The company, which entrepreneur Lord Sugar invested in as a result of Martin winning The Apprentice reality TV programme in 2012, revealed it has turned over £8m in the year to June 2018 and is seeking to continue its growth across the UK, along with plans to focus on developing the business’ presence and offering across Europe.

Martin said he could not be prouder of the whole team at HRS, adding that to have grown from a company of just one back in 2012 to a business with 50 staff across three major UK cities, that makes a difference to so many people, was “remarkable”. One of those team members is fellow Apprentice alumni Trishna Thakrar, who joined the agency in January 2017 as head of technology and financial systems.

Lord Sugar added: “Investing in Ricky was a no-brainer. His understanding of the recruitment industry combined with his passion for business has resulted in the success Hyper Recruitment Solutions sees today. Being the first Apprentice winner to hit the £1m pre-tax profit mark is just the start, I know the future is bright for HRS going forward.”

• Comment below on this story. You can also tweet us to tell us your thoughts or share this story with a friend. Our editorial email is [email protected]