The boss of a major Australian retailer has been sacked for “serious misconduct” just nine months before he was due to leave to take up a chief executive role at another company.
Smiggle CEO John Cheston was fired on Monday by The Just Group’s board, which said in a statement that it believed he had engaged in serious misconduct and breached his terms of employment.
“For this reason, your employment has been terminated today,” the statement read.
Mr Cheston was announced as the new chief executive of jewellery retailer Lovisa just a few months ago, with the appointment set to begin in June next year.
Smiggle is an Australian stationery and student retailer and is part of The Just Group, which owns the Peter Alexander, Just Jeans, Portmans, Dotti, Jacquie E and Jay Jays retail stores.
The group is owned by Premier Investments, whose chairman is Australian businessman Solomon Lew.
Smiggle chief executive John Cheston (pictured) was sacked on Monday for “gross misconduct” just months before he was set to become chief executive of Lovisa.
The Australian retail giant specializes in stationery and student supplies.
In 2011, Mr Cheston settled a High Court legal dispute with retailer Country Road, where he was previously chief executive.
The dispute centered on the termination of Cheston’s employment, which received $1.1 million in the settlement.
Lovisa and The Just Group have been contacted for comment but Mr Cheston could not be reached.
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