The Apprentice final: Profiles of Kate Walsh and Yasmina Siadatan

Jun 7 2009 by Roz Laws, Sunday Mercury

YASMINA SIADATAN

Age: 27

Qualifications: A degree in Economic History with Population Studies.

Jobs: Owns and runs a restaurant, Mya Lacarte, in Reading but her father and other family members hail from the Midlands.

Family background: Yasmina’s mother is English and her dad, Medi, is Iranian. The Sunday Mercury revealed how the Midland businessman, who owned restaurants in Kidderminster and Walsall, lives with a harem of three wives he married under Muslim law.

Appearance: Yasmina wears great shoes but has an unfortunate collection of hairbands.

Apprentice successes: The first candidate to hold a spotless record of three wins as project manager. She impressed in the catering, rebranding Margate and the TV shopping channel challenges.

Failures: She ran into a race row when she insisted a white model feature in a poster. During the interviews she was criticised for not knowing the turnover of her restaurant. Sir Alan has questioned why she would want to work for him.

Grace under pressure: Yasmina is well-organised and was cool-headed during the catering task. She can be bossy, defensive and snappy, though.

Love life: Yasmina has been dating Frenchman Remy Joly, the head chef at her restaurant, for more than a year.

Business role model: Richard Branson.

She says: “Business is about a simple formula. Make more than you spend, that’s what I do.”

VERDICT: I’d be rooting for Kate anyway because she’s a Midlander through and through, but I genuinely think she is the best candidate.

She is articulate, intelligent, personable and has a great smile, whereas Yasmina, with her killer stare, is frankly rather frightening.

This is Sir Alan’s chance to right his wrong from the second series, when he picked Michelle Dewberry over Wolverhampton’s Ruth Badger.

* The Apprentice is screened on BBC1 tonight at 9pm.