Israel Chemicals (ICL) CEO, Stefan Borgas, asked the Board of Directors to accept his resignation from his duties as CEO and as member of the Board. Borgas has been replaced by the company’s former executive vice president and COO Asher Grinbaum who becomes acting CEO.
Borgas (52), who was nominated in September 2012, said: “after four successful years of leading ICL through a historically dramatic downturn of the commodity industry, I feel that it is time for me to move the center of my life back to Europe. Therefore, I ask the BOD to support my request.”
Will you offer us a hand? Every gift, regardless of size, fuels our future.
Your critical contribution enables us to maintain our independence from shareholders or wealthy owners, allowing us to keep up reporting without bias. It means we can continue to make Jewish Business News available to everyone.
You can support us for as little as $1 via PayPal at [email protected].
Thank you.
But today, ICL said: “Due to the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Law, the company is prevented from providing any detail or document regarding the complaint or its very existence.”
The complaint regarding alleged sexual harassment, filed against Borgas several months ago by a senior executive. Accorging the alleged complain this harassment had taken place after the two executives had dined in one of Tel Aviv’s restaurants.
Globes reports:
“as far as we know, after the dinner, Borgas accompanied the employee to her home, which was only a few dozen meters from his own. He then asked the employee to go up to her apartment, in order to get an impression of the place. When they parted, Borgas hugged and kissed the employee, according to her version against her will, and causing her to feel emotional distress. Borgas, on the other hand, claimed that this was an innocent and friendly kiss, not exceeding the acceptable norms.”
After the incident the employee was fired. But two months later the ICL board found out about this event and transfered the matter to the examination of Judge. Judge (ret.) Ornit Agassi on Tuesday, submitted her conclusions, which determined that this was sexual harassment, even if only in the milder sense of the term.
On Friday September 9, in a laconic statement the ICL board announced Borgas’ resignation.
