In July this year, Astronomer CEO Andy Byron was caught on a Coldplay concert ‘kiss cam’ with his chief people officer Kristin Cabot. While they tried to hide, the video went viral and both lost their jobs. The video showed that extramarital affairs in corporate spaces could result in more trouble. In a similar episode, another CEO has lost his job due to a romantic relationship with his HR.
Super Retail Group, the parent company of Rebel Sport, has removed its chief executive, Anthony Heraghty, after he was found to have misled the board about an alleged personal relationship with former human resources head Jane Kelly. Chief financial officer David Burns, who has been with the group since 2012, has stepped in as interim CEO while the company undertakes a formal search for a permanent replacement.
The company, which also owns BCF, Supercheap Auto, and Macpac, said the action was taken after Heraghty provided new details late last week. Upon review, the board concluded that his earlier disclosures were incomplete and unsatisfactory.
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This development comes while Super Retail is already entangled in a protracted Federal Court dispute with two former senior legal executives. Central to their claims is the alleged relationship between the CEO and the HR chief.
Back in April 2024, the group entered mediation with former general counsel Rebecca Farrell and ex-colleague Amelia Berczelly, who accused the business of workplace bullying, harassment, improper use of funds, and neglecting employee safety.
Under then-chair Sally Pitkin, the company had appointed an external law firm to investigate those allegations, which at the time were deemed unproven. However, a renewed inquiry was launched after Judith Swales took over as chair at the October 2024 annual meeting. Pitkin, although no longer chair, remains a party to the ongoing Federal Court case, which began in July 2024 following the breakdown of mediation.
Alongside Heraghty’s dismissal, the board has also cancelled his future financial entitlements. This includes the termination of both unvested incentives and vested but unexercised rights, which together were valued at around $3.4 million in the company’s most recent annual report.