EasyJet chief executive Carolyn McCall is the most admired leader in Britain, according to the largest peer review of its kind.
And she’s the first woman to secure the title in 25 years of the study by the magazine Management Today.
McCall, who is one of just six female CEOs running a FTSE 100 company, said that she hoped the award would inspire more woman to run companies.
"Man or woman, it’s an honour to get an award like this. I’ve never underestimated how important it is to be a role model for women but I prefer to do that quietly rather than loudly," she said.
McCall also said the award was ‘a vote of confidence in easyJet’.
"We’ve had some tough external events, which all airlines are dealing with, but we’re in a very strong position, and we’ll remain a winner in short-haul Europe regardless."
