Boss of Citroen: 'They ignore me and turn to my husband'

Mansplaining, being mistaken for a secretary and receiving inappropriate comments due to gender - sexism happens to the best of us.

Whilst society has come on leaps and bounds, it’s still rife, even at the top of the corporate ladder. Linda Jackson, who became the first female Chief Executive of Citroen three years ago, has been subject to sexism. She explained to The Mail during the Frankfurt Motor Show how sales staff have ignored her – turning to her husband instead.

The 58-year-old told The Mail that when she goes on mystery shopping exercises, she learns a lot about how the customer is treated. “Sometimes you go into a showroom with your husband and they just turn to your male partner and say, 'how would you like to spend your money?' This is what we need to change. We want to make it easier for anyone to buy a car.

“When women go into a dealership, they want to touch, feel and drive the car. They don't want hard pressure. It's not about being a woman. It's about how I would want to be treated as a woman.”