Belfast-born business leader sacked by CBI following probe into 'workplace misconduct' involving female employee

Mr Danker had stepped aside last month pending an investigation into the claims but on Tuesday the CBI, which represents around 190,000 businesses across the UK, announced he had been “dismissed with immediate effect”.

The 50-year-old, who grew up in north Belfast and attended Belfast Royal Academy before moving to England, joined the leading business organisation in November 2020.

The married father-of-two had previously issued an apology for any "offence or anxiety" his behaviour had caused, saying that it was "completely unintentional".

In a statement, 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.

“Three other CBI employees are now suspended pending further investigation into a number of ongoing allegations.”

The CBI statement also included an apology to the victims affected by the “organisational failure”.

It said: “We apologise to the victims of this organisational failure, including those impacted by the revulsion we have all felt at hearing their stories. Nobody should feel unsafe in their workplace.”

Responding on social media, Mr Danker tweeted: “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.

"I want to wish my former CBI colleagues every success.”

Mr Danker has been replaced as director-general by former CBI chief economist Rain Newton-Smith.