IT professionals are the sauciest when it comes to business networking, according to a study commissioned by restaurant chain Pizza Express.

The survey found that techies are the most likely to have talked about sex over a business lunch, with one in 20 claiming that talking dirty had helped them to win business, while 11 per cent also admitted to networking at lap-dancing clubs.

The results of the survey challenge the geeky, socially backward stereotype of the IT worker.

One in three IT sector respondents believed that networking had won them new business, ranking them above respondents from the manufacturing, financial services and law sectors, but behind those working in the media.

But IT professionals are also the most likely to throw sickies or fake a phone call, and 42 per cent admitted to lying during a business lunch in order to secure a deal.