The Confederation of British Industry’s director-general, Tony Danker, has stepped aside from the role while an independent probe into his workplace conduct is carried out.
(Bloomberg) — The Confederation of British Industry’s director-general, Tony Danker, has stepped aside from the role while an independent probe into his workplace conduct is carried out.
The CBI, Britain’s most influential business lobby group, said it had been made aware of an allegation regarding Danker’s alleged conduct in January. After an investigation, the organization said it determined the issue did not require disciplinary action.
However, the lobby group was made aware of new reports about Danker on March 2, it said in a statement Monday — and has launched an independent investigation into the new matters.
Danker, who asked to step aside while the inquiry is carried out, posted a statement on Twitter to say it was “mortifying to hear that I have caused offense or anxiety to any colleague.”
“It was completely unintentional, and I apologize profusely,” he wrote, adding that he’s cooperating with the probe. Danker has led the CBI since November 2020. Before that, he held a range of roles including as a policy adviser to the UK Government’s Cabinet Office and Treasury. He has also held roles at McKinsey & Co. and Guardian News & Media.
The CBI is Britain’s biggest business lobby group, and campaigns on everything from taxes to employment issues and investing for growth. The nonprofit, which says it represents 190,000 businesses, said it takes “all matters of workplace conduct extremely seriously.”
The Guardian, which reported the news earlier, said Danker’s decision to step aside came after the newspaper approached the CBI over a complaint that was made in January by a female employee, as well as other concerns.
(Updates with information on CBI and Danker)
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