Former Moët Hennessy exec claims ‘sexist’ bosses – Business News
A former government at Moët Hennessy claims male bosses instructed her she needed to endure “anti-seduction” coaching earlier than they denied her a promotion — one of quite a few complaints of bullying and sex-harassment on the French wine and spirits giant, based on a report.
Maria Gasparovic — who had been chief of employees to the LVMH division’s international head of distribution Jean-Marc Lacave till she was fired in June 2024 — alleges in a lawsuit that she was subjected to “unfounded and sexist rumors,” together with that she was having an affair with one other government.
She additional alleges that in a dialog about her stalled promotion, Lacave instructed her she had been described by a consumer as “gagging for it” — a slang British time period that describes somebody who is raring or determined for one thing, typically with sturdy sexual connotations.
Reached by The Post, Lacave declined to remark.
Jean-Marc Lacave is former international head of distribution at Moët Hennessy. John Sciulli
Gasparovic’s claims towards the drinks division of LVMH — the French luxurious conglomerate headed by billionaire Bernard Arnault that additionally owns Louis Vuitton — have been aired on social media and have been reported earlier by the Financial Times.
Before her dismissal, Gasparovic filed a whistleblower grievance towards Moët Hennessy detailing claims of harassment and discrimination.
Her subsequent legal grievance claims that no formal investigation was carried out.
In a letter notifying her of termination, Moët Hennessy alleged she impersonated one other worker during a call whereas on sick depart and made threatening remarks to colleagues. People close to the company mentioned executives believed she was making an attempt to blackmail the firm.
Gasparovic denies all allegations and maintains she adopted the whistleblower coverage.
“Private life is protected by law in France,” she was quoted as saying by FT. “Dignity matters, especially for women at work.”
Gasparovic additionally claims that former CEO Philippe Schaus ordered the HR division to research her personal life, suspecting she was having an affair with one other government.
She will not be alone. At least 4 different girls at Moët Hennessy’s Paris headquarters reported bullying and harassment earlier than leaving, the FT reported. Three filed complaints with the employment tribunal which have since been settled.
Moët Hennessy is the high-end wine and spirits division of French luxurious conglomerate LVMH. musonurk – stock.adobe.com
A dozen people acquainted with Moët Hennessy instructed the FT that her firing was half of a bigger sample linked to a poisonous office setting. At least 20 employees at headquarters went on long-term sick depart in 2024.
“Lots of people were going on sick leave, people were disappearing overnight. It took on disruptive proportions.”
That prompted some senior leaders to notice that they had by no means seen such figures earlier than. Many cited stress and bullying, and several other left the company.
“Gossip and rumors were rife at Moët Hennessy,” one source mentioned, whereas one other described the setting as having a “boys club” mentality.
“Our boss would scream at people like it was a fashion house in the 1990s, except we are in 2025 — that behavior is no longer acceptable,” one source instructed FT.
Former Moët Hennessy CEO Philippe Schaus is alleged to have ordered the HR division to research an worker’s personal life, suspecting she was having an affair with one other government. AP
Male employees have additionally lodged complaints, based on the FT.
Following the allegations, Schaus, Lacave, and several other executives left LVMH, as did international head of HR Chantal Gaemperle.
Moët Hennessy declined to remark to FT on the case however mentioned labor tribunal proceedings are routine within the French system. An individual close to the company added that employees occurring sick depart will not be unusual and rejected the characterization of Moët Hennessy’s tradition.
The Post has sought remark from Moët Hennessy, Gasparovic and Schaus.
When one girl reported rumors about her supposed relationship with a male government, she mentioned an HR supervisor instructed her “to get used” to it.
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“I was told the more you move up in the organization, the more this will happen,” she mentioned. “Moët Hennessy is the kingdom of rumors.”
Moët Hennessy has since filed a defamation lawsuit towards Gasparovic over social media posts in regards to the case. A trial is anticipated this autumn.
Gasparovic’s accomplice, former COO Mark Stead — who accompanied her to HR conferences — was additionally dismissed shortly after her termination.
Moët Hennessy accused him of misusing journey and bills and later filed a legal grievance alleging he shared privileged info with Gasparovic.
Stead is now suing the company for wrongful dismissal, claiming retaliation for supporting a whistleblower, the FT reported.
The feminine government is alleging that her superiors denied her a promotion as a result of she refused to endure “anti-seduction” coaching. Andrei Antipov – stock.adobe.com
In a notice to employees in September 2024, Schaus and HR head Paula Fallowfield had acknowledged issues.
“We assure you that each case has been handled thoughtfully, fairly and in line with a commitment to confidentiality and our values,” they wrote.
They warned workers of “the distress one-sided narratives may cause” and added, “We are committed to providing a positive working environment . . . Moreover we are also determined to do everything possible to protect the reputation of Moët Hennessy.”
In February, Bernard Arnault’s son Alexandre and former CFO Jean-Jacques Guiony have been put in to show across the company, which had been LVMH’s worst-performing division in 2023.
Executives not too long ago instructed employees the company would cut about 1,200 jobs, or 13% of its workforce, to deal with slowing gross sales. While the alleged tradition points predate the downturn, some insiders mentioned cost-cutting added strain to an already tough setting.
