The Virgin boss was voted as the most popular guru by 45 per cent of respondents in a poll by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

Dragons’ Den star Peter Jones scored 21 per cent, The Apprentice boss Alan Sugar 18 per cent, Birmingham FC manager Karen Brady 6.4 per cent, and retail tycoon Phillip Green 4.2 per cent of the vote.

Wyn Mears, director of ACCA UK, says: ‘It would appear that being on TV a lot is not the only influence on people’s views about business achievement.‘While Richard Branson has been involved with some high-profile failures as well as successes, the public recognise that his drive and personality have had a massive impact on his business career.’

In a poll by GrowthBusiness.co.uk, Peter Jones was voted the most popular Dragons’ Den investor to have on board a business.