He’s hired! Lord Sugar has been appointed as the Government’s new “enterprise tsar”.
The well-known tycoon, who went into business as a teenager and went on to build a multi-million pound empire, will be touring the UK as part of efforts to encourage young people to pursue their business ventures.
Lord Sugar, who is also the star of BBC’s popular The Apprentice programme, was this week confirmed to be returning to a role that he previously held during the final few years of Gordon Brown’s government.
Speaking after his appointment, Lord Sugar said that too few young people felt empowered to strike out on their own and that he hoped that a series of roadshows would help inspire confidence in the businessmen and women of tomorrow.
“I’m delighted to be taking on this challenge,” he said
“I’ll be travelling the length and breadth of this country to tell young people why apprenticeships are a great way for them to build their skills – and talking about the opportunities for starting their own business, hopefully instilling some entrepreneurial spirit.”
Skills Minister Nick Boles said: “We want every young person in Britain to get on and build a great life for themselves, whether it’s by starting an apprenticeship or setting up their own business.
“Lord Sugar has huge credibility among young people and I am delighted that he has agreed to help the Government bang the drum for apprenticeships and enterprise.”
The appointment proved contentious in some quarters, since Lord Sugar – who until last year sat as a Labour Peer – had previously questioned the abilities of Chancellor George Osborne.
