The original Mark Burnett production that featured Donald Trump saw a winner walk away with a cash prize and a coveted apprenticeship within the Trump empire. The show has since continued for 13 seasons (and counting), birthed over 25 local adaptations, and earned multiple Primetime Emmy nominations. While no cash prize has been announced for The Apprentice Asia, one lucky winner will certainly receive an opportunity to work for one of Tony Fernandes’ businesses. Fernandes, among his many business interests, is best known as founder of Malaysia’s first no-frills budget airline, AirAsia.
Casting Challenges
Ricky Ow, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Networks, Asia, Sony Pictures Television, (SPT) decided to cast Fernandes following a long-drawn search for the Trump equivalent (The original Apprentice first appeared on U.S. television in 2002). Between finding someone of calibre and one that translates well on screen, AXN also had to contend with busy billionaires’ schedules.
“It’s not easy because the pool of people we’re looking at is very, very small. If we select somebody, he might be wellknown in Singapore but not so in Southeast Asia,” explains Ow. “To get Tony on board didn’t take a lot of convincing because he certainly understood the value of it. The most difficult part for him was really his schedule.”
And Fernandes would be forgiven for being so busy. Besides the budget airline that he is known for, Fernandes also owns the Tune Group of hotels, a Formula 1 team (Caterham F1), plus he is a major shareholder of a Premier League football club (Queens Park Rangers). The Asian Donald Trump, if-you-will, enjoyed success at an early age as did the now famous billionaire-turned-TV-personality. At 28, Fernandes signed on to become the managing director of Warner Music Malaysia. He then went on to become the first Malaysian and Southeast Asian to be named “Businessman of the Year 2010” by Forbes Asia.
According to Ow, Tony Fernandes was selected as host as he “brings about an Asian sensitivity to the series which the other adaptations do not have”. Fernandes, unlike most Asian businessmen, built an empire deemed rather uncommon when compared to his Asian counterparts. Ow calls him “a real businessman” and chose him for his charisma, sense of adventure and how he is beginning to further expand his businesses by challenging his comfort zone; as seen by his other business ventures in hospitality, finance and professional sports.
“We (SPT) like the fact that Tony is an ultimate dreamer himself. He dreams and makes his dreams come true. His businesses fit into our brand very well, which again fits into what we are looking for – diversity. Tony represents one of the most adventurous people in the business,” says Ow.
Of Entrepreneurs and Beauty Queens
The network says that casting of the daring dozen was just as pivotal as securing the top man himself. The final 12 hail from Malaysia (3), Philippines (2), Singapore (1), China (1), Indonesia (2), Thailand (1), and India (2). With close to 1,000 applications received (the network reported on Facebook it had over 17,000 forms downloaded), the network was determined to cast its net far and wide across the region. A casting was eventually held in Kuala Lumpur after the candidates were shortlisted.
As seen in previous incarnations where even beauty queens applied, Ow certainly does not discount the possibility of casting unusual or unexpected characters. Still, an underlying factor he looks for is ambition – the ones Ow says are “prepared to go the extra mile to learn from the maestro himself, on top of the all-important x-factor”.
“You can’t say that because she’s a beauty queen, she won’t have the same dream to fulfill her career in other areas,” Ow explains. “We’re looking for a person that has a strong and interesting character, as well as the determination to do well.”
As principal shooting in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur wraps, some “intense moments” that were shot led the network to believe it has found the right cast. According to SPT, the infamous “boardroom sessions” will see Fernandes and his two advisors Kathleen Tan (CEO of AirAsiaExpedia) and Mark Lankester (CEO of Tune Group) “literally in tears”.
Production
Following a recommendation by Mark Burnett himself, SPT commissioned FremantleMedia to maintain the entertainment value and integrity of the production.
“It was an easy start with FremantleMedia because they knew the format very well and understood what we were looking for exactly. We didn’t have to spoon-feed them – they know where to go and get the ingredients from for the show,” says Ow, who also noted that the production company had made a concerted effort to hire talent previously associated with the franchise.
Branded Entertainment
The nature of the challenges in The Apprentice Asia makes for a reality competition series that naturally attract brands, which supported the network’s goal of commissioning sponsor-friendly original content. With sponsors Expedia, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, AirAsia, IG Markets, Blackberry and Volkswagen on board, SPT was able to secure production budget readily.
Fernandes’ AirAsia is a sponsor on the show, but Ow is quick to add that neither AirAsia nor Fernandes himself dictated the show’s editorial.
“Being a prominent figure in Asia, Tony had a lot of business contacts which we leveraged on for the show. While he did not provide the boardroom location, he invited his personal friends and business associates to be a part of the show, and even loaned his own house as the set for one of the delivery locations of a task,” adds Ow.
What to Expect
SPT promises a regional adaptation having “its own distinctive Asian flavour, taking into account Asian sensibilities and sensitivities.” While Trump skyrocketed to fame with his infamous, “You’re Fired!” catchphrase, viewers in Asia certainly can look forward to more “tactful confrontations” between Fernandes and his apprentices as the series keeps its focus on inspiring rather than tearing down contestants.
Ow hopes and expects for Tony and the contestants, with their diverse Asian backgrounds, to give The Apprentice Asia its unique personality and character just as four successful seasons of The Amazing Race Asia did for the network.
The Apprentice Asia premiered May 22, Wednesday nights (9.05PM SIN, 8.05PM JKT/TH) on AXN Asia.
