UK business fails women bosses

Among the largest firms listed in the London Stock Exchange, only 57% have a female representative on the board according to a study published by Cranfield University's school of management. This compares with 58% of FTSE 100 companies last year and 64% in 1999.

Furthermore, of this small bank of women directors, more than 85% occupy part-time, non-executive positions - and they are outnumbered by their male colleagues by more than 17 to one. Last year 11 women held executive posts.

Mary-Ann Stephenson, director of the Fawcett Society, which backed the study, describes the findings as disappointing but not surprising, and argues that the heavy weighting towards part-time directorship hints at an element of tokenism regarding female appointments.