Simon, You're Hired!

When do you start your new job?
I should have started today but I'm talking to you instead. I already have meetings lined up. I'm calling golf companies in the US to get some input from them for the development in Stansted – maybe they want to come over here and do the work. There's no rest for the wicked; we don't do holidays here.

 

Will you continue to live in your current home in south London?
I've given the commute a go – it's worked well so far because I'm going against the rush hour so I might keep things as they are for the time being. If I get fed up with transport, I'll do some research into the property market in Brentwood and if I think it's worth a punt, I'll take a punt.

 

Are you going to take your winning team on a weekend away like you promised?
If they want to; it's up to them. If they say they don't want to go, I'm not going to force them. I don't want to take them all on a rubbish weekend away. I might just buy Tre a rusty screwdriver instead! We'll have to wait and see.

 

You weren't the favourite to win, so what gave you the edge over Kristina?
Kristina was very competent and capable, but I think Sir Alan was looking for something more than that and hopefully I can bring him that extra dimension. He knows I'm a risk taker and someone with a bit of entrepreneurial flair. I've demonstrated that throughout the competition – whether it's the wheelchair or doing silly rapping and dancing, or even just picking Rory to come on my team in the final task. Everyone questioned me but every step along the way, I've been vindicated – the wheelchair sold, the rapping and dancing won us the task, and Rory contributed hugely to the final. Sir Alan recognises that.

Were you bothered by the controversy surrounding Sir Alan's decision to hire you? The tabloids weren't very complementary of you.
Fair play to Kristina, she's a wonderful girl and she would've been a worthy winner. And up until two days ago I thought she had won. I was proven wrong and the tabloids were proven wrong too, so there's been a bit of a backlash from them. But by making me the winner, Sir Alan has shown that he's not just blindly going out and trying to redress social inequalities, he's also interested in rewarding entrepreneurial success. His previous finalists have all been street smart – Michelle and Ruth last year, Tim and Saira the year before – but this year he picked two middle class graduates. Kristina's been painted as a working class hero but she's not – she's middle class. Her dad's had a very high profile job at Coca-Cola – he was chief exec of Coca Cola Ireland. I wouldn't say she's as privileged as I am but she's had a horse all her life, while I've had a public school upbringing. We've both had to deal with personal hardship and heartbreak – my parents split when I was three and went through a protracted, messy divorce for 10 years, and obviously Kristina fell pregnant at 17. But we've done well and I've come out the other side – she's got a lovely son to show for it and hopefully I've got a decent career ahead of me.

 

Do you think Sir Alan sees you as a younger version of himself?
Yes perhaps. I felt that way as the weeks passed. He's laughed at the things that I've laughed at so we obviously share the same deadpan sense of humour. There were points when he could have rubbished me and said I was naff, but instead he singled me out for praise for the rapping and dancing, and the picking of the chair – initially he wasn't that keen on the wheelchair but when I explained my case, he turned around and asked why Tre and Naomi hadn't backed me.

 

How much did your knowledge of Amstrad in the interview stage help to get you hired?
Massively. My biggest message to anyone out there that wants to go on any TV show like this, or anyone going to an interview, is to do your research because if you don't you'll come unstuck. It was unbelievable, given the last two series, that people neglected to know the history of Sir Alan's company. My advice to people is don't just do research on the job at hand; do research on the people that are going to be interviewing you – find out their career path, what's on their CV, what work experience they've done, what their favourite football team is. Try to get an affinity with the person before you talk to them. I don't think it was lost on Sir Alan that I'd followed him throughout my life – I think he appreciated that and decided to reward it. 

Was it good to see Katie get her come-uppance on 'You're Hired'? Sir Alan handled her very well.
I think Sir Alan summed up how a lot of us felt on the show – we all dealt with her and worked with her closely and some of us liked her a lot, and we were shocked and dismayed at the way she's handled herself since. Katie's made a mockery of herself and the programme and the institution of marriage as well. Is it necessary to be like that? Does she need to be like that to get far in life? Sir Alan obviously thinks not. But that's the role that she's carved out, that's her niche, so let's see how far she can take it.

 

What's your long term plan - how long do you plan to be working for Sir Alan?
I'd like to work for him for at least two to three years. Obviously I'll sit down in a year's time and review things, but I'm on a two to three year timescale. I've still got my own business so I'm not necessarily going to give up self-employment. As long as it doesn't impede on my work for Sir Alan, I don't think he'll mind.

 

Will you be asking Sir Alan for a big pay rise this time next year?
I'd like to think I will earn Sir Alan £100,000 or save him £100,000 in the next year, so if I have, I can argue for a pay rise. If I haven't then I won't be able to as I would feel like I had failed.

 

If you were given the opportunity to hire people in your new position, would you considering approaching Tre?
Always. I don't know how happy Tre would be working for me though – you've got to remember that Tre's never had a job! He's got no experience with the corporate world. He's never worked for anyone all his life apart from what he started himself, which I wouldn't really call being in full employment. In fact, I don't think he'd take to being employed.