Tony Danker – the head of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) – has been fired following allegations about his conduct at work.
Three other CBI members have been suspended as inquiries continue.
Mr Danker left the organization with immediate effect.
A female employee claimed Mr Danker made “unwanted contact with her and [she] considered this unwanted conduct to be sexual harassment”.
In a tweet, Mr Danker said he was “mortified” to hear that he had caused “offence or anxiety to any colleague”.
“It was completely unintentional, and I apologise profusely,” he wrote.
The CBI has recently been hit by several complaints of “sexual misconduct”.
In a statement the CBI said:
“The allegations that have been made over recent weeks about the CBI have been devastating.
“While investigations continue into a number of these, it is already clear to all of us that there have been serious failings in how we have acted as an organisation.
“We must do better, and we must be better.
“We apologise to the victims of this organisational failure, including those impacted by the revulsion we have all felt at hearing their stories.
“Nobody should feel unsafe in their workplace.
“We wish to thank all those who have had the courage to speak out, through internal or external channels, and encourage them to keep doing so.”
Last week the Government suspended its dealing with the CBI.
The Treasury confirmed it has “paused engagement pending the outcome of investigations”.
A CBI spokesman said:
“Tony Danker is dismissed with immediate effect following the independent investigation into specific complaints of workplace misconduct against him.
“The Board wishes to make clear he is not the subject of any of the more recent allegations but has determined that his own conduct fell short of that expected of the Director General.”
