Syed Ahmed | |
---|---|
Born | 17 September 1975 |
Occupation | Entrepreneur |
Known for | Candidate on The Apprentice |
Website | Syed Ahmed - Official Site |
Syed Ahmed (Bengali: সায়ীদ আহমেদ; born 17 September, 1975) is a British entrepreneur of Bangladesh origin. Ahmed is a former director of the IT recruitment consultancy firm, IT People. He is now a CEO of the hand and body drier company SA Vortex. He is best known for his 2006 appearance in the second UK series of the BBC reality television show The Apprentice, in which contestants compete for a £100,000-a-year job working for British business magnate Sir Alan Sugar.
Biography
Ahmed was born in Bangladesh,[1][2][3][4] in the Sylhet region,[5] but at a young age moved with his parents to the United Kingdom and was brought up in the Bethnal Green area of the East End of London.[6][5]
During The Apprentice, Ahmed had a relationship with fellow contestant Michelle Dewberry. After the show finished, Dewberry became pregnant to Ahmed and the couple stated they were hoping to get married. Ahmed's family are devout Muslims and his parents reportedly hoped Dewberry would convert to Islam, "but only if Michelle wants to".[7] After being admitted to hospital with stomach pains in August 2006, Dewberry was told that she had miscarried the baby.[8] A few weeks later, the relationship between the two broke down, and they subsequently stopped seeing each other.[9]
Businesses
Ahmed is currently a CEO of the company SA Vortex which specialises in high-speed hand dryers and body dryers. The products do not use electrical heating elements, and SA Vortex claims that they have "a lighter carbon footprint, and less energy cost" compared to conventional dryers.[10] Ahmed's development of SA Vortex was shown in an hour-long documentary, Hot Air, broadcast on Sky. Ahmed was given £20,000 to spend to build the business in three months.[11]
Ahmed was previously a director of the IT recruitment consultancy firm IT People.[12] This company was struck off at Companies House to be replaced by another company linked to Ahmed named Magenta Partnerships. Magenta went into liquidation in October 2008.
Television appearances
In 2006, Ahmed appeared as a candidate in series two of The Apprentice, a British reality television show hosted by Sir Alan Sugar. On the show Ahmed was a member of the "Invicta" team. For the week 10 task, Ahmed organised an above-deck fun day on a cruise ship. The teams were told they would not be judged solely on sales, but also on other criteria including marketing, originality and customer satisfaction. At the end of the task, Invicta had made £191.50 and the opposing team, Velocity, had made £507. Ahmed was subsequently fired due to his poor performance and many mistakes, including not properly recording the names and room numbers of passengers entering a raffle.
Ahmed appeared on Sky One's show, Cirque de Celebrité', and was voted off in the second week after making mistakes walking the wire. He also created Hot Air, his own reality television show for Sky, which followed his launch of SA Vortex's body dryer products.
Controversies
In July 2006, Ahmed appeared at the Thames Magistrates' Court and was convicted of driving while disqualified for drink-driving. Ahmed was banned from driving for three years and was given a two-month suspended jail sentence. According to the Daily Mail, Ahmed described the incident as "unfortunate" and a "one-off", and added "I don't drink at all now."[7]
On 14 August 2006, Ahmed was arrested on suspicion of having been involved in a money laundering operation. He was questioned regarding a £400,000 property loan from former Portsmouth Football Club director, Terry Brady. Brady had complained that Ahmed misled him resulting in him loaning Ahmed's business partner, Aftab Ahmed (no relation), £400,000. Aftab Ahmed allegedly used the money to buy a home in New Providence Wharf in London Docklands.[2] Ahmed was released on bail until 20 October 2006.[13]
See also
Notes
- ^ Syed Ahmed Bios.
- ^ a b Salked, Luke, Police quiz wannabe tycoon over 'small favour for a friend', Daily Mail, 14 August, 2006.
- ^ Sugar begins hunt for new Apprentice Manchester Evening News.
- ^ Media troubling Apprentice stars BBC News.
- ^ a b New Age Xtra October 10-16, 2008.
- ^ Apprentice star Syed arrested This Is Money UK. Martin Smith and James Tapper, Mail on Sunday. 14 August 2006, 4:05pm.
- ^ a b Clarke, Natalie, Yes we're Apprentice parents! Daily Mail, 11 August, 2006.
- ^ "Apprentice winner loses her baby". BBC News. 2006-08-23. Retrieved 2006-08-24.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ EntertainmentWise
- ^ SAVORTEX
- ^ Digital Spy
- ^ Smith, Martin, Tapper, James, Apprentice star in £400,000 money laundering probe, Daily Mail, 14 August, 2006.
- ^ BBC News, Reality star bailed in cash probe, 14 August 2006.
External links