Should Richard Branson ever decide to give up his entrepreneurial empire, he would do well to consider a career in training, according to a new survey.

A poll for training company Parity found that 67% of those surveyed named Branson as their ideal celebrity trainer.

Business acumen seemed to be the skill most desired by the survey group, which put media tycoon Rupert Murdoch and business guru John Harvey-Jones in second place.

And should Gordon Brown's dream of moving into No10 come true, Tony Blair would also do well to go down the training route, having made it into the top five.

MD of Parity's training division Barbara Greenways said that the results showed that many people want an insider's view of how to achieve success.

"Individuals are becoming more responsible for their own development and are looking for inspiration from people who have achieved something significant whatever their profession," she said.

"Delegates most want to ask ‘how did you do it?’ and get an insider’s view."