Matthew Riley, founder of Daisy Group and a 2007 Young Gun, has revealed he played a key role in choosing this year’s winner of The Apprentice.
During the latter stages of filming for this year’s series, Riley was drafted in by Lord Sugar to cross-examine the finalists and help him make a decision on the best candidate.
Along with his fellow interviewers, Riley grilled the finalists on their business plan and acumen, drawing on his own highly successful business career.
After founding, developing and selling three separate communications firms in the space of just two years, Riley set up the Daisy Group in 2001.
Since then, he has built the business into one of Britain’s fastest growing technology companies, with turnover projected to reach £340m next year, and also received mentoring from Sir Phillip Green after winning the inaugural Bank of Scotland Entrepreneur Challenge.
Riley said it was “fascinating” to work alongside Sugar on this year’s series, “particularly with the opportunity for a 50/50 partnership with Lord Sugar at stake. Having been in a similar position myself four years ago with the Entrepreneur Challenge and presenting my own business case to Sir Philip Green, I understand the position the contestants were in and just how intense the pressure can be.”
As the drama begins to unfold on our screens, Riley believes the final few shows will make for compelling television – while giving no hint as to the identity of the winner.
“The competition amongst the final four is very strong and business cases impressive, but the key question for me was ‘where is the money in this?’. Whoever is successful will need to show the cash return to Lord Sugar and that is where the winner will be found.”