Carina Lepore

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Carina Lepore
Born
Croydon, London, England
Nationality British
Education Harris City Academy Crystal Palace
OccupationBusinesswoman • media personality
Website www.doughbakehouse.co.uk

Carina Lepore is a British businesswoman and media personality. She is best known for being the 15th winner of The Apprentice. After winning the show, Lepore entered into a 50:50 partnership with Lord Sugar with bakery business Dough Artisan Bakehouse. [1]

Contents

Early life

Lepore was a student at Harris City Academy Crystal Palace from 1998 to 2004, subsequently leaving education when she was 18. After leaving school, Lepore opened a fashion store in Croydon and later went onto to work for retailer Marks and Spencer for ten years. Lepore left her job at M&S in 2017 to join her father's bakery business in Herne Hill, following an incident which caused the site to burn down. [2] In an interview with The Times , Lepore said: "In large part to help Dad, who was at an all-time low." [3]

The Apprentice

In 2019, Lepore won the 15th series of British reality TV show The Apprentice . After winning the show, she entered into a 50:50 partnership with Lord Sugar, which ended in 2023 following a mutual agreement. He invested £250,000 into Lepore's bakery business. [1] [4] [5]

Lepore became the most successful Apprentice candidate in history, winning nine out of ten tasks and three of which as the project manager. [6]

After winning The Apprentice, Lepore told the Press Association , "It's like this euphoric relief. I was so overwhelmed and so happy. It's a feeling that I haven't really felt." [1]

Dough Artisan Bakehouse

On 8 September 2020, Lepore held a press launch for her second bakery which was opened in Beckenham in South East London. [7]

During the same month as the launch, a local newspaper reported police were called to Lepore's Beckenham bakery, following complaints raised by residents over a private party which disobeyed coronavirus regulations. [8]

In August 2023, it was reported that Lord Sugar parted ways with Lepore after nearly four years of being in business together. A spokesperson for Lord Sugar said: "Both parties agreed it was the right decision for the business moving forward, and Carina will take back full control of her business with immediate effect." [5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Apprentice 2019: Lord Sugar says 'You're hired' to his latest winner". BBC News. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  2. ↑ McKinnell, Ellie (2 February 2020). "Croydon Apprentice winner returns to old school to surprise pupils". MyLondon. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  3. ↑ Membery, York (19 July 2020). "Carina Lepore: I will not fritter away Apprentice £250k prize". ISSN   0140-0460 . Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  4. ↑ "The Apprentice Official Website". www.bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 23 June 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  5. 1 2 "Lord Sugar Parts Ways With Another Apprentice Winner After Business Investment". HuffPost UK. 17 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  6. ↑ "Carina is now the most successful candidate in Apprentice history". Radio Times. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  7. ↑ Yaqoob, Janine (12 September 2020). "Lord Alan Sugar opens a second bakery but says he worries about his bottom line". Mirror. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  8. ↑ O'Byrne Mulligan, Euan (30 September 2020). "Police called to Apprentice winner's bakery after Covid party complaints". News Shopper. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
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