Mountford: ‘Women need confidence to get to the top’

Mountford, who was partner at City law firm Herbert Smith before joining BBC’s The Apprentice as one of Lord Alan Sugar’s advisers, said the lack of female representation in business can sometimes be “the woman’s fault”.

Speaking to The Yorkshire Post alongside former Apprentice colleague and Countdown presenter Nick Hewer, Mountford said: “Not all women deserve to get to the top, but some do and everyone deserves to be treated on their merits.”

Recent figures from the BoardEx and Women on Boards shows the proportion of women on FTSE 100 boards has risen to 22.8 per cent.

When broken down to type of directorship, 27.9 per cent of non-executive roles are held by women. By comparison, females account for just 8.4 per cent of executive positions.

While there has been some movement on boardroom diversity, there is “still is a problem” at executive level, Mountford said.

She said: “It’s instinctive to recruit in your own image and you have to break that.

“Women aren’t always as confident as men in a business situation. Some of them need help to gain confidence.

“Personally I think they should be able to get there themselves, but obviously I’m wrong and they can’t.”

Mountford recently hosted the Institute of Directors’ Breaking the Mould awards, which recognise companies that do more to get women in the boardroom.

Introducing a quota strategy for women in directorships would unsuccessful, Mountford, as the women put in post would not be accepted by male colleagues.

“Nobody gets any respect if you’re there to make the numbers, even if you’re there on merit,” she said.

However, quotas at interview stage could be useful, “so people actually have to consider whether this person would do the job”.

Hewer noted a number of women in business who serve as “terrific role models” for others trying to break into top business, including Thomas Cook chief executive Harriet Green.

However, Mountford said women “don’t need a female role model” to succeed.

Since leaving The Apprentice in 2009, Mountford has completed a PhD in papyrology and presented in a number of documentaries.

She is also chair of the Bright Ideas Trust, a charity founded by Apprentice series one winner Tim Campbell that supports young people looking to start a business.

While start-ups need support, people should not lose sight of the importance of an employee workforce, Mountford said.

“We need far more employees than entrepreneurs,” she said.

“Yes we have to help start-ups, but we also have to help people to get into employment and give them the skills to make them a worthwhile employee.”

Hewer, who alongside Mountford has co-hosted BBC shows investigating benefit culture and immigration, called for more trade-related apprenticeships to help young people into work.

Unrealistic goals of people leaving school and getting “a Mitsubishi Warrior and holidays in Tahiti” within a couple of years are holding youngsters back, he said.

He said: “If people can understand that to graft and to get a proper trade, it’s a wonderful thing and you’ll never be out of work. Just take a few years of low pay and you’ll be a happier man.”

Hewer and Mountford appeared at the Make A Dream Gala Dinner, held at Elland Road in Leeds on Thursday November 6.

The charity, founded by The Cube Group chief executive Stuart Levin, provides gifts and holidays to children battling life-threatening illnesses.