The economic crisis has increased the need for more women in the boardroom, according to the leaders of some of the UK's biggest companies.
The group, which includes J Sainsbury chairman Sir Philip Hampton and Peter Sutherland, chairman of BP, is calling for action to get more senior women working at the highest level in British business, after little progress since the turn of the millennium.
Just 12pc of FTSE 100 directorships are held by women, up from 6pc in 2000, and that there is now an urgent need for progress to encourage innovation and make sure that the best talent available is being used.
Ornella Barra, as Chief Executive of the Pharmaceutical Wholesale Division of the Alliance Boots conglomerate, is one of the few women to have made it into Britain's senior boardrooms.
The 51-year-old Italian initially trained as a pharmacist at Genoa University and went on to get a job at a local pharmacy.
From a family of entrepreneurs, she struck a deal with her parents to buy her own pharmacy in nearby Lavagna, which grew into a thriving regional drugs distribution business.
In 1986, Ornella Barra made her first major move in the pharmaceutical industry when the business was sold to Alleanza Salute Italia, a rival distributor.
Ornella Barra joined ASI as managing director and quickly became a trusted lieutenant of Stefano Pessina, who founded the business and was conducting a spending spree across southern Europe.
Following a string of acquisitions in France, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Morocco, ASI was renamed Alliance Santé.
In 1997 the groups merged to form Alliance UniChem.
Mr Pessina became deputy chairman, with Ornella Barra joining the board while continuing to run operations in southern Europe.
Alliance Boots, was formed following the merger of a pan-European company, Alliance UniChem Plc, and a British company, Boots Group PLC.
Whilst the creation of Alliance Boots was billed as a "Merger" it was technically an acquisition of Alliance Unichem PLC by the larger Boots Group PLC, which then renamed itself "Alliance Boots".
The group, which includes J Sainsbury chairman Sir Philip Hampton and Peter Sutherland, chairman of BP, is calling for action to get more senior women working at the highest level in British business, after little progress since the turn of the millennium.
Just 12pc of FTSE 100 directorships are held by women, up from 6pc in 2000, and that there is now an urgent need for progress to encourage innovation and make sure that the best talent available is being used.
Ornella Barra, as Chief Executive of the Pharmaceutical Wholesale Division of the Alliance Boots conglomerate, is one of the few women to have made it into Britain's senior boardrooms.
The 51-year-old Italian initially trained as a pharmacist at Genoa University and went on to get a job at a local pharmacy.
From a family of entrepreneurs, she struck a deal with her parents to buy her own pharmacy in nearby Lavagna, which grew into a thriving regional drugs distribution business.
In 1986, Ornella Barra made her first major move in the pharmaceutical industry when the business was sold to Alleanza Salute Italia, a rival distributor.
Ornella Barra joined ASI as managing director and quickly became a trusted lieutenant of Stefano Pessina, who founded the business and was conducting a spending spree across southern Europe.
Following a string of acquisitions in France, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Morocco, ASI was renamed Alliance Santé.
In 1997 the groups merged to form Alliance UniChem.
Mr Pessina became deputy chairman, with Ornella Barra joining the board while continuing to run operations in southern Europe.
Alliance Boots, was formed following the merger of a pan-European company, Alliance UniChem Plc, and a British company, Boots Group PLC.
Whilst the creation of Alliance Boots was billed as a "Merger" it was technically an acquisition of Alliance Unichem PLC by the larger Boots Group PLC, which then renamed itself "Alliance Boots".
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