‘She’s too good for Sir Alan’

Apr 3 2008 by Paul James, The Journal

THE boss of one of this year’s Apprentice con- testants has begun his own appraisal of her performances on the show.

Jenny Celerier, a senior sales manager for the Gateshead energy efficiency firm Mark Group, has survived two weeks without being fired by Sir Alan Sugar so far on the television programme.

Not only does she face a weekly grilling from Sir Alan, real-life boss Bill Rumble is filing his own reports on how she is faring.

Mr Rumble, commercial director at the Team Valley company, is posting his appraisals in a weekly blog on the Mark Group website.

It will sit alongside Jenny’s top 10 energy efficiency tips for the home, which are to be launched on the site in the next two weeks.

Mr Rumble said: “Jenny’s currently on special leave from Mark Group while she takes part in The Apprentice, but through the blog we can remind her that we are all still thinking about her and supporting her.

“I will aim to be as fair and as objective as possible, assessing her performance each week based on her business acumen and how she comes across on The Apprentice. I hope Sir Alan is as fair and objective in his assessment of her and I can’t imagine there will be many other candidates who will fall under the scrutiny of two bosses during the show.”

Bill predicts that Jenny’s energy, enthusiasm and her willingness to practise what she preaches will endear her to viewers.

Her eco-friendly philosophy in both her business and personal life includes cycling to work and employing energy efficiency measures at home.

The 36-year-old’s profile on The Apprentice website quotes her saying: “If you’re sitting on the fence, you’re taking up too much space.”

The single mother, who is based in Leicester, is described as a “stickler for detail who enjoys being a successful woman in a masculine environment”.

She has been named salesperson of the year three times after retraining in the business world after a stint in social work during the 1990s.

In 2006 she survived meningitis against the predictions of doctors who thought she would never sustain an independent life again.

In his blog, Mr Rumble said: “I need to make one thing clear. I don’t want Jen to win.

“Whilst I’ll be shouting at the TV and willing her along, the perfect result for me would be for her to get through to the final two only to be pipped to the post. She’s too good for Sir Alan and I’d like to see her back at Mark Group to take her team to even greater things.”

Click here to go to the blog and read about Jennifer Celerier's progress