23 hours ago
1
The antheral dubbed "Britain’s astir hated boss" for his arguable argumentation of sacking hundreds of seafarers and replacing them with cheaper bureau unit is to quit.
Sky News tin exclusively uncover that Peter Hebblethwaite, the main enforcement of P&O Ferries, is leaving the company.
Sources said helium had decided to resign for idiosyncratic reasons.
Money latest: The nonstop clip to publication bid summons astatine bargain price
Mr Hebblethwaite joined the ranks of Britain's astir notorious firm figures successful 2022 erstwhile P&O Ferries - a subsidiary of the elephantine Dubai-based ports relation DP World - said it was sacking 800 staff with contiguous effect - immoderate of whom learned their destiny via a video message.
The policy, which Mr Hebblethwaite defended to MPs during consequent prime committee hearings, erupted into a nationalist scandal, prompting changes successful the instrumentality to springiness workers greater protection.
Under the caller legislation, the authorities plans to tighten corporate redundancy requirements for operators of overseas vessels.
In a connection issued successful effect to a petition from Sky News, a P&O Ferries spokesperson said: "Peter Hebblethwaite has communicated his volition to resign from his presumption arsenic main enforcement serviceman to dedicate much clip to household matters.
"P&O Ferries extends its gratitude to Peter Hebblethwaite for his contributions arsenic CEO implicit the past 4 years.
"During his tenure the institution navigated the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, initiated a way towards fiscal stability, and introduced the world's archetypal ample double-ended hybrid ferries connected the Dover-Calais route, thereby enhancing sustainability.
"We widen our champion wishes to him for his aboriginal endeavours."
A root adjacent to the institution said it anticipated making an announcement connected Mr Hebblethwaite's successor successful the adjacent term.
A erstwhile enforcement astatine J Sainsbury, Greene King and Alliance Unichem, Mr Hebblethwaite joined P&O Ferries successful 2019, earlier taking implicit arsenic main enforcement successful November 2021.
Insiders claimed connected Friday that helium had "transformed" the concern pursuing the bitter blows dealt to its finances by the COVID-19 pandemic and - to immoderate grade - by the interaction of Britain's exit from the European Union.
P&O Ferries carries 4.5 cardinal passengers annually connected routes betwixt the UK and continental European ports including Calais and Rotterdam.
It besides operates a way betwixt Northern Ireland and Scotland, and is simply a large freight carrier.
The company's losses soared during the pandemic, with DP World - its sole shareholder - supporting it done hundreds of millions of pounds successful loans.
Its astir caller accounts, which were importantly delayed, showed a important simplification successful losses successful 2023 to conscionable implicit £90m.
The simplification from the erstwhile year's fig of astir £250m was partially attributed to outgo simplification exercises.
The accounts besides showed that Mr Hebblethwaite received a wage bundle of £683,000, including a bonus of £183,000.
"I reflected connected accepting that payment, but yet I did determine to judge it," helium told MPs.
"I bash recognise it is not a determination that everybody would person made."
The enactment implicit his wage was particularly acute due to the fact that of his admittance that P&O Ferries' lowest-paid seafarers received hourly wage of conscionable £4.87.
Mr Hebblethwaite had argued since the wide sackings of 2022 that the institution would person gone bust without the drastic cost-cutting that it entailed.
The institution insisted astatine the clip that those affected by the redundancies had been offered "enhanced" packages to leave.
Last October, the past transport secretary, Louise Haigh, said: "The wide sacking by P&O Ferries was a nationalist ungraded which tin ne'er beryllium allowed to hap again," adding that measures to support seafarers from "rogue employers" would forestall a repetition.
"This contented has been ignored for implicit 2 years, but this caller authorities is moving accelerated and bringing guardant measures wrong 100 days," Ms Haigh added.
"We are closing the ineligible loophole that P&O Ferries exploited erstwhile they sacked astir 800 dedicated seafarers and replaced them with low-paid bureau workers and we are requiring operators to wage the equivalent of National Minimum Wage successful UK waters.
"Make nary mistake - this is bully for workers and bully for business."
The minister's statement of P&O Ferries arsenic "rogue", and proposition that consumers should boycott the company, sparked a enactment which threatened to overshadow the government's International Investment Summit past October.
Sky News's concern and economics correspondent, Paul Kelso, revealed that DP World had withdrawn from participating successful the event, and paused a £1bn concern announcement.
The institution relented aft Sir Keir Starmer publically distanced the authorities from Ms Haigh's characterisation of DP World.
English (US) ·