Fear of stigma and reprisals is preventing neurodiverse business leaders from talking openly about their diagnoses, 64% of FTSE 350 Board Directors and HR Professionals say.

Research from Restauranteur and chef Heston Blumenthal OBE covering 100 FTSE350 companies reveals that 82% of respondents would like to see more senior high profile business leaders who are neurodiverse talk openly and positively about how it has helped them.

The celebrity chef and entrepreneur - whose restaurants include the world-famous Three Michelin Star Fat Duck, the Michelin starred Hind’s Head, the Two Michelin star Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and the Perfectionists’ Café - recently announced his own diagnoses of bi-polar and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and wants to raise awareness of the importance in including those with mental illness and neurodiverse individuals in the workplace.

Eighty-four percent of respondents say that it is either extremely or quite important that the company they work for is more neuroinclusive both for the workforce in general and for senior management specifically.

When asked what percentage of their own senior management team are neurodiverse 21% of respondents think less than 5%; 31% say between 5% and 10%; over a quarter (26%) say between 10% and 15%; 7% say between 20% and 25%; while 4% think between 25% and 30% of senior management are neurodiverse.

Being open about neurodiversity is crucial in ending stigma. I have found that being open about my bi-polar and ADHD not only helps me, but has been useful in supporting my colleagues and staff with their own diagnoses. Senior management have an opportunity to demonstrate that being neurodiverse is not by any means a hinderance and in fact can open doors to successful, long-term careers.