Australia-based Super Retail Group, the parent company of Rebel Sport and Supercheap Auto, has dismissed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Anthony Heraghty with immediate effect after receiving new information about an alleged relationship he had with an employee, the company said in a statement issued on Tuesday, September 16.

Calling CEO Heraghty’s disclosures “not satisfactory”, the decision came after the board received the latest information on his relationship with Super Retail Group’s ex-Chief Human Resources Officer.

“The Board made this decision after receiving new information from Mr Heraghty regarding his relationship with the company’s former Chief Human Resources Officer. In light of this new information, the Board has concluded Mr Heraghty’s prior disclosures were not satisfactory,” the company said.

According to the statement, the board will “carefully consider the implications of this for the company and any related matters.” It has also withdrawn Heraghty’s incentives, including unvested options and vested but unexercised rights.

Who will replace Heraghty for now?

David Burns, the company’s Chief Financial Officer, has been appointed interim chief executive till a replacement is found. Following the company’s announcement, the shares of Super Retail Group fell as much as 7.1% in early trading in Sydney.

Allegations emerged last year

In 2024, Rebecca Farrell, the former chief legal officer of Super Retail, and Amelia Berczelly, the former company secretary, filed separate legal actions against their previous employer for allegedly punishing them for attempting to expose claims about Heraghty having a relationship with Jane Kelly, the human resources chief at the time, and the inappropriate use of company funds to support the alleged relationship, according to a report by The Sydney Morning Herald.

In April 2024, the board warned the market about potential legal action regarding the non-disclosure of the relationship. However, at the time, the board issued a statement saying that an independent external investigation into the matter had found no substance to any of the allegations, news agency Bloomberg reported.

Previously, Swiss food and beverage giant Nestlé had removed its chief executive, Laurent Freixe, just a year in the role, following an investigation into an undisclosed personal relationship with a direct subordinate that breached the company’s code of business conduct.

(With inputs from agencies.)