Meet The Apprentice candidates: The men

Lord Sugar is heading back into the boardroom to pick a new winner on the latest series of The Apprentice.

Here are the nine men taking part this year:

:: Andrew Brady

Age: 26
Occupation: Project Engineer
Lives: Cheshire
Key information: Brady is a project engineer in the aerospace industry and cites his coal miner granddad as an inspiration. Brady admits he can’t always hold his tongue which can get him into trouble.
He says: “I don’t blow smoke up someone’s behind. If someone deserves credit, I will give them it.”

:: Charles Burns

Age: 24
Occupation: Management Consultant
Lives: Manchester
Key information: Burns has his fingers in many business pies, including a management consultancy, a watch trading company and a comparison website. He says as long as it is within the rules, he will stop at nothing to win.
He says: “When life throws you lemons, make and sell lemonade for a healthy profit.”

:: Danny Grant

Age: 32
Occupation: Owner, Online Retail Store
Lives: Kent
Key information: Grant warns that he is not “a doormat” and prides himself on being straightforward and honest. However he confesses that he can sometimes rub people up the wrong way “because the truth is hard to hear”.
He says: “I don’t get on with people with a stick up their arse.”

:: Elliot Van Emden

Age: 31
Occupation: Owner Legal Firm
Lives: London
Key information: Van Emden’s friends call him “Tory boy” as he used to work in David Cameron’s office before he became Prime Minister. He aims to band together with who he thinks are the stronger candidates, to secure his place in the final.
He says: “Sometimes to get to the top, you have to grease the pole behind you.”

:: Harrison Jones

Age: 27
Occupation: Sales Executive
Lives: Watford
Key information: Jones started his own landscaping business aged 19 and is currently working on a number of business ventures including property development, a healthy eating brand and a luxury streetwear brand.
He says: “I have a good work ethic and am always willing to work to full capacity to achieve my goals.”

:: James White

Age: 26
Occupation: Owner, Recruitment Firm
Lives: Birmingham
Key information: White runs his own IT recruitment business and considers his drive to be his best quality – he believes no one has ambition like him.
He used to have the nickname “Del Boy”, and enjoys white collar boxing as a hobby.
He says: “Intimidation is what motivates me. I want to be bigger and more successful than anyone else.”

:: Jeff Wan

Age: 28
Occupation: Business Analyst
Lives: London
Key information: Wan is a semi-pro hip-hop dancer and has performed at the O2 Arena. He hopes to build a legacy like Lord Sugar’s and has been a fan of The Apprentice since he was a teenager.
He says: “I bring character, charm and swagger to the table. Coupled with my professional and educational experience, I am sure I will be able to separate myself from the rest.”

:: Ross Fretten

Age: 29
Occupation: Digital Product Consultant
Lives: Essex
Key information: Fretten does not have a role model, preferring to trust his own judgement and forge his own path rather than following in the footsteps of others. He plans to sit back and let people “dig their own graves” before burying them in the boardroom.
He says: “I’m usually the smartest person in any room and I’ll make sure people know that.”

:: Sajan Shah

Age: 24
Occupation: Owner, Event Company
Lives: London
Key information: Alongside running his business supplying entertainment to events, Shah works at a health and safety consultancy as the head of HR. He claims that the majority of candidates will be using him as their role model after the series.
He says: “I am like a Chinese dish – potent, deliciously driven, full of flavour and I sure do sizzle.”