Seven Board clears Worner of misconduct

Seven’s investigation into its own CEO Tim Worner has cleared him of any misconduct, following revelations of an affair with executive assistant Amber Harrison.

The review, conducted by Richard Harris, a litigation and investigations partner at Allens Linklaters, included interviews with current and former executives and employees including Ms. Harrison.

But its details have not been released, because it is “subject to legal privilege.”

A statement today says the review looked at key allegations by Harrison including: the payment of a bonus to Ms Harrison; the circumstances of the investigation into her corporate credit card expenses; the corporate credit card expenses of Mr Worner and other allegations of drug use and their personal yet inappropriate relationship, which concluded in 2014; and allegations of other inappropriate staff relationships by Mr Worner.

But the Board reviewed the report and found the allegations were not substantiated.

The statement comes just a day after Shirley McGregor resigned the Board without explanation.

In the statement the Board says it is satisfied that:

  the company’s identification of significant credit card misuse by Ms Harrison was not instigated by, or on behalf of, Mr Worner or his office and they had no involvement in the investigation.
  Mr Worner did not influence, nor play any role, in the awarding of the bonus to Ms Harrison other than signing the letters which informed her, and other Executive Assistants, of their bonus.
  company funds were not deployed in furthering the relationship by Mr Worner or with his approval. There were no irregularities in Mr Worner’s corporate credit card use.
  the strong and vehement denials by the four employees falsely accused of having an inappropriate relationship with Mr Worner are accepted without reservation and cast doubt on the veracity of other accusations.
  the allegations of illicit drug use by Mr Worner could not be substantiated.
  Mr Worner did not have any involvement in the way the company dealt with Ms Harrison after the relationship between them became known by the company.

Seven also said the communications that passed between Worner and Harrison “were of a highly personal nature that used language and expressed concepts that the Board finds totally objectionable.” But it concluded they were “consensual, personal and private in nature and were only disclosed as a result of a breach of express confidentiality obligations.”

Whilst his behaviour was not condoned by the Board it concluded no grounds to take any further disciplinary action against its CEO who will “continue to run the company in the interests of all shareholders.”

“This has been a tumultuous time for the entire company and with the receipt of the independent review this matter can now be brought to a conclusion,” it said.

Seven shares lost nearly $100m following revelations of the affair, before recovering. The story attracted national headlines and damaged Seven’s reputation both in media circles and with the viewing public.

A legal case surrounding defamation, as a result of online reporting, is understood to still be outstanding.