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Harrods boss apologises over Al Fayed allegations: ‘We failed our colleagues’

Harrods boss apologises over Al Fayed allegations: ‘We failed our colleagues’

Harrods managing director Micahel Ward has said the business “failed our colleagues” as he apologised following sexual misconduct allegations against the department store’s former owner, Mohamed Al Fayed.

Ward said it was clear Al Fayed “presided over a toxic culture of secrecy, intimidation, fear of repercussion and sexual misconduct”.

The Harrods boss, who worked for Fayed for four years, said he was “not aware of his criminality and abuse” and described it as a “shameful period in the business’s history”.

Last week, in an investigation by the BBC, 20 female ex-Harrods workers accused the billionaire, who died last year, of rape and sexual assault.

The former staff members said they had been sexually assaulted by Al Fayed while working at the London retailer. Five workers alleged they had been raped by the owner.

The department store is in “direct communication with the Metropolitan Police” and has launched an internal review to examine whether Al Fayed’s employees played any role in the allegations.

Ward’s statement read: “As managing director of Harrods, I wanted to convey my personal horror at the revelations that have emerged over the past week.

“We have all seen the survivors bravely speak about the terrible abuse they suffered at the hands of Harrods former owner Mohamed Fayed.

“As we have already stated, we failed our colleagues and for that we are deeply sorry.

“As someone who has worked at Harrods since 2006, and therefore worked for Fayed until the change of ownership in 2010, I feel it is important to make it clear that I was not aware of his criminality and abuse.

“While it is true that rumours of his behaviour circulated in the public domain, no charges or allegations were ever put to me by the police, the CPS, internal channels or others. Had they been, I would of course have acted immediately.”

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