Earlier this year, Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson donned a female flight attendant’s uniform and served passengers on an Air Asia charity flight from Perth to Kuala Lumpur, after losing a bet with Air Asia chief executive Tony Fernandes (see photo).
Now Tim Searle, founder and chairman of Dubai-based Globaleye, has promised to join these other two company founders in donning a skirt – in his case, by agreeing to “spend the working day of 31 Oct dressed as a ballerina: pink tights, tutu and all” – if a company scheme to raise money for a breast cancer charity meets its goal of raising $2,000 before that date.
Under the terms of the deal, Searle must wear this outfit “regardless of any meetings in- or outside the office” on that date, according to a statement on the company’s website.
The statement adds: “We’ll make sure there is plenty of photographic evidence”.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an international campaign run by breast cancer charities throughout the world in an effort to boost awareness of the disease as well as raising funds for its prevention, treatment and cure.
In an interview, Searle said he was motivated by the importance of the cause. "Breast cancer kills some 12 million people worldwide every year," he noted. "If my wearing a tutu for one day will help to raise money for a breast cancer charity, of course I’ll do it."
He added that the tutu stunt had a second and equally important purpose: to call attention to the magnitude of cancer and similar critical illnesses, and the consequent importance of having – and in the case of financial advisers, selling – critical illness coverage.
Although this is the first time he has promised to don a skirt on behalf of a good cause, Searle has been an active fundraiser for such charities as Help for Heroes and Gulf for Good. Through its association with Alquity Investment Management, Globaleye has also been involved in raising money for a school in Malawi.
