Part of Kate's problem was that she didn't get enough chances on the show as PM to seal the deal with the viewers or SAS - which was hardly her fault as his Lordship started deciding to try people out and rearranging teams when she might have had her turn. She ends up with both her and Howard only being PM once before the last task, and he takes the role and loses. That leaves Yasmina at 3-1 over Kate for wins as PM - when it might have been at least 2-2. On business CV, Kate had done more than Yasmina and had an excellent academic record too. Kate's ability to get on with people and work them out also seemed to ring alarm bells with SAS as she could read him like a book too.

Kristina lost out to a bit better CV and someone who looked and sounded more like the target market.That year he went with the academics and the CV and the posh accent - most years its not being academically the most successful and having a journey story that works.

Debra made some really smart calls in her series. He ran to form and didn't take a risk with a loud, strong female.

Claire seems extremely capable and what she does now suggests that she wouldn't have had any problems at all. Lee's only advantage, I can see, was that the job was to flog screens in underground stations and he looked more like the people he would need to sell to. He might have thought Claire might frighten them, but I think SAS flunked it again.

I got the feeling they were going for the 'working class hero' angle the year Lee won.

I was shocked he was hired after the state of his CV.

Debra should have won last year in my opinion. I didn't find her half as rude or aggressive as was made out. I still maintain she was RIGHT during her run in with Nick in the boardroom and was just defending herself passionately as I would have done in a similar position.

Kate was too robotic. I don't think Sir Alan warmed to her and hiring someone is just as much about a personality/organisation fit as it is competence.

I'm sure I've said this before, but no one picked up on it, that from what we saw on the edit she wasn't rude to Nick: All she said was "How can you say that when" at which point Sugar threw a wobbler. Presumably she said something worse that was edited out - if not the whole thing was blown up out of all proportion.


I think her looks counted against her. That and her association with pantsman. She was quietly competent but so many people seemed to rate her so highly you could not avoid a suspicion that that was based on something other than her business ability. A reverse of the situation we commonly see with certain female candidates who are consistently pilloried when their behavior has not been objectively worse than that of many other candidates.

I don't think she was robotic, actually. She was pretty empathetic, and that was her leadership style as PM, making the final decision herself, but creating an atmosphere where people could have their say without being ridiculed (as was happening on the other team in the cereal task). If nothing else, her romance in the house with Philip gives the lie to her being robotic.

Of course, Sir Alan (as he then was, of course) may not have felt so personally in tune with her as he did with Yasmina and that's a legitimate consideration (probably less so now that the winner won't be working for Sugar as such). However, that doesn't mean she's less good as a contestant or as a person.

I've always thought that. She was right in taking issue with what Nick was saying, as he was incorrect, and while she was expressing herself vigorously, she wasn't offensive and if there wasn't anything edited out then Sugar totally overreacted.

It does no such thing. Overall, I found Kate's approach to business quite clinical. She lacked character, soul - that's just the impression I got. I found her uninspiring.

Her relationship with Philip had nothing to do with it.

I thought she had too much "character". All smiles and enthusiasm, but lacking actual entrepreneurial acumen. As proven afterwards by her accepting a job as a sock puppet for Channel Five.

I think the reason Sugar chose Yasmina was because she didn't have a facade like Kate did. Much like Sugar's own autobiography title it was "What you see is what you get" with Yasmina, and that's probably why he hired her.

Yes, what I meant was I found the smiles and enthusiasm a bit contrived. She reminded me of a Stepford Wife.

Agreed.

I had no idea why she won. Sorry - that is harsh. I thought there were stronger candidates that year. She was good..

I think her relationship with Philip does have some bearing. If she was as clinical as you say, would she have allowed a relationship to distract from winning the tasks (when they were selling the crap cat boxes, I think it did).

I think Kate proved her acumen on the tasks.

I also thought Kate was a good candidate, deservedly in the final with Yasmina. I don't quite agree with people saying she was robotic though I could never warm to her as she always seemed to have this cheerful facade (THAT grin) it never ever rung true, and the fact shes now on a Channel 5 show that nobody is watching does confirm to some level she never had a great deal of passion for a business career, whereas I always thought Yasmina was a lot more sincere and a very 'what you see is what you get' candidate, albeit very brash!

Kate was a good candidate but she sounded like she was talking out of an MBA textbook half the time.

There is a difference between making utter garbage and cheap tat. Sugar did the latter and invested wisely. But competitors who emphasised quality (Dell, say) have done better.

oooh..who did he bully?

Sugar got it wrong. Yasmina is no means the best ever, and not even the best on that series.

Does she still work there?

Yes, she was easily; and yes, still works there


The 4th OVAB Europe Digital Signage Conference Oct19/20th 2010

.....'The audience thoroughly enjoyed the three presentations that immediately followed by networks (and speakers) of note: Stefan Kuhlow of Ströer, Oliver Popplebaum of ECE Flatmedia and Yasmina Siadatan of Amscreen. All of whom had success stories and things worthy of sharing.'.....

http://www.dailydooh.com/archives/35251

Sara.

I think this is where we can see that Yasmina's drive was stronger than Kate's. Yasmina put herself up for PM very early (week 2) and she she fought hard to take on the role again. I remember a near bitch fight in the carpark between her and Debra when they both wanted the job on the shopping channel task.

Yasmina really seized every opportunity going to show Lord Sugar what she could do. Her being PM 3 times wasn't just down to luck and circumstance - she put her ass on the line early and she kept fighting for more opportunities.

What was it ? - and more to the point, is she still there ?

No-one. He gave Sara a hard time when it seemed she was under-performing. He said that when she was PM, she better not under-perform for him. He got a bit loud, but that was because he was emotional, not because he was trying to intimidate her.

People use the "bully" word too much. It's almost impossible for a big man to have an emotional argument with a small woman without it being called bullying.

I don't believe Lee was bullying Sara as such, but when the whole house started joining in, it did look like she was being ganged up on.

I'm glad Lucinda and Raef were there to tell the rest of the vultures to calm down.

It was an ugly scene which Lee initiated.

I agree. For what it's worth, Lee PM'd the next task, in Marrakesh, and Sara was moved to his team. The next task being in reality the next day. They both got on fine.

The arguement started as a result of the 'cards' task. Kevin PM'd and brought back Claire and Sara. The latter for supposedly doing nothing (had a decent idea but was ignored IMHO). He should have brought back Claire and Jenny Celery. Claire is the one who can recount what was said about Sara. Stir things up maybe? She could be said to have bullied Simon off. We do see Jenny C having a right go at Sara, it's not just Lee. Out of all of them. which ones have a bullying track record?

Out of a bad year, Lee is the one who most wanted to win, by just doing his best. Just didn't want to be the fall guy for someone else's failings. That's what wound him up. So who fed him the BS about Sara? Certain candidates or producers' gossip? I think it's fair to use 'bully' when looking elsewhere.

Please see post #42

Business Development Manager at Amscreen (same as Lee, but in a different part of it)

Ah, cheers (must have missed that one)