Imran Ambalia is a buyer at Sugro
What was your first job?
My first-ever job was at a care home where I worked as a kitchen assistant. Early starts and late finishes were the norm – completely against how a 16-year-old’s body clock functions. However, it started my career in food and made me more driven to succeed – and, of course, it helped me to pay my university fees.
How would your colleagues at Sugro describe you?
Passionate, hardworking, conscientious and very approachable, with a can-
do attitude.
If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport that would give you a chance of winning a medal, what would it be?
Negotiation with my five-year-old son. Anyone who can negotiate with a child definitely deserves a medal.
If time and money were not an issue, what hobby would you most like to get into?
I would love to learn how to fly a plane. I have been interested in aircraft ever since I was a child building Airfix models. Family holidays to India on a nine-hour flight also played a part. Flying a plane is definitely on the bucket list.
What would your perfect day involve?
First, a lie-in followed by eating some really nice food. Then I’d get some friends round to watch Manchester United thrash Liverpool at Old Trafford.
What is your song of choice at karaoke?
I’ve never done it. Sweeping up broken glass doesn’t sound appealing.
Who would be your four ideal dinner party guests?
Jeff Bezos, Cristiano Ronaldo, Sir Alex Ferguson and Steve Jobs. Simply because they are, or were, the best at what they do, or did, and we could learn so much from their dedication and drive to succeed.
What would you cook them?
I have to stick to my roots and say Indian – samosas and kebabs for starters and a few different curries for mains.
What fad or trend would you like to see make a comeback?
Pogs – they were a massive playground craze in the 1990s, and I would love to see them make a comeback, if only to see if they are still just as fun now as they were back then.
If you were a superhero, what would you choose as your superpower?
I would have to choose teleportation just so I could travel anywhere in the world in a split second. Just imagine teleporting to a beach in Mauritius at 5pm on a Friday.
What do you wish you knew more about?
I believe knowledge is power, so I would like to know more about everything.
When was the last time you changed your belief or opinion about something major?
I consider things very carefully and once I form an opinion, I rarely change my mind.
