Legal Woes Mount At Super Retail Group As Company Hauled To Federal Court

Rebecca Farrell, the former legal head at Super Retail Group, has dragged the retail giant, its chairwoman and chief executive to a federal court.

The proceedings were filed by Harmers Workplace Lawyers who claims that Farrell was the whistleblower who exposed “serious corporate governance issues within the company.”

She also claims a settlement with Super Retail was reached on May 6 and she is now taking the company and its executives, including chairwoman Sally Pitkin, to court to enforce that settlement.

News of potential trouble at the company surfaced in the media in April when it was alleged that the CEO and group managing director Anthony Heraghty had an undisclosed relationship with the company’s former chief human resources officer Jane Kelly.

The group said at the time that it expected court proceedings against it and expected the litigants to
claim loss and damages to the tune of between A$30 million to A$50 million.

It noted that the company’s board, supported by independent external advisers, conducted a review and investigation into the allegations and concluded that none of the allegations were substantiated.

Anthony Heraghty, CEO and group managing director of Super Retail Group

On May 3, Super Retail terminated the services of Farrell, who was responsible for legal and served as its company secretary, reporting directly to Heraghty.

“If the court finds that there is not a settlement agreement, Rebecca will pursue the full extent of her claims, including that Super Retail has bullied, harassed, victimised and dismissed Rebecca because she raised serious corporate governance breaches, including a conflict of interest on the part of the CEO by his failure to disclose the nature of his relationship with the then chief human resources officer of the company,” said Harmers.

Other senior executives who have been named as respondents to the lawsuit include Super Retail director, former banker and director of Seven Group Holdings, Annabelle Chaplain, as well Kevin Figueiredo, the company’s chief people and safety officer, reported The Australian.

Super Retail Group is one of Australia’s largest retailers and is the owner of chains including Rebel, Supercheap Auto, Macpac and Boating, and Camping Fishing. It has 736 stores, nearly 16,000 staff and annual revenues of A$3.8 billion.