Ex-Battersea Power Station boss takes owners to court over dismissal
The former boss of Battersea Power Station has launched legal action against the owners of the iconic London landmark after being dismissed from his role in May.
A £9bn project has transformed Battersea Power Station from a disused, decommissioned site to a 42-acre estate with 2,000 homes and 60 companies in under a decade.
Don O’Sullivan, formerly of Galliard Homes, took up the leadership role of chief executive of Malaysian-owned Battersea Power Station Development Company in June 2024 to lead the next phase of development.
However, he was dismissed less than a year later.
It is alleged that O’Sullivan was fired after raising whistleblowing concerns about his employer, as he contends that he was dismissed on charges of gross misconduct after raising concerns of serious financial misreporting.
After O’Sullivan reported his whistleblowing concerns in November 2024, he alleges, he was excluded from the business.
His case states that his concerns were discussed at a board meeting in London of both the development company and BPS Holdings on 16 December 2024.
O’Sullivan contends he was excluded the next day by two of the executives who were the subject of his disclosures, and that he was subsequently suspended on 24 December 2024.
He filed legal action against the group and four senior Malaysian executives, using John Hayes, founder of Constantine Law, and the GMB union’s support, at the London South Employment Tribunal.
Battersea Power Station is represented by Brown Rudnick Solicitors.
Commenting on the claim, John Hayes, managing partner at Constantine Law, said: “O’Sullivan’s claim will possibly be one of London’s highest profile and most valuable whistleblowing claims because it involves one of London’s most respected developers taking on a case against an iconic London development, owned ultimately by the Malaysian state.”
“The case raises very important questions about the integrity of financial reporting at Battersea.”
“It is regrettable that the delays in the Employment Tribunal system have resulted in the case being listed for hearing in 2029, but it is important that the case is now in the public domain. It will be extremely hard fought,” he added.
Due to delays at the Employment Tribunal, the case has been listed for final hearing in 2029.
Battersea’s response to the claim
Commenting on the legal action, a Battersea Power Station Development Company spokesperson said: “We strongly deny and are robustly defending the unfounded allegations made by Mr O’Sullivan in the Employment Tribunal.
“There are no claims made by O’Sullivan relating to Battersea Power Station Development Company’s accounts.
“BPSDC manages the Battersea Power Station estate ultimately on behalf of Battersea Project Holding Company, the holding company of the 42-acre regeneration project.
“Battersea Project Holding Company appointed highly regarded forensic accountants to independently investigate historic claims. Whilst the two forensic accountants reports deal with confidential matters, the conclusion reached was that O’Sullivan’s concerns were not borne out, no further investigation was warranted and accounting practices employed by Battersea Project Holding Company Limited adhere to international accounting standards. Its accounts have always been audited and signed off by PwC, one of the Big Four accounting firms.
“With the recent appointment of a master planner to shape the remaining 16 acres of the regeneration project, and with construction of two new Gehry-designed buildings set to commence in the coming months, Battersea Power Station is entering its next chapter and looking at how it can evolve the already thriving neighbourhood for the future needs of London and beyond.
“Adhering to the confidential nature of Employment Tribunal procedures, we cannot comment on this matter further at this time,” they added.