What to Expect From the Rest of The Apprentice: One Championship Edition Season

Closing in on the middle of The Apprentice: One Championship Edition, Tatler Singapore finds out from Chatri Sityodtong his thoughts on the season so far

Having reached four million viewers across Asia, the premiere of The Apprentice: One Championship Edition is currently the most-watched English reality series for 2021.

Chatri Sityodtong, chairman and CEO of One Championship, said: "When we came up with the concept for The Apprentice: One Championship Edition, we knew immediately we had something special on our hands."

On top of the familiar business challenge of The Apprentice franchise is a physical challenge, which tests the contestants in terms of speed, strength, agility, and endurance. The series also boasts a diverse group of contestants of different nationalities and backgrounds.

"They are all very successful and talented in their own fields, and it has been an honour for me to be able to provide some guidance to them," adds Sityodtong. As we come to midseason, Tatler Singapore catches up with him, who also serves as co-judge of the reality TV series. (One Championship's head of product and technology Niharika Singh is the other judge.) He shares with us about his penchant for a scrappy personality willing to take on the odds, his deliberation process with Singh, as well as contestants who impressed him.

How do you envision the ideal protege and how has that changed as the competition progressed?

Chatri Sityodtong (CS) While experience and domain expertise are important, what I have always looked for is the P.H.D. (poor, hungry, and determined) factor and that is what I will be looking out for in a protege. Someone who works for every penny as if his pockets were empty, to hustle for every deal as if he has nothing in his bank account, and to fight for every inch as if his company’s existence depended on it. Dreams are great but there is no substitute for hard work. To this day, I still work, hustle, and fight as if everything is hanging in the balance, not taking anything for granted. Along with the P.H.D trait, that is the kind of mindset I want in a protege.

Is there anyone you might have regretted allowing him/her to join the competition?
CS No, they are all very successful individuals and had beaten out thousands of applicants to be selected as candidates. All of them brought something to the table, not only to the show but also to One Championship.

Are there things or actions among the contestants that you absolutely do not tolerate happening?

CS There are definitely certain things that I don’t like. While I can't reveal exactly what had gone on through the course of the show, you will witness those moments. There are moments of tension, inspiration, intense action and drama. It certainly evokes the whole gamut of emotions.

Above Niharika Singh and Chatri Sityodtong and deliberating over the pitches

Was there a time when Niharika Singh and you disagreed strongly over the deliberations? How did you both arrive at the final decision?

CS Most of the time, we [Niharika and myself] don’t have any major disagreements as I appreciate her insights about the candidates. Not only is Niharika my eyes and ears during the business tasks, she is also my trusted advisor at One Championship. I trust her advice to complement my observations.

Photo 1 of 2 Lara Pearl Alvarez from Team Conquest

Photo 2 of 2 Kexin Ye from Team Valor

Has any contestant impressed you more than you’ve expected?
CS There were a few, notably were Lara [Pearl Alvarez] and Kexin [Ye]. Lara was being pushed around by her teammates but I was very impressed with her fighting spirit in the boardroom. Kexin, although overshadowed by some of the more outspoken candidates, shined in one of the tasks, taking the lead in a problematic team dynamic, which you will see in the coming episode [Episode 4].

Above Roman Wilson from Team Conquest was eliminated in the second episode

Conversely, was there any contestant you felt was a shame that you had to eliminate in the earlier rounds?

CS Unfortunately, I had to let Roman Wilson go early [Episode 2]. I would have loved to see him go further, had he showcased his potential for leadership more. Being a contestant on this show, I expect [contestants] to risk it all. Having said that, I wished Roman had not only taken more risks but also stepped up and contributed more to his team. Whether it is business or in life, there is no reward without risk.

Tatler Singapore is the official luxury media of The Apprentice: One Championship Edition. New episodes air every Tuesday and Thursdays on AXN, Wednesday on Channel 5, and Thursdays on Mewatch.

Topics

The Apprentice Chatri Sityodtong One Championship The Apprentice: One Championship Edition MMA

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What to Expect From the Rest of The Apprentice: One Championship Edition Season