Dean Franklin triumphs in The Apprentice final
18th April 2025
UK: Dean Franklin, co-founder of Essex-based contractor ADL Air Conditioning, is to receive a £250,000 investment in his business after winning BBC1’s The Apprentice reality tv show.
Fraklin’s success comes after winning-out amongst 18 keen entrepreneurs, who were put through their paces over the last 12 weeks in a bid to land the £250,000 investment and the accolade of becoming the new business partner of British entrepreneur Lord Sugar.
Clearly overwhelmed, the 35-year-old air conditioning engineer said: “I can’t believe I’ve just won The Apprentice. This is going to mean the world to me and my family. My kids are going to be over the moon.”
Incorporated in 2020, ADL Air Conditioning is a Daikin D1 Business Partner. Targeting the domestic market, the company expects to achieve a turnover of around 500,000 this year with an estimated profit of £160,000.
Franklin is currently working from home and intends to use the investment to fund a new office, two more engineers and two apprentices.
The final show included cameo appearances from industry experts including Daikin UK deputy MD Mark Dyer and Nationwide Air Conditioning MD Chris Henderson and is expected to have attracted around 6 million viewers.
