Ex Topshop brand director accuses Sir Philip Green of bullying
Former Topshop brand director Jane Shepherdson has weighed into allegations of impropriety leveled against Sir Phillip Green, by accusing the retail tycoon of being a ‘bully’.
Ex Topshop brand director accuses Sir Philip Green of bullying / BBC
Pulling no punches, Shepherdson claimed that bullying remained a live issue at the retailer, labeling Green’s behavior as being ‘worse than most’. She said: “There’s no question he was a bully, everyone knows he was a bully.”
The intervention follows revelations that several former employees of Green had received seven figure settlements over claims that they had been sexually harassed, racially abused or bullied.
Green helms retail giant Arcadia Group, whose portfolio includes Topshop, strenuously denies the allegations which came to light after Labour parliamentarian Peter Hain took advantage of parliamentary privilege to publicly name Green, breaking a High Court injunction gagging the press from reporting on the case.
Addressing a conference organized by The Daily Telegraph Shepherson remarked: “He would get very angry and shout a lot. And then I would get very angry and shout a lot. Every time I did that he would back down, bearing in mind I was in a very good position. It was really exhausting doing it. It takes its toll on you. You have to continue to be very aggressive.”
Shepherdson is credited with increasing profits at Topshop during her seven-year tenure as brand director, ending in 2006 before becoming chief executive of Whistles.