As corporate scandals unfold, are company boards doing enough to stamp out bad executive behaviour?

Australian billionaire Richard White and co-founder of logistics software company WiseTech Global this week announced he will step down from his role as chief executive following allegations of inappropriate behaviour. If you have more information about this story please contact Nassim Khadem at khadem.nassim@abc.net.au In October 2019, then WiseTech director Christine Holman resigned from the board, highlighting concerns about significant problems within the company, including the conduct of Mr White as its chief executive, but she was told to have "founder empathy and accept that is how geniuses are". Nine newspapers this week published excerpts of Ms Holman's resignation memo to the board – where she accused Mr White of "sustained intimidation and bullying" including "aggressive emails, one-on-one meetings and public berating in both audit and risk committee meetings and board meetings". ACSI provides advice for the country's biggest superannuation funds including AustralianSuper, and told the AFR that it was "critical that the board investigates these issues on behalf of all WiseTech shareholders and responds appropriately". Nine Entertainment's board was this month forced to apologise to its workers after a review detailed a culture of bullying and sexual harassment and found that the company "lacks accountability".