A long-serving former Harrods executive claims his offer to become boss of department store chain Fenwick was withdrawn because of his experience working under Mohamed Al Fayed.
Al Fayed, who has owned the luxury London store for more than two decades, has been accused by more than 20 women of sexual assault or rape following a BBC investigation.
Niegel Blow, who has worked at Al Fayed’s company for 14 years, said he had “never heard of or witnessed” grooming, sexual assault or rape.
He said Fenwick believed he was “involved in the crime.” Fenwick & West declined to comment.
“I held a senior role at Harrods from 2002 to 2007. I can confirm that during my tenure I never heard of or witnessed any such behavior by Mr Al Fayed.”
“I think Fenwick’s behavior was unreasonable, unfair and in breach of contract,” Mr Blow told the BBC.
Mr Bullough also criticized the BBC’s reporting on executives who had worked with Al Fayed.
“It appears that the BBC team, prepared to tarnish or destroy the reputation of every senior person who worked at Harrods during Mr Al Fayed’s time in power, was certainly aware of this serious and damaging misunderstanding.”
A BBC spokesman said: “We fully support our journalists and our journalism. This story was entirely in the public interest and was produced in accordance with the BBC’s editorial standards, including contacting Mr Blow before publication.”
Tuesday, Fenwick tell the bbc Nigel Blow has said he will step down as their chief executive later this month.
No reason was given for the decision.
Mr Blow said in a statement on Friday that Fenwick chairman Sian Westerman told him the company could not proceed with the employment “in order to preserve the reputation of the Fenwick business”.
Fenwick & West declined to comment on the claims. The retailer is best known for its 140-year-old store in Newcastle and has eight stores across the UK.
Mr Blow joined Harrods in 1992.
In the following years, there were several reports of Al Fayed’s alleged abuse of women, including a Vanity Fair story alleging sexual misconduct against staff, an ITV documentary and a book detailing Book of alleged sexual assault.
Mr Blow said Harrods staff had their offices, phones and cars bugged and at one point he was followed by Harrods’ security team.
“I saw my own phone records on Mr. Al Fayed’s desk on multiple occasions. This behavior prompted me to start looking for alternative employment in 2006,” he said.
In 1997, the Observer published detailed allegations of wiretapping of Harrods executives and staff on Al Fayed’s orders, and an ITV documentary aired excerpts from the tapes.
Mr Blow is currently chief executive of Wimbledon-based department store chain Morley’s, but he resigned from the role to take a new job.
