Richard Branson Tops 'Most Admired' Boss Poll

Richard Branson has been voted Britain's most admired business leader over the past five decades, in a poll of top bosses.

The Virgin tycoon was voted the runaway winner by a survey of FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 chairmen, chief executives and chief financial officers, non-executive directors, lawyers, accountants and headhunters.

Sir Richard beat vacuum cleaner designer Sir James Dyson and the late Lord Weinstock, who built GEC into an electrical and engineering empire - both runners up in the poll published in today's The Sunday Times.

Dominic O'Connell, business editor of The Sunday Times, said: "This is the authentic insider's view on who has made the biggest impact on British business over the past five decades. We asked business leaders to rate their peers - and Branson came out on top by a good margin.

"He has his critics, but this is a tribute to his longevity, and his impact across a big number of industries."

The poll also showed a "marked predilection for industrialists".

Mr O'Connell said: "Our highest-rated businesspeople included Sir James Dyson of vacuum cleaner fame, Sir Ernest Harrison, the man who brought us the mobile phone, and Arnold Weinstock, the former boss of GEC.

"Away from manufacturing, the stars were Sir Terry Leahy of Tesco (Xetra: 852647 - news) and Sir Martin Sorrell of WPP (LSE: WPP.L - news) ."