Head of British business lobby sacked over misconduct

Britain’s main business lobby group announced Tuesday the sacking of Director General Tony Danker following sexual misconduct allegations that have shaken the Confederation of British Industry.

The CBI suspended three other employees and apologised to victims as it expressed “revulsion” over their stories and admitted “serious failings” in its handling of the matter.

The organisation said Danker “is dismissed with immediate effect following the independent investigation into specific complaints of workplace misconduct against him”.

The CBI announced that Rain Newton-Smith, former chief economist at the group, had agreed to rejoin as its new director general just one month after starting a strategist role at Barclays bank.

Danker had stepped aside from his role in early March, allowing the probe by a law firm to occur.

The CBI describes itself as an organisation representing 190,000 businesses, employing almost seven million people.

Tuesday’s statement added that “three other CBI employees are now suspended pending further investigation into a number of ongoing allegations”.