Women should move into commercial roles, says Premier Inn’s outgoing boss

Women must take center stage and move into commercial roles if the UK wants more female chief executives, according to the outgoing boss of a Premier Inn owner.

Alison Britten, chief executive of Whitbread, said the key to having more female FTSE bosses was to “develop the pipeline”.

The 57-year-old said there are “talented women waiting” to step into management but too many are working in “functional roles” such as HR.

When she leaves Whitbread in the new year, only nine of the UK’s 100 biggest companies will be headed by women.

Britain is taking on one of the biggest challenges in football, a traditionally male-dominated world. A Manchester United fan will become the first female chairman of the Premier League.

Britton talked about the importance of companies setting diversity goals, but said she was “not a big fan of quotas.”

And she said yesterday: “The key to that is always the pipeline. It encourages women to come through the commercial sides of our business and become senior management not only in functional roles but also in commercial roles.

“I think we also need a bit of encouragement in terms of having a few people who are showing that it can be done, that you can manage your work, family life and everything else.

“It’s never easy, but it’s doable. I think there are some great ones [female] a role model now in the FTSE 250.”

Gwen Rees, executive director of Women in the City, which advocates for women in business, agreed that women tend to either place themselves or be directed by men in areas of “soft skills” including human resources and training.

She said “they don’t take responsibility for P&L early enough.”

Whitbread, meanwhile, posted profits of £307m in the six months to September, recovering from losses of £19m a year ago.

Sales were a quarter higher than before COVID at £1.35 billion.