Christian Horner under Investigation

[basti313]

So we have now a US top lawyer and an UK top PR agency on the run for Horner.
Who said it is about a poor coffee assistant that can not defend herself?

[PapayaFan481]

So we have now a US top lawyer and an UK top PR agency on the run for Horner.
Who said it is about a poor coffee assistant that can not defend herself?

People who were trying to downplay the whole thing.

I agree though, this is now looking very much like political in-fighting and that the situation with Horner's PA is being used to facilitate it.

[basti313]

So we have now a US top lawyer and an UK top PR agency on the run for Horner.
Who said it is about a poor coffee assistant that can not defend herself?

People who were trying to downplay the whole thing.

I agree though, this is now looking very much like political in-fighting and that the situation with Horner's PA is being used to facilitate it.

Well, nothing to downplay anymore. The show is just starting.

For the in-fight: No one can hire a lawyer and PR to run a media intrigue against the own company. This must be external funded.

[Watto]

Christian Horner, 50-year-old team principal, has been accused of harassing a female employee.

An internal inquiry cleared him of wrongdoing last month. The complainant is now appealing that verdict.

She – and whoever is funding her – is paying legal fees running into hundreds of thousands of pounds to Goodwin Procter,
a global law firm with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, having parted from her previous lawyers, UK-based Lewis Silkin.

The employee is suspended from work at Red Bull’s factory in Milton Keynes on full pay – something like £65,000 a year.
Yet she has also hired a spin doctor, Giles Kenningham, a former head of press at 10 Downing Street and spokesman for Lord David Cameron.

Kenningham was awarded an MBE for political and public service in Cameron’s 2016 resignation honours. He has since set up
his own PR agency, Trafalgar Strategy, self-styled ‘as a strategic communications consultancy, specialising in public affairs,
crisis comms and reputation management’. Presumably, Kenningham’s services don’t come cheap.
‘£15,000 to £20,000 a month,’ estimated one Formula One insider.

The strong feeling is that, regardless of the issue at hand, forces within Red Bull want Horner out as part of an internal power struggle. (Follow the money.)

This kinda stuff is why, I've sad a few times the story not quite adding up to me. This is far from saying I don't think Horners has done anything wrong or that he shouldn't be removed. Just it feels a lot like something is missing - and by all means it could very well be that things are far worse for RBR. The decision to suspend her for being 'dishonest' is either a move they've made with some evidence or its not far off pressing a self destruct button on the team itself. Make a complaint against your boss, find yourself being suspended on full day with 5 days to respond (or what ever it was) isn't sending a great message to the rest of the 1400~ employees at Red Bull. Boss does something wrong/questionable you lose your job is a brave move. The top talent will easily enough find jobs elsewhere i other teams if they chose.

[venkyhere]

"Morality" or "principles" or "social culture" etc woulld be reason enough to leave an organization to 90% of social media population, where expressing opinions is free and our conscience finds a way to express itself.

"Failure to competiton" or " money" or "low career growth" would be reason enough to leave an organisation to 90% of real world population, where expressing opinions can prove costly and our survival instinct or greed finds a way to justify decisions.

People behave differently in social media and in the real world.

Regardless of the merit of this case, technical staff quitting RedBull "en masse" on moral grounds, is a naïve expectation. Real world doesn't work that way.

[Stu]

Christian Horner, 50-year-old team principal, has been accused of harassing a female employee.

An internal inquiry cleared him of wrongdoing last month. The complainant is now appealing that verdict.

She – and whoever is funding her – is paying legal fees running into hundreds of thousands of pounds to Goodwin Procter,
a global law firm with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, having parted from her previous lawyers, UK-based Lewis Silkin.

The employee is suspended from work at Red Bull’s factory in Milton Keynes on full pay – something like £65,000 a year.
Yet she has also hired a spin doctor, Giles Kenningham, a former head of press at 10 Downing Street and spokesman for Lord David Cameron.

Kenningham was awarded an MBE for political and public service in Cameron’s 2016 resignation honours. He has since set up
his own PR agency, Trafalgar Strategy, self-styled ‘as a strategic communications consultancy, specialising in public affairs,
crisis comms and reputation management’. Presumably, Kenningham’s services don’t come cheap.
‘£15,000 to £20,000 a month,’ estimated one Formula One insider.

The strong feeling is that, regardless of the issue at hand, forces within Red Bull want Horner out as part of an internal power struggle. (Follow the money.)

This is truly disturbing, hiring a good lawyer seems like a ‘good sense’ move if you have any sort of case against the suspension/possible dismissal that you wish to pursue through the correct channels; hiring a big-shot PR organisation seems like a ‘good sense’ move if your case is vague/pessimistic, if you think that ‘making a big noise’ will damage your opponent (‘spin-to-win).
The two would not normally co-exist as cosy bedfellows.

[Wouter]

Christian Horner, 50-year-old team principal, has been accused of harassing a female employee.

An internal inquiry cleared him of wrongdoing last month. The complainant is now appealing that verdict.

She – and whoever is funding her – is paying legal fees running into hundreds of thousands of pounds to Goodwin Procter,
a global law firm with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, having parted from her previous lawyers, UK-based Lewis Silkin.

The employee is suspended from work at Red Bull’s factory in Milton Keynes on full pay – something like £65,000 a year.
Yet she has also hired a spin doctor, Giles Kenningham, a former head of press at 10 Downing Street and spokesman for Lord David Cameron.

Kenningham was awarded an MBE for political and public service in Cameron’s 2016 resignation honours. He has since set up
his own PR agency, Trafalgar Strategy, self-styled ‘as a strategic communications consultancy, specialising in public affairs,
crisis comms and reputation management’. Presumably, Kenningham’s services don’t come cheap.
‘£15,000 to £20,000 a month,’ estimated one Formula One insider.

The strong feeling is that, regardless of the issue at hand, forces within Red Bull want Horner out as part of an internal power struggle. (Follow the money.)

.
This is truly disturbing, hiring a good lawyer seems like a ‘good sense’ move if you have any sort of case against the suspension/possible dismissal that you wish to pursue through the correct channels; hiring a big-shot PR organisation seems like a ‘good sense’ move if your case is vague/pessimistic, if you think that ‘making a big noise’ will damage your opponent (‘spin-to-win).
The two would not normally co-exist as cosy bedfellows.

.
Indeed. I really wonder why she hired a big-shot PR organization. With what purpose?
She will also never be able to pay all these costs herself. I wonder who gives her the money with the intention of getting Horner out.
Someone from RB GmbH?

[dans79]

hiring a big-shot PR organisation seems like a ‘good sense’ move if your case is vague/pessimistic, if you think that ‘making a big noise’ will damage your opponent (‘spin-to-win).
The two would not normally co-exist as cosy bedfellows.

Personally I think it might have more to do with RB claiming she is dishonest or however they worded it! If that is not true then she will have to work to restore her credibility/character/honor. Also, if it ends up in public court she will need her own PR team to fight against the one that will surely be backing RB/Horner.

[myurr]

hiring a big-shot PR organisation seems like a ‘good sense’ move if your case is vague/pessimistic, if you think that ‘making a big noise’ will damage your opponent (‘spin-to-win).
The two would not normally co-exist as cosy bedfellows.

Personally I think it might have more to do with RB claiming she is dishonest or however they worded it! If that is not true then she will have to work to restore her credibility/character/honor. Also, if it ends up in public court she will need her own PR team to fight against the one that will surely be backing RB/Horner.

This is my suspicion. It's clear there are at least two entities leaking stories to the press - a pro-Horner source that has set about downplaying allegations and smearing the victim, and an anti-Horner source that has leaked some of the charges, leaked some of the evidence, kept the story in the press.

If she isn't one of the two sources and has thus far not briefed the press then it stands to reason she would benefit from having her own voice in the media to clear her name and keep the spotlight on the person and company she's planning on taking to court if they find against her again in the appeal.

It's also not guaranteed that she is funding this through links with the Austrian side of the garage. It's been shown elsewhere she has close family ties with the band U2. It could be as simple as U2 having the lawyers and / or spin doctor on retainer and allowing her to utilise those resources at a time they don't need them themselves. U2 have worked with David Cameron before, and Kenningham obviously has that link. We can only really speculate at this stage.

[Dunlay]

Which one of the cases is true here.
+ Red Bull and Christian Horner gave 1 million to settle the issue as was claimed a while back.
+ There was no settlement as claimed and that is why the female has gone to FIA.
+ The female took the settlement money and still gone ahead with reporting to FIA.

To me it seems like the 3rd option is true and that is why she could hire an expensive PR agency, having been a personal assistant. If not and there was no settlement then there can be assumption that someone else is funding the PR agency expenses for her. Thoughts?

[myurr]

Which one of the cases is true here.
+ Red Bull and Christian Horner gave 1 million to settle the issue as was claimed a while back.
+ There was no settlement as claimed and that is why the female has gone to FIA.
+ The female took the settlement money and still gone ahead with reporting to FIA.

To me it seems like the 3rd option is true and that is why she could hire an expensive PR agency, having been a personal assistant. If not and there was no settlement then there can be assumption that someone else is funding the PR agency expenses for her. Thoughts?

Surely any settlement would be predicated on her ceasing all further action and being bound by a confidentiality clause? I suppose there may be a loophole in Horner paying to settle the case, but the victim is pursuing a case against Red Bull for their incorrect handling of the matter. You would have expected Horner's lawyers to have ensured that any settlement would be the end of the case.

But I think if a settlement was offered it would appear to have been rejected.

[Dunlay]

Which one of the cases is true here.
+ Red Bull and Christian Horner gave 1 million to settle the issue as was claimed a while back.
+ There was no settlement as claimed and that is why the female has gone to FIA.
+ The female took the settlement money and still gone ahead with reporting to FIA.

To me it seems like the 3rd option is true and that is why she could hire an expensive PR agency, having been a personal assistant. If not and there was no settlement then there can be assumption that someone else is funding the PR agency expenses for her. Thoughts?

Surely any settlement would be predicated on her ceasing all further action and being bound by a confidentiality clause? I suppose there may be a loophole in Horner paying to settle the case, but the victim is pursuing a case against Red Bull for their incorrect handling of the matter. You would have expected Horner's lawyers to have ensured that any settlement would be the end of the case.

But I think if a settlement was offered it would appear to have been rejected.

Then surely somone is funding her PR agency expenses, considering it's not something an average PA can afford, more so when she is suspended.

[TimW]

So based on a daily mail article we now know for a fact that she is paying 20k to a PR agency..... wait, even the daily mail says to take it with a grain of salt...

Presumably, Kenningham’s services don’t come cheap.
‘£15,000 to £20,000 a month,’ estimated one Formula One insider.

[Wouter]

So based on a daily mail article we now know for a fact that she is paying 20k to a PR agency..... wait, even the daily mail says to take it with a grain of salt...

Presumably, Kenningham’s services don’t come cheap.
‘£15,000 to £20,000 a month,’ estimated one Formula One insider.

.
That "Presumably" refers to the statement of an F1 insider (who estimated).

[Watto]

hiring a big-shot PR organisation seems like a ‘good sense’ move if your case is vague/pessimistic, if you think that ‘making a big noise’ will damage your opponent (‘spin-to-win).
The two would not normally co-exist as cosy bedfellows.

Personally I think it might have more to do with RB claiming she is dishonest or however they worded it! If that is not true then she will have to work to restore her credibility/character/honor. Also, if it ends up in public court she will need her own PR team to fight against the one that will surely be backing RB/Horner.

This is my suspicion. It's clear there are at least two entities leaking stories to the press - a pro-Horner source that has set about downplaying allegations and smearing the victim, and an anti-Horner source that has leaked some of the charges, leaked some of the evidence, kept the story in the press.

If she isn't one of the two sources and has thus far not briefed the press then it stands to reason she would benefit from having her own voice in the media to clear her name and keep the spotlight on the person and company she's planning on taking to court if they find against her again in the appeal.

It's also not guaranteed that she is funding this through links with the Austrian side of the garage. It's been shown elsewhere she has close family ties with the band U2. It could be as simple as U2 having the lawyers and / or spin doctor on retainer and allowing her to utilise those resources at a time they don't need them themselves. U2 have worked with David Cameron before, and Kenningham obviously has that link. We can only really speculate at this stage.

Probably add a few things to this.

I don't feel like she has been a leaker no not anything major - maybe something like she has lodged a complaint with the FIA.

Most of the anti Horner stuff seems to have originated from Austrian/German sources that Marko has used for years (or very close to them). Also from the Dutch journo that broke all this, but seems to have a decent link the Vesthappen Sr, I think they've interviewed him? follow his rallying career etc. Marko forecast her taking legal action publicly iirc. He either knows what she is planning or want to use the situation to his advantage. The dishonest side, the Saward are like Horner leaks. One the reports of a cease fire came between the divided RB camps the stories have dried up

As for the purpose of a PR firm I think there is a legitimate reason for it on both sides of it. IF she has been falsely accused of being dishonest. Then you want to be able to build that trust up with the public promote your image when you're coming up a company the side of RB that have the media connections they do. But if she has been dishonest then she is in for the world of hurt too if she has been dishonest, its probably not going to look good on future career aspects - least not the ones with the profile she has at RBR.


The above feels like to me - and speculation of court is - she hasn't been behind any major leaks so far. And I think its likely the Austrian side of RB that are funding it as there seem to be some within that seem to know pretty well what she is upto/planning.