Tim Campbell (businessman)

Timothy "Tim" Campbell, MBE is an English businessman best known as the winner of the first series of the British version of The Apprentice, a BBC TV reality show in which contestants battle to win a £100,000-a-year job working for businessman Alan Sugar.^[1] Campbell, a Middlesex University graduate in psychology,^[2] worked as a Senior Planner within the Strategy and Service Development (formally Marketing and Planning) directorate of London Underground before applying to appear on the show.^[3]

The Apprentice

Campbell was hired by Sir Alan Sugar in the final episode of series 1 of The Apprentice, screened in May 2005. He beat fellow contestant and runner-up Saira Khan after the pair had carried out the final challenge of hosting parties on boats on the River Thames.^[4] Campbell was project manager for his team twice in the show: in weeks 1 and 4.^[5][6] A second series of the show was commissioned shortly after his victory.^[7]

An hour-long documentary about Campbell's first year in his new job, entitled The Apprentice: Tim in the Firing Line, was aired on 19 February 2006, a few days before the launch of series 2.^[8][9]

Post-Apprentice

After his victory, Campbell joined Sugar's company Amstrad on a £100,000 salary. His first task was to market an anti-wrinkle device,^[10] and he became Project Director of Amstrad's new Health & Beauty division.^[11] In autumn 2006, Campbell held a series of one-to-one advice sessions for budding entrepreneurs organised by the British Library's Business & Intellectual Property Centre.^[12]

In January 2007, he made a guest appearance in the special edition programme Comic Relief Does The Apprentice, in order to raise money for Comic Relief. He joined the contestants after actor Rupert Everett left the show early.^[13]

Campbell was kept on at Amstrad after the end of his original 12-month contract, but in March 2007, after two years at the company, he left to set up Bright Ideas Trust,^[14] which aims to give young entrepreneurs a chance to start up in business with equity funding and advice from business angels.^[15] Lord Alan said Campbell had been a "great asset".^[16]

In July 2007 Campbell became a Social Enterprise Ambassador as part of a British Government initiative that aims to apply modern business solutions to social and environmental problems.^[17][18] The programme is led by the Social Enterprise Coalition^[19] and supported by the Office of the Third Sector, a Government department responsible for charities, co-operatives, voluntary and community groups.^[20]

It was announced in the 2012 New Years Honours List that Campbell was to be made a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for Services to Enterprise Culture.^[21]

Since February 2012, Campbell has been a member of Estate Office Property Consultants,^[22] a boutique London property investment and development agency,^[23] where he focuses on investments and acquisitions for High Net Worth Individuals and organisations seeking prime property opportunities.^[24]

In 2016, Campbell co-founded Marketing Runners Ltd with Derin Cag,^[25] a bespoke digital marketing agency in London, where their clients to date include Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones.^[26]

Personal life

In 2013, Campbell became chair of the governing body of St Bonaventure's Catholic School, the school that he attended as a boy.^[27]

See also

• The Apprentice UK
• The Apprentice (UK Series One)
• Saira Khan
• Alan Sugar

References

External links

• Timothy Campbell Official Website
• Bright Ideas Trust
• Interview with Tim Campbell
• Tim Campbell - Inspiring Entrepreneur video