Virgin Australia’s Richard Branson voices support for quotas for women in business positions

Richard Branson said he supported quotas for women in business positions... but how does the Virgin Australia board stack up?

Sir Richard Branson launching Virgin Australia's first meditation flight, and the introduction of new techniques for anxious flyers. Picture: Jane Dempster

Entrepreneur and Virgin group supremo Richard Branson last night said he supported quotas for women in business positions, but the call sat uneasily against the fact that Virgin Australia has only two women on its 12 member board.

Sir Richard last night launched a business association called the B Team Australasia, a regional version of the international grouping of big business leaders who, its publicity says, are “working to inspire bold dialogue and brave business action for a fairer, greener and more human economy.”

At the launch in Sydney Sir Richard was asked his view about whether quotas should be adopted for women in business.

“I personally believe in quotas,” Sir Richard said.

He praised the practice in some Scandinavian countries which requires 40 per cent of all company boards to be women.

The Virgin Australia board is chaired by Elizabeth Bryan, but has only one other woman on it, Samantha Mostyn, with the other 10 directors including chief executive John Borghetti all men, amounting to a female component of 17 per cent.

Sir Richard said there tended to be an inherent irrational discomfort about women being in certain positions.

“Your brain is programmed … women are guilty of this,” he said.

He related one flight he was on where the female captain on the aircraft came on the loudspeaker.

“Some of these passengers were shaken up by the sound of a woman pilot.”