The candidates

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The candidates

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THE WOMEN


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Anita Shah
Age: 35
Career: Business Strategist
Qualifications: LLB in Law & Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice
Lives: Birmingham

A cricket fanatic, Shah is a qualified lawyer and self-confessed perfectionist. Shah, who led a team to win at the Visa Business School in 2008, hopes to one day complete a chick-lit novel and launch a new business providing emotional, psychological and spiritual therapy. She is inspired by James Caan for believing that you can be successful by investing in relationships and being nice to people rather than being ruthless or devious, she considers herself to be a humanitarian with a Bridget Jones alter-ego.


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Debra Barr
Age: 24
Career: Senior Sales Consultant
Qualifications: BA in English Literature
Lives: Surrey

An outspoken sales-woman, Barr was awarded ‘mouth of the year’ at her office Christmas party and confesses to being a bit ‘tenacious’. Buckinghamshire-born, Barr considers herself to be a direct and driven sales-woman with a passion for business... and a love of horses. She has had to fight illiteracy. After struggling in primary school, at 10, she had the reading age of a six-year-old. With a strong belief in overcoming difficulties, Barr went on to study English Literature at university. Inspired by Bill Gates and Richard Branson she is a go-getter who would rather ask for forgiveness than permission.



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Kate Walsh
Age: 27
Career: Licensing Development Manager
Qualifications: BSc in Psychology and Management
Lives: Hampshire

Born in Staffordshire, Walsh is confident and resilient with what she describes as an ability to develop and sustain business relationships at all levels. The indie music fan lists cooking, snowboarding and gym workouts as passions she pursues with relentless enthusiasm. Although she regrets not applying to Oxbridge, Walsh, who admires the ballsy approach to business of Sex and The City’s Samantha, continues to be a highly motivated and ambitious professional with an educated opinion on most issues.


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Kimberly Davis
Age: 33
Career: Marketing Consultant
Qualifications: BA in Music Management
Lives: London
Born in The Bronx, the New-Yorker is an accomplished musician and business owner who believes that no dream is too big. Davis's entrepreneurial spirit blossomed at an early age when, aged five, she started her own lemonade and ice tea stand. She has since gone on to launch highly successful marketing and development businesses. With an impressive musical history, Davis has performed Mozart at Carnegie Hall, danced onstage at Disney World, played flute in Disney Land’s Electric Light Parade, and toured the US East Coast playing violin with the Essex County Chamber Orchestra. A strong believer in Karma, she insists she has no poker face and lists Tiffany & Co, Chanel and Apple as her most inspiring brands.


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Lorraine Tighe
Age: 36
Career: National Accounts Manager
Qualifications: NHC in Business Studies
Lives: Kent

The mother-of-two was born in London and left school at 16. Since then she has gone on to be the top sales person in every company she has ever worked for and admires Victoria Beckham for being equally resourceful when doubted for having ‘not much talent’. Talkative Tighe admits to having very little education and has endured many trials and tribulations throughout her life. She sums up her attitude to business as the ability to drive a dead horse to the winning line.


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Mona Lewis
Age: 28
Career: Senior Business Manager
Qualifications: A Levels
Lives: Kent

Born in Karachi, the former Tanzanian beauty-queen and stubborn mother-of-one would love to have been the brains behind Tesco. She sees herself as shrewd and honest in business and believes that personal emotions should never interfere with decision making. Describing herself as an open-minded decision maker, Lewis chose to apply for The Apprentice based on her desire to step out of her comfort zone and change the lives of herself and her son.


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Paula Jones
Age: 29
Career: Human Resource Consultant
Qualifications: Masters Degree in Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management
Lives: Walsall, West Midlands

Fashion conscious Jones is an academic with a love for interior design. Born and raised in Walsall, Jones, a self-confessed scatter brain, admits to liking being liked and shying away from conflict, finding that as a result she is often left with issues unresolved. At the age of 18, she was a four-star sergeant in the army cadets and represented the army at county level in shooting.


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Yasmina Siadatan
Age: 27
Career: Restaurateur
Qualifications: BSc Economic History With Population Studies
Lives: London

The highly ambitious restaurant owner and marathon runner was born in Hull and spent time living in Los Angeles and Iran before settling in London. Siadatan, who first experienced the world of business in her dad’s restaurant, describes herself as dominating yet adaptable and believes that business is about spotting a gap in the market and filling it better than anyone else can. She admires Richard Branson’s attitude to personal service and would love to have been the brains behind Microsoft where the right idea at the right time led to riches.

THE MEN


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Ben Clarke
Age: 22
Career: Trainee Stockbroker
Qualifications: BA (Hons) Economics & Business
Lives: Belfast

Belfast born and bred Ben, is the rebellious stockbroker who considers himself to be ruthless and money-obsessed. The former Gavin Henson lookalike is inspired by the Playboy brand and sites Hugh Heffner as one of his most admired business figures. Rugby playing Clakre admits to being ‘cocky’ but insists that he takes business very seriously. He is a young professional with what he describes as a raw hunger to make as much money as possible.


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Howard Ebison
Age: 24
Career: Retail Business Manager
Qualifications: CIMA Part-qualified accountant - BSc (Hons) Maths and Business Studies
Lives: Derby

Born in Surrey, Ebison is an enthusiastic businessman who thrives in managerial positions. Ebison, an award winning dancer, self-trained musician and area manager to 10 pubs, believes that people enjoy working for him. Ebison, whose teenage jobs included a paper round he got sacked from and a fish and chip shop shift he despised, now describes himself as family-orientated yet equally ambitious within his career. He hopes to one day set up his own consultancy specialising in customer service.


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James McQuillan
Age: 32
Career: Senior Commercial Manager
Qualifications: MA Hons in Economics
Lives: Surrey

The family man describes himself as a ‘schmoozer’ who people feel comfortable around. Football referee, sports fanatic and former child chess champion, McQuillan is inspired by people with passion and cites Al Pacino and JK Rowling as his inspirational figures. James who claims to suffer from ‘foot in mouth syndrome’ has worked as a labourer, trolley collector and a nightclub doorman before finding his niche in commercial management. He describes himself as likeable and selfless and would love to have been the brains behind The A-Team.


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Majid Nagra
Age: 28
Career: Business Development Manager
Qualifications: BSc Computer science
Lives: Coventry

A reformed rebel, Nagra sees himself as loyal, with the belief that business is the backbone to the world. Born in Coventry, Nagra, who describes his attitude as 'never say die’, was expelled from school for wayward behaviour but, having turned his around, now works with youth centres and charities while running his own car hire business. Describing himself as funny and talkative, Nagra says he never shies away from the spotlight.


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Noorul Choudhury
Age: 33
Career: Science Teacher
Qualifications: GTTP, CIM
Lives: Rochdale

The science teacher hopes to eventually become a property development millionaire. Fashion-obsessed, he believes that Argos should be banned from selling jewellery and aims to one day start up a men’s tailoring business. Describing himself as a straight-talking leader, he loves being kept on his feet and confesses to always putting work first. He believes that business is a cut throat, dog eat dog game that you must play to win.


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Phillip Taylor
Age: 29
Career: Estate Agent
Qualifications: NEBS Certificate in Management
Lives: County Durham

Born and raised in County Durham, Taylor, who describes himself as ‘confident and charming', believes he can deal with people on any level. As a self confessed control-freak he is passionate about all projects he involves himself in and considers himself to be a nice guy who people can relate to. He believes that you should make friends but make money while doing it.


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Rocky Andrews
Age: 21
Career: Sandwich Chain Owner
Qualifications: None
Lives: North Yorkshire

Rocky is this season’s youngest candidate and already earns more than the salary on offer from Sir Alan. He left school at 16 to pursue a career in football with Middlesbrough but was soon diagnosed with arthritis making it impossible to continue. Rocky decided to start up a sandwich business at the age of 17 and now has 15 lucrative shops across the North East of England.
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