Alan Sugar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Sugar
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Sugar at the 2009 BAFTAs
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| Enterprise Champion to the Business Secretary | |
| Assumed office 25 May 2016 |
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| Prime Minister | David Cameron Theresa May Boris Johnson Liz Truss Rishi Sunak Keir Starmer |
| Business Secretary | Sajid Javid Greg Clark Andrea Leadsom Alok Sharma Kwasi Kwarteng Jacob Rees-Mogg Grant Shapps Kemi Badenoch Jonathan Reynolds |
| In office 5 June 2009 – 11 May 2010 |
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| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Business Secretary | The Lord Mandelson |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| Assumed office 20 July 2009 Life peerage |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Alan Michael Sugar
24 March 1947 Hackney, East London, England |
| Political party | None (crossbencher) (2017–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
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| Spouse |
Ann Simons
(m. 1968) |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Rita Simons (niece) |
| Occupation |
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Alan Michael Sugar, Baron Sugar (born 24 March 1947) is a famous British businessman, TV personality, and author. He is known for starting the electronics company Amstrad. He also used to own the football club Tottenham Hotspur. Many people know him as the "Boss" from the TV show The Apprentice.
In 2009, he became a member of the House of Lords, which is part of the UK Parliament. By 2015, he was considered a billionaire. In 2021, his wealth was estimated to be around £1.21 billion.
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Early Life
Alan Michael Sugar was born on March 24, 1947, in Hackney, East London. His family was Jewish. His father, Nathan, worked as a tailor. Alan's grandparents came from Russia and Poland.
When he was young, his family lived in a council flat. Because of his curly hair, people called him "Mop head." He went to Northwold Primary School and then Brooke House Secondary School. To earn extra money, he worked at a greengrocer's shop. After leaving school at 16, he briefly worked for the government as a statistician.
Amstrad: Building an Electronics Empire
In 1968, when Alan Sugar was 21, he started his company, Amstrad. He began with just £100 saved from the Post Office. He used a van he bought for £50 to sell car radio aerials and other electrical items.
The name Amstrad comes from his initials and the word "trading": Alan Michael Sugar Trading. At first, it imported and exported goods. By 1970, Amstrad started making its own products. They made parts for hi-fi systems using a cheaper method, which helped them sell products for less than their rivals.
In 1980, Amstrad became a public company on the London Stock Exchange. Throughout the 1980s, the company grew very quickly.
Amstrad Computers
In 1984, Amstrad launched its first home computer, the Amstrad CPC 464. This computer was popular, and three million units were sold worldwide. It was produced for eight years.
In 1985, Amstrad had another big success with the Amstrad PCW 8256 word processor. This machine was much cheaper than other word processors at the time. In 1986, Amstrad bought the rights to Sinclair computers. They then made new ZX Spectrum models. Amstrad also created the PC1512, a computer that became very popular in Europe.
Later Years of Amstrad
The 1990s were a bit harder for Amstrad. In 1990, Amstrad tried to enter the gaming market with the Amstrad GX4000. However, it didn't sell well because there weren't many games for it. Also, newer Japanese game consoles like the Mega Drive and Super NES were much more popular.
In 2007, Alan Sugar announced that the broadcasting company BSkyB would buy Amstrad for about £125 million. He said he wanted to stay involved in the business. However, in 2008, he stepped down as chairman of Amstrad to focus on his other business interests.
Tottenham Hotspur: A Decade in Football
In June 1991, Alan Sugar became the owner of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. He bought the club with its manager, Terry Venables. His investment helped the club with its money problems.
However, some fans were not happy because Sugar treated the club more like a business than a football team. During his nine years as chairman, Tottenham Hotspur did not finish high in the league. They won only one trophy, the League Cup in 1999.
Key Moments at Spurs
In 1993, Sugar fired Terry Venables, which upset many fans. Sugar later said he felt like he had "killed Bambi."
In 1994, Sugar helped bring three famous players from the 1994 FIFA World Cup to Tottenham: Ilie Dumitrescu, Gica Popescu, and Jürgen Klinsmann. Klinsmann was a big star and was named the best player in English football in his first season. However, he left after one year. Sugar was unhappy and called foreign players who came to the Premier League "Carlos Kickaballs." Klinsmann responded by saying Sugar was "a man without honour" and cared more about business than football.
Sugar appointed seven different managers during his time at Spurs. One of the most talked-about choices was George Graham in 1998. Graham had played for and managed Arsenal, Tottenham's biggest rival. Although Graham won a trophy for Spurs, many fans never fully accepted him.
In February 2001, Sugar sold most of his shares in Tottenham to a company called ENIC. In June 2007, he sold his remaining shares, ending his 16 years with the club. He later said his time at Tottenham was "a waste of my life." He donated £3 million from the sale to help refurbish the Hackney Empire theatre in his hometown.
The Apprentice: You're Hired!
Since 2005, Alan Sugar has been the host of the BBC reality TV show The Apprentice. In the show, he acts as the "Boss." Each week, he challenges a group of people with business tasks. He "fires" at least one person until only one winner is left.
From 2005 to 2010, the winner got a job in one of his companies. Since 2011, the winner receives a £250,000 investment from Sugar to start their own business.
Sugar wanted the show to be more focused on real business. He also wanted the people competing to be serious about business, not just looking for fame.
The Celebrity Apprentice Australia
In September 2020, it was announced that Alan Sugar would also be the new CEO on The Celebrity Apprentice Australia. This show is for celebrities in Australia.
Young Apprentice
Young Apprentice was a spin-off show for younger people, aged 16 and 17. It started in 2010. Twelve young people competed to win a £25,000 prize from Sugar. His advisors, Nick Hewer and Karren Brady, also appeared on the show. The first series was won by Arjun Rajyagor. The second series, in 2011, was won by Zara Brownless.
Other Business Ventures
Alan Sugar has been involved in many other businesses.
Amsair
Amsair Executive Aviation was started in 1993. It is run by Sugar's son, Daniel. Like Amstrad, the name Amsair comes from Alan Sugar's initials: Alan Michael Sugar Air. Amsair offers private jet charters.
Amsprop
Amsprop is a company that invests in property. It is owned by Alan Sugar and now managed by his son, Daniel.
Amscreen
Sugar is the Chairman of Amscreen. This company, run by his son Simon, sells advertising space on digital screens. These screens are found in places like shops and medical centers.
YouView
In 2011, Sugar joined the board of YouView. This is an internet TV project supported by the BBC and other TV channels like ITV and Channel 4.
Political Involvement
Alan Sugar was a member of the Labour Party from 1997 until 2015. He was one of the party's biggest donors. In 2009, he was made a life peer and became Baron Sugar. This meant he became a member of the House of Lords. He said his role was to help businesses and entrepreneurs, not to be political.
In 2015, he announced he was leaving the Labour Party. He said he felt the party's policies were becoming "anti-enterprise." Since 2017, he has sat in the House of Lords as a crossbencher, meaning he doesn't belong to a specific political party.
He has shared his opinions on various political events, including the Brexit referendum and general elections.
Personal Life
Alan Sugar is married to Ann Simons, a former hairdresser. They married on April 28, 1968, and have three children: Daniel, Simon, and Louise. They used to live mainly in Chigwell, Essex.
Sugar is a pilot and owns several aircraft. He also owns homes in Florida and multiple boats. In December 2020, he shared that his brother and sister both passed away from COVID-19.
Honours
Alan Sugar was made a knight in 2000 for his contributions to the home computer and electronics industry. This means he is called "Sir Alan Sugar." He has also received two honorary Doctorates of Science degrees.
He supports charities like Jewish Care and Great Ormond Street Hospital. In 2009, he was made a life peer as Baron Sugar, of Clapton in the London Borough of Hackney. In 2017, he was named the most powerful person in Essex.
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Autobiography
- What You See Is What You Get: My Autobiography (2011)
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See also
In Spanish: Alan Sugar para niños
