The Apprentice Asia

AN APPRENTICE IS CHOSEN

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(For what went on in the first half of the task, check out last week’s recap here.)

Cocktail Receptions

Jonathan was really relaxed and confident, and he pulled the reception off without a glitch.

Mark was impressed, declaring the cocktail an “absolutely first class job.”

Andrea, on the other hand, was supremely nervous, and it showed. As guests were streaming in, Andrea kept asking her team silly questions!

When it came time for the welcome speech, she just couldn’t get the audience’s attention. (To be fair though, Andrea only had a low platform to stand on, while Jonathan’s room had a full stage – an advantage he gained from a coin toss.)

Kathleen wasn’t impressed. “Andrea’s cocktail event was a little bit disorganized,” she noted, “I think she was nervous. She was reading from the script; She was not getting the attention of the guests at all.”

But when it came to interacting with the guests, Andrea really shone. She seemed to have much deeper knowledge about the AirAsia Foundation than Jonathan, and spoke far more convincingly.

Jonathan’s Auction

Again, it was a whole new Jonathan on show! He nailed the auction, conducting it with verve and professionalism.

“I feel like I was the star of the night – Just talking, shouting, babbling – it’s really ridiculous!” Jonathan enthused. Once again, he was GLOWING!

“This man is slick,” Mark approved, “This is a totally different Jonathan. Very, very impressive. This man is in it to win it.”

Jon said afterward, “I know I won this, because I love doing the job. And when you love your job, you’re at your best. I want to become like Mr. Tony Fernandez and I want a life following the same kinds of vision and philosophy he had. I think those are the reasons why I deserve this position.”

Andrea’s Auction

When it came to the auction, Andrea’s stress melted away, because she felt she could just be herself.

But Andrea just couldn’t keep track of bids, and had to constantly turn to Ningku for help, leaving many awkward silences between bids.

She also increased bid amounts far too slowly for the enthusiastic crowd, and guests eventually gave up and started shouting out their own bids.

Kathleen was, again, not impressed. “But the credit to her,” Kathleen conceded, “is that she picked good (auction) items.”

Guests were certainly enthusiastic about the Sir Richard Branson Charity Flight, and that was eventually sold for 400,000RM.

Andrea thought they did a great job, and said afterward, “I have much more heart than Jonathan has. When it comes to putting my all into everything I do, I don’t just do it because I want to win. I do things because I believe in them, and that means very much to me.”

The Most Laid-Back Boardroom Meeting Ever!

Both teams took part in the boardroom meeting.

It started off really jovial! There were jokes and laughter, and people were actually relaxed! (Perhaps it’s because most of them were already fired and had nothing to fight for now.)

Even typically intense Jonathan was laughing!

Andrea lied and made it sound like she had WANTED Dian on her team though. (In the previous episode, she’d confessed to the cameras that she was dismayed that Dian was present.) “We had left off previously not on the best of terms, but that was not even an issue,” she now said, “just because I knew we had a personal relationship.”

Jon actually started crying when Tony offered his heartfelt thanks to all the ex-contestants, before they left the room for the final time.

Decision Time

And then it got serious.

Jon and Andrea each spoke about each other’s weaknesses.

Andrea accused Jon of being afraid to step up and lead, and of lacking “honesty of emotion”.

“A great leader is someone who doesn’t force himself to say that I should be the one to sit on the throne,” Jon retorted. “A great leader is someone who stands back and says that there might be someone out there who’s passionate about this job, and you bring out the best in these people.”

Jon accused Andrea of not being positive. “Her strength may be her decisiveness,” he declared, “but that’s more because of her dismissiveness.”

He also questioned her intentions. “Does Andrea really know what she wants right now? Is she there because she’s looking for something else outside law school? Or is she there because she wants to prove that she’s simply good?”

Andrea fought back, saying that she had the right balance of intellect and emotion – and then she broke down in tears.

Tony asked for Kathleen and Mark’s advice.

Kathleen’s choice was Jonathan. “Andrea has a lot of potential, but it’s a tough world in AirAsia, and too much emotion may not be good. Whereas I feel that Jonathan brings out the best in people.”

Mark’s choice however, was Andrea. “The person who has got all the capabilities of being a rough diamond – highly highly smart; has an enormous amount of, from what I’ve seen, humility – my vote is with Andrea.”

And then it was time for Tony to make his choice – and he was nervous. “My heart is racing like my Formula One team right now. I’m not trying to make you more nervous, but I am nervous myself. This will change one of your lives forever.”

“I came into this room pretty clear who I was going to pick,” Tony continued, “I’m changing my mind as each of you speak. It’s a tough decision. But on the balance of everything that has been put in front of me, seeing you perform, hearing your passion…”

Jonathan Yabut – You’re hired.”