The chairman of EY New Zealand has left his position after a ‘historical behavioural matter’ was raised to the company.
Braden Dickson, who was also an EY Oceania partner and business development leader, left the company in February after a complaint led to an internal investigation.
An EY Oceania spokesperson would not comment on the specific nature of the departure, but confirmed Mr Dickson had left the company.
The company has not detailed any bullying or sexual harassment allegations having been made against him.
‘Following a[n] historical behavioural matter being raised in December 2023, EY conducted an investigation and Braden Dickson departed EY in early February,’ the spokesperson said.
Braden Dickson (pictured) left his role as chairman of New Zealand EY last month
‘He is no longer a partner of the firm.
‘We are aware there has been some discussion about the circumstances but we are not in a position to comment on those.’
Mr Dickson was appointed partner at EY in 2007 and advisory partner in 2014.
He is also on the board of prestigious Auckland Grammar School Board as the Old Boys’ Association representative.
Daily Mail has contacted Mr Dickson for comment.
According to the website, Mr Dickson ‘has worked in professional services for the last 20 years helping organisations across New Zealand and , deliver large scale commercial projects’.
EY, formerly known as Ernst and Young, has been rocked by controversy since Aishwarya Venkatachalam, 27, died at the Sydney office in August 2022.
The death sparked allegations of endemic bullying and racism at the firm, and triggered calls for a root and branch overhaul of the way the company operates.
An independent review was subsequently launched into the company’s ‘toxic’ workplace culture, led by former sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick.
In the findings released last July, Ms Broderick found hundreds of workers had been subjected to racism, sexual harassment and over working, with many employees choosing to stay silent due to having little faith in the company’s reporting mechanisms.
EY has been rocked by complaints about the company’s ‘toxic’ workplace culture over the past two years. Pictured: The EY office in Sydney’s CBD
Aishwarya Venkatachalam , 27, (pictured with her husband) had only been at the company’s Sydney office for 11 months before taking her own life
According to the review, which survey 4500 current and former workers, more than one in seven felt bullied at work, one in 10 had suffered sexual harassment and one in 12 had suffered racism.
Almost half said their health was suffering because of overwork, with 40 per cent ready to quit.
More than a quarter also felt excluded by their colleagues at work and the same amount of staff did not believe EY could repair its toxic culture.
EY Oceania CEO David Larocca admitted the findings were ‘distressing and completely unacceptable’.
‘Bullying, sexual harassment and racism have no place at EY Oceania and I apologise to anyone who has suffered as a result.’
He vowed to push through all 27 of the recommendations in the report, including increasing time off in lieu and rewarding diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives.
It has also pledged to launch five pilot initiatives to tackle the inherent issues.
Other recommendations including changing key performance indicators ‘to strengthen leadership’ and increase harmful behaviour awareness.
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READ MORE: EY vows ‘zero tolerance’ to racism and bullying as multinational launches investigation into the firm’s culture – after being rocked by the death of a ‘brilliant’ worker, 27
Aishwarya Venkatachalam reported being bullied at work to her friends