So we have now a US top lawyer and an UK top PR agency on the run for Horner.
Who said it is about a poor coffee assistant that can not defend herself?
People who were trying to downplay the whole thing.
Well, nothing to downplay anymore. The show is just starting.PapayaFan481 wrote: ↑25 Mar 2024, 14:51People who were trying to downplay the whole thing.
I agree though, this is now looking very much like political in-fighting and that the situation with Horner's PA is being used to facilitate it.
This kinda stuff is why, I've sad a few times the story not quite adding up to me. This is far from saying I don't think Horners has done anything wrong or that he shouldn't be removed. Just it feels a lot like something is missing - and by all means it could very well be that things are far worse for RBR. The decision to suspend her for being 'dishonest' is either a move they've made with some evidence or its not far off pressing a self destruct button on the team itself. Make a complaint against your boss, find yourself being suspended on full day with 5 days to respond (or what ever it was) isn't sending a great message to the rest of the 1400~ employees at Red Bull. Boss does something wrong/questionable you lose your job is a brave move. The top talent will easily enough find jobs elsewhere i other teams if they chose.Wouter wrote: ↑25 Mar 2024, 10:25Christian Horner, 50-year-old team principal, has been accused of harassing a female employee.
An internal inquiry cleared him of wrongdoing last month. The complainant is now appealing that verdict.
She – and whoever is funding her – is paying legal fees running into hundreds of thousands of pounds to Goodwin Procter,
a global law firm with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, having parted from her previous lawyers, UK-based Lewis Silkin.
The employee is suspended from work at Red Bull’s factory in Milton Keynes on full pay – something like £65,000 a year.
Yet she has also hired a spin doctor, Giles Kenningham, a former head of press at 10 Downing Street and spokesman for Lord David Cameron.
Kenningham was awarded an MBE for political and public service in Cameron’s 2016 resignation honours. He has since set up
his own PR agency, Trafalgar Strategy, self-styled ‘as a strategic communications consultancy, specialising in public affairs,
crisis comms and reputation management’. Presumably, Kenningham’s services don’t come cheap.
‘£15,000 to £20,000 a month,’ estimated one Formula One insider.
The strong feeling is that, regardless of the issue at hand, forces within Red Bull want Horner out as part of an internal power struggle. (Follow the money.)
This is truly disturbing, hiring a good lawyer seems like a ‘good sense’ move if you have any sort of case against the suspension/possible dismissal that you wish to pursue through the correct channels; hiring a big-shot PR organisation seems like a ‘good sense’ move if your case is vague/pessimistic, if you think that ‘making a big noise’ will damage your opponent (‘spin-to-win).Wouter wrote: ↑25 Mar 2024, 10:25Christian Horner, 50-year-old team principal, has been accused of harassing a female employee.
An internal inquiry cleared him of wrongdoing last month. The complainant is now appealing that verdict.
She – and whoever is funding her – is paying legal fees running into hundreds of thousands of pounds to Goodwin Procter,
a global law firm with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, having parted from her previous lawyers, UK-based Lewis Silkin.
The employee is suspended from work at Red Bull’s factory in Milton Keynes on full pay – something like £65,000 a year.
Yet she has also hired a spin doctor, Giles Kenningham, a former head of press at 10 Downing Street and spokesman for Lord David Cameron.
Kenningham was awarded an MBE for political and public service in Cameron’s 2016 resignation honours. He has since set up
his own PR agency, Trafalgar Strategy, self-styled ‘as a strategic communications consultancy, specialising in public affairs,
crisis comms and reputation management’. Presumably, Kenningham’s services don’t come cheap.
‘£15,000 to £20,000 a month,’ estimated one Formula One insider.
The strong feeling is that, regardless of the issue at hand, forces within Red Bull want Horner out as part of an internal power struggle. (Follow the money.)
.Stu wrote: ↑26 Mar 2024, 09:25.Wouter wrote: ↑25 Mar 2024, 10:25Christian Horner, 50-year-old team principal, has been accused of harassing a female employee.
An internal inquiry cleared him of wrongdoing last month. The complainant is now appealing that verdict.
She – and whoever is funding her – is paying legal fees running into hundreds of thousands of pounds to Goodwin Procter,
a global law firm with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, having parted from her previous lawyers, UK-based Lewis Silkin.
The employee is suspended from work at Red Bull’s factory in Milton Keynes on full pay – something like £65,000 a year.
Yet she has also hired a spin doctor, Giles Kenningham, a former head of press at 10 Downing Street and spokesman for Lord David Cameron.
Kenningham was awarded an MBE for political and public service in Cameron’s 2016 resignation honours. He has since set up
his own PR agency, Trafalgar Strategy, self-styled ‘as a strategic communications consultancy, specialising in public affairs,
crisis comms and reputation management’. Presumably, Kenningham’s services don’t come cheap.
‘£15,000 to £20,000 a month,’ estimated one Formula One insider.
The strong feeling is that, regardless of the issue at hand, forces within Red Bull want Horner out as part of an internal power struggle. (Follow the money.)
This is truly disturbing, hiring a good lawyer seems like a ‘good sense’ move if you have any sort of case against the suspension/possible dismissal that you wish to pursue through the correct channels; hiring a big-shot PR organisation seems like a ‘good sense’ move if your case is vague/pessimistic, if you think that ‘making a big noise’ will damage your opponent (‘spin-to-win).
The two would not normally co-exist as cosy bedfellows.
Personally I think it might have more to do with RB claiming she is dishonest or however they worded it! If that is not true then she will have to work to restore her credibility/character/honor. Also, if it ends up in public court she will need her own PR team to fight against the one that will surely be backing RB/Horner.
This is my suspicion. It's clear there are at least two entities leaking stories to the press - a pro-Horner source that has set about downplaying allegations and smearing the victim, and an anti-Horner source that has leaked some of the charges, leaked some of the evidence, kept the story in the press.dans79 wrote: ↑26 Mar 2024, 17:05Personally I think it might have more to do with RB claiming she is dishonest or however they worded it! If that is not true then she will have to work to restore her credibility/character/honor. Also, if it ends up in public court she will need her own PR team to fight against the one that will surely be backing RB/Horner.
Surely any settlement would be predicated on her ceasing all further action and being bound by a confidentiality clause? I suppose there may be a loophole in Horner paying to settle the case, but the victim is pursuing a case against Red Bull for their incorrect handling of the matter. You would have expected Horner's lawyers to have ensured that any settlement would be the end of the case.Dunlay wrote: ↑26 Mar 2024, 18:38Which one of the cases is true here.
+ Red Bull and Christian Horner gave 1 million to settle the issue as was claimed a while back.
+ There was no settlement as claimed and that is why the female has gone to FIA.
+ The female took the settlement money and still gone ahead with reporting to FIA.
To me it seems like the 3rd option is true and that is why she could hire an expensive PR agency, having been a personal assistant. If not and there was no settlement then there can be assumption that someone else is funding the PR agency expenses for her. Thoughts?
Then surely somone is funding her PR agency expenses, considering it's not something an average PA can afford, more so when she is suspended.myurr wrote: ↑26 Mar 2024, 18:52Surely any settlement would be predicated on her ceasing all further action and being bound by a confidentiality clause? I suppose there may be a loophole in Horner paying to settle the case, but the victim is pursuing a case against Red Bull for their incorrect handling of the matter. You would have expected Horner's lawyers to have ensured that any settlement would be the end of the case.Dunlay wrote: ↑26 Mar 2024, 18:38Which one of the cases is true here.
+ Red Bull and Christian Horner gave 1 million to settle the issue as was claimed a while back.
+ There was no settlement as claimed and that is why the female has gone to FIA.
+ The female took the settlement money and still gone ahead with reporting to FIA.
To me it seems like the 3rd option is true and that is why she could hire an expensive PR agency, having been a personal assistant. If not and there was no settlement then there can be assumption that someone else is funding the PR agency expenses for her. Thoughts?
But I think if a settlement was offered it would appear to have been rejected.
Presumably, Kenningham’s services don’t come cheap.
‘£15,000 to £20,000 a month,’ estimated one Formula One insider.
.TimW wrote: ↑26 Mar 2024, 20:44So based on a daily mail article we now know for a fact that she is paying 20k to a PR agency..... wait, even the daily mail says to take it with a grain of salt...
Presumably, Kenningham’s services don’t come cheap.
‘£15,000 to £20,000 a month,’ estimated one Formula One insider.
myurr wrote: ↑26 Mar 2024, 17:20This is my suspicion. It's clear there are at least two entities leaking stories to the press - a pro-Horner source that has set about downplaying allegations and smearing the victim, and an anti-Horner source that has leaked some of the charges, leaked some of the evidence, kept the story in the press.dans79 wrote: ↑26 Mar 2024, 17:05Personally I think it might have more to do with RB claiming she is dishonest or however they worded it! If that is not true then she will have to work to restore her credibility/character/honor. Also, if it ends up in public court she will need her own PR team to fight against the one that will surely be backing RB/Horner.
If she isn't one of the two sources and has thus far not briefed the press then it stands to reason she would benefit from having her own voice in the media to clear her name and keep the spotlight on the person and company she's planning on taking to court if they find against her again in the appeal.
It's also not guaranteed that she is funding this through links with the Austrian side of the garage. It's been shown elsewhere she has close family ties with the band U2. It could be as simple as U2 having the lawyers and / or spin doctor on retainer and allowing her to utilise those resources at a time they don't need them themselves. U2 have worked with David Cameron before, and Kenningham obviously has that link. We can only really speculate at this stage.