Sacked CBI boss says reputation 'totally destroyed' by misconduct allegations

The recently sacked boss of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) says his “reputation has been totally destroyed” following misconduct allegations.

Tony Danker was sacked on 11 April – and three other employees suspended – by the business group after police launched an investigation into the allegations.

The board of the CBI said Mr Danker’s conduct “fell short” of what was expected of him and said there had been “serious failings” in how it acted as an organisation.

In his first interview since his firing, Mr Danker told the BBC he had been used as the “fall guy” and wrongly associated with separate claims, including rape, and as a result his reputation had been “totally trashed”.

He told the broadcaster his termination letter had cited four reasons for his dismissal: For organising a secret and private karaoke party for 15 people, for viewing the Instagram accounts of CBI staff, for sending non-work related messages to staff and for inviting junior staff to breakfasts, lunches or one-on-one meetings.

But other claims – which included drug use as well as serious sexual assault – emerged a matter of weeks after the CBI disclosed it was looking into separate allegations of misconduct against him.

‘There was never any physical contact’

While Mr Danker apologised for having made some staff feel “very uncomfortable”, the former CBI boss insisted he had “never used sexually suggestive language with people” at the company, making his immediate dismissal unwarranted.

“There was an incident somebody raised a complaint about unwanted contact, which was verbal contact,” he said.

“There was never any physical contact. I’ve never had any physical contact. I’ve never used any sexual language. I’ve never propositioned anybody.”

He also admitted to messaging around 200 individual staff members at the company, but insisted it was to try and build “rapport” with colleagues who worked from home during and after the COVID lockdown.

The trade body has been rocked by allegations of a toxic workplace culture since Mr Danker was last month accused of allegedly making unwanted contact with a woman who works for CBI. She considered the contact to be sexual harassment, The Guardian reported at the time. Mr Danker denies the allegation.

Some of the claims predate Mr Danker’s time at CBI.

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In a tweet on 11 April, referring to allegations, Mr Danker said: “I recognise the intense publicity the CBI has suffered following the revelations of awful events that occurred before my time in office.

“I was appalled to learn about them for the first time last week. I was nevertheless shocked to learn this morning that I had been dismissed from the CBI, instead of being invited to put my position forward as was originally confirmed.”

Mr Danker had stepped aside in early March as the allegations were investigated, the first part of which has been completed by law firm Fox Williams.

Police investigation at ‘very early stage’

Detective Chief Superintendent Richard Waight confirmed the City of London Police approached CBI following media reports of misconduct, but investigations were still at a “very early stage”.

It comes after The Guardian said it was approached by more than a dozen women who claimed to be victims of various forms of sexual misconduct by senior members of the CBI who were not Mr Danker.

One woman said she was raped at a staff party.

The CBI 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 in The Guardian but has determined that his own conduct fell short of that expected of the director general.”

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