving customers instant access to all of AMSPROP's portfolio".
However, in April 2010 he was reported to be leaving to start his own venture.