Better stay away from female colleagues..:)
Beware of Female colleagues..:) they can turn treacherous anytime..:)
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Former Penguin CEO denies sexually harassing colleague
India-born David Davidar, former CEO of Penguin-Canada, who was forced to leave his job early this month following allegations of sexual harassment, reportedly “had a consensual flirtatious relationship that grew out of a close friendship with a colleague,” a statement released by his counsel said yesterday.
“David Davidar has not sexually harassed anyone and has not assaulted anyone... He deeply regrets the hurt this has caused his wife,” the statement by Peter A Downard of Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, a leading Toronto-based law firm that has been engaged as litigation counsel on behalf of Davidar, said.
Explaining the nature of the relationship, Downard said: “Commencing in late 2005, Davidar and Lisa Rundle (the former director of digital publishing and foreign rights at Penguin-Canada) had offices next to each other at Penguin. They became friends. At work, Davidar and Ms Rundle spent significant time in each other’s offices. At Rundle’s invitation, Davidar played tennis with her at her tennis club. They went to a tennis tournament together. They attended the theatre together. They had lunches in restaurant together. Davidar came to think of Rundle as his closest friend and confidante at work.”
In 2007, their friendship became flirtatious, the statement said.
“Davidar suggested to Rundle that their relationship become more romantic. Rundle informed Davidar that she had more than one suitor - Davidar amongst them - and that it would be important to her that any such relationship not be secret. Davidar accepted the situation and the flirtatious relationship continued. Davidar wrote Rundle personal e-mails, read poetry to her and they exchanged gifts from time to time. Throughout this friendship, Davidar would ask Rundle if she liked the attention he was paying her and she indicated she did,” the statement said.
Davidar’s counsel said “the former Penguin-Canada CEO and Davidar kissed on two occasions.
“The first was in Rundle’s room during the October 2008 Frankfurt Book Fair referred to in Rundle’s claim. However, contrary to Rundle’s claim, Davidar did not bully his way into her room nor did he force himself upon her,” the statement read.
Davidar and Rundle spent two days in Frankfurt. Following the Frankfurt trip, Davidar travelled to India on business. “While Davidar was there (in India), his father became critically ill. Davidar extended his trip to be with his father in his final days. While away, Rundle sent an e-mail to Davidar expressing her concerns and extending ‘her best thoughts’,” the statement claimed.
Davidar returned to Toronto after his father’s funeral before the Christmas of 2009.
Later in January 2010, Rundle requested a pay increase. “Davidar reminded her that her salaries at Penguin were frozen. However, he offered her the role of director of digital publishing and foreign rights. This justified a pay increase of $10,000,” Downard’s statement said.
In February 2010, Davidar “took stock of his life,” saddened by his father’s death.
“He felt that he could no longer continue his personal friendship with Rundle,” the statement said.
He told Rundle that “their relationship should be confined to business.”
Davidar’s counsel said “throughout Rundle’s employment with Penguin from 2005 to 2010, she was treated fairly, receiving regular promotions, salary increases and successful assessment. Davidar was at pains to remind her from time to time that no matter what happened between them on the personal front, Rundle’s professional career with Penguin would never suffer.”
The statement ended by saying “David Davidar is happily married. He deeply regrets the trouble that has been visited on his wife in recent days. He apologises to her.”
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=369638...
I don't blame him.. It's those women colleagues with the bumpy bits who lead us men astray :O(
I am sure she will forgive him..:O(
What an idiot! Don't play with fire if you don't want to get burned!
Nachu that's not a bad thing ;)
same. no female collegues.. having one in diff dept but she sucks :P
FU...my mind gets unidirectional only in the evenings...:) Mornings its multidirectional...:)
Happy - Sorry about that. I have a unidirectional mind in the mornings ;)
oh yea everything has an expiry date..:)
FS... even if the game continued, the end result would have been the same though outcome could have been different, as at end of such relationships one reaches a point when the other is seen to be of not much use. And 5 years is not long but too long, when I talk of short term....:)
FU...I am not talking of 'dusk to dawn' relationships ...:)
Short term or long term depends on the how deep the hooks have been embedded. Looks like she fell short of her expectations in the anticipated position or benefits. that is why all this has come out.
Happy - I Agree! Short term game depends on emotional strength and long term game depends on Stamina.
happy looks like this is the consequence of short term game.. if the game continued ..he might still be the CEO ...:)
FU...to let short term games be short term depends on ones emotional strength....:)
Mehnis - I'am planning to go on a long leave coz of all this. And it's not 'she'. It's 'they' :))
Be careful FU. If you Don't go into the corner with who ever she will take you to the Coroner! in a body bag
Well regarding this story nothing surprising. Both were using each other for their own means. He for an extra marital relationship and she was using him for a leg up in the corporate hierarchy.
Mehnis - That corner on the left hand side. Scary place.
Happy - Short term games become long term inadvertently at times. Thats the problem ;) And if you actually want to play a long term game....people get married to others :(
Which corner FU?? A dark, shadowy corner??
Married men should play short term games...there wont be any problems then...:)
I'am thinking of suing some of them myself.They usually try to take me to a corner.
Both were consenting adults, both knowingly got into it. The guy should have used his "brains" rather than his .... and analysed that he had more to lose....Unfortunately now he pays the price. not just his job but the life he built...No pity for both
Either sex can sue for sexual harassment Flor.
IMHO! And they even push for gender-equality treatment?
I agree, she should.
I am not saying he deserves any sympathy, but she should also be terminated..
Maybe, he doesn't have a wife like Olive!
Well hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. I still say he's mostly to blame because he shouldn't have gotten involved in the situation in the first place. I've no sympathy for him.
Absolutely, I blame the hormones.
Olive...from the article its obvious that she was game for it..
There are females who LET their male collegues do whatever they want and flirt with them, then later accuse them for sexual harrasement..
what ever tat women did was to increase her pay and position not to make friendship
Who cares what the other woman thinks, he shouldn't have been carrying out a flirtatious relationship with her to begin with.
I agree, He had to control himself since he is married, but she would think of him as *impotent male if he didn't make a move ;)
and a lot of men are "flirtatious" in nature. But it's not the same as taking advantage. It's not even the same as romantic flirting! They should just stick to the limits!
She probably shouldn't have brought it to court, if he is telling the truth, but the guys still a rat bastard no matter which way you look at it.
i always avoided as they gave me a horny look
Olive I guess she is equally responsible!!
Why is this in the gulf times ? for pervert Qlers :P
Why is this in the gulf times when it isn't even making papers in Canada? :S
Guy got in an inappropriate relationship and is paying the price. He get's what he deserves for fooling around on his wife and playing with the other woman's feelings.
No Female colleagues :((
Da u liar :J
discreet relation. The wrong notion did backfired! And there were people hurt!
They all stay away from me :D