Fortescue stands down the executive being investigated by external law firm for alleged sexual harassment
Fortescue has suspended an executive at the centre of a sexual harassment investigation, days after defending its decision not to do so.
Fortescue has suspended an executive at the centre of a sexual harassment investigation, days after defending its decision not to do so.
The mining giant on Tuesday stood down the unnamed executive at the centre of the legal inquiry.
Last month, MinterEllison was brought in to lead an “independent, external investigation into allegations concerning an employee”.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“As the investigation has progressed, Fortescue has continued to take external legal and governance advice,” a company spokeswoman said on Tuesday.
“It has been decided that the employee who is the subject of the allegations will not undertake any work for Fortescue while the investigation continues.
“The investigation is ongoing and no findings have been made.”
Fortescue’s head of growth and energy Gus Pichot last week said the company was “quite confident we’re following the proper process” by not suspending the executive from work.
“We have taken extensive external legal and governance advice to make the decision we’re making,” Mr Pichot said at the time.
On Tuesday, Mr Pichot and Fortescue metals chief executive Dino Otranto sent a joint email to staff addressing the situation.
“This is a difficult and sensitive time. It is important that the investigation proceeds through a robust and fair process. We are therefore limited in what we can discuss or share while that is happening,” the email stated.
“We want to reassure you that safety and wellbeing of everyone involved, and our wider Fortescue family, is our number one priority.”
The Nightly also understands that a senior employee involved in the investigation has been relieved of some of their responsibilities in the review for appearing to have become too sympathetic towards the alleged victim.
It highlights how the allegations have caused deep division within Fortescue’s upper ranks as it grapples with how to respond.
Separately, Fortescue is facing a class action lawsuit centred on sexual harassment at the company’s Pilbara iron ore mines.
The class action was filed by Brisbane-based law firm JGA Saddler in June.
JGA said thousands of women could be eligible to join the class action, which alleges gender-based harassment, systemic discrimination, and a toxic workplace culture at Fortescue mine sites.
In the wake of the JGA lawsuit, Fortescue executive chairman and founder Andrew Forrest said in an email to staff that “anyone who thinks this behaviour has a place at Fortescue is in the wrong company.”
“Losing your job is the beginning of the consequences, not the end,” he said.
“Where conduct amounts to criminal behaviour, we will support our people and expect the law to take its course.
“We first learned the detail of these allegations through the media. They are serious. They are disturbing. They concern behaviour that has no place at Fortescue.”
Fortescue during the 2026 financial year reported 98 complaints about “psychosocial matters” to WA’s healthy and safety regulator, down 20 per cent compared to the prior year.
These complaints included an alleged sexual assault, 13 complaints of inappropriate sexual contact and 10 of sexual harassment.
Fortescue in recent years has been accused of fostering a toxic culture for women.
These assertions peaked in August 2023 when chief executive Fiona Hick and chief financial officer Christine Morris resigned within days of each other after short stints at the company.
