Ex-TAP CEO to demand €3 million in salaries, bonus and compensation

The decision to ask a former TAP director to hand back most of a €500,000 ‘Golden Handshake’ and which was followed by the dismissal of its CEO, could be about to cost the company even dearer.

The former CEO, Christine Ourmières-Widener is to demand the payment of all of the salaries and a bonus that she would have had the right to had she been able to complete her mandate at the helm of the airline until 2025.
But the former TAP CEO, who also led UK airline Flybe before it collapsed, was dismissed for “just cause” – a dismissal that her team of lawyers will now argue was an unfair dismissal.
According to newspaper Correio da Manhã, Christine Ourmières-Widener is preparing a legal case in which she will demand compensation of over €3 million.
The newspaper suggests the airline executive will demand salaries of €1.58 million, and a bonus of over €2 million due to her if she successfully restructured the company, which all told could reach €3 million.
However, because of irregularities detected in the payout to the TAP director Alexandra Reis, the TAP CEO, and the former Chairman, Manuel Beja were discharged for “just cause”. They are still in their posts.
Christine Ourmières-Widener has also accused the Geral-Inspectorate of Finances (IGF) of “discriminatory behaviour” over an audit into the process looking into the €500,000 payout to Alexandra Reis.
In her contradictory statements on the report, the ex-TAP CEO said she was “rather bewildered to regrettably be the only person involved directly in the case who had not been heard in person by the IGF”.

Photo: Lusa – Ignacio Rosa