Sacked CBI director-general Tony Danker says misconduct allegations were 'distorted'

The CBI is carrying out a 'root and branch' review after boss Tony Danker has been sacked due to his behaviour towards a female collegue - ITV News' Rebecca Barry has the latest

The sacked boss of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has claimed allegations against him were “distorted” - but recognised he “made a number of colleagues feel uncomfortable”.

Director-general Tony Danker was dismissed on Tuesday, with the CBI saying his conduct "fell short of that expected" of his position.

According to the CBI, it took the decision following an independent investigation into complaints of workplace misconduct against its boss.

In a statement on Twitter, 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.

“Many of the allegations against me have been distorted, but I recognise that I unintentionally made a number of colleagues feel uncomfortable and I am truly sorry about that. I want to wish my former CBI colleagues every success.”

The CBI said in a statement: "Tony Danker is dismissed with immediate effect following the independent investigation into specific complaints of workplace misconduct against him."

The group added: "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."

Rain Newton-Smith, the CBI’s former chief economist, will rejoin the organisation as its new director-general, it added.

In March, Mr Danker stepped aside from his role, writing on Twitter it was "mortifying" to hear he had caused "offence or anxiety to any colleague".

"It was completely unintentional, and I apologise profusely," he wrote.

The CBI represents around 190,000 businesses across a variety of sectors in the UK.

Mr Danker took over at the helm of the organisation in November 2020, replacing Dame Carolyn Fairbairn.

He had previously been the first chief executive of Be The Business, a body founded by the Chancellor and a group of FTSE 100 chairs to support UK business growth.

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