Female exec at ‘tech bro’ device company was once sacked as a result of she wasn’t a ‘chief’, boss tells tribunal as he disputes claims she was once fired as a result of she were given inebriated on Austria paintings commute

A high-flying feminine government who claims she was once sacked for buying inebriated on a piece commute in Austria was once in truth fired as a result of she wasn’t a ‘chief’, her boss has advised an employment tribunal.

Shannon Burns – who was once on £220,000 a 12 months – is suing for intercourse discrimination after complaining of the rampant ‘tech bro’ tradition on the ‘male-dominated’ device company that employed her.

She alleged that when a piece commute to Austria, she was once sacked for buying too inebriated – regardless of insisting different males have been getting extra inebriated than her. 

But the CEO of Gitpod, Johannes Landgraf, disputed allegations made by way of Ms Burns that she was once fired from her function as vice chairman of engineering for her behaviour at the paintings commute.

The tech boss mentioned Ms Burns was once if truth be told sacked as a result of she was once no longer a ‘chief’ and had ‘fallen a long way in need of the functionality anticipated from a vice chairman’.

And whilst he claims what came about at the paintings commute had not anything to do along with her dismissal, Mr Landgraf disputed her model of occasions that the boys have been extra inebriated than her. 

Mr Landgraf advised an employment tribunal he had a shot of a ‘Swiss pine liquor’ with ‘trailblazing’ Ms Burns – then noticed her pour herself a ‘huge glass of wine’, earlier than continuing to get extra inebriated than someone.

He claims she displayed ‘regarding’ behaviour – together with shedding her room key and having to stick in a sauna room. He mentioned she additionally misplaced her iPad and AirPods – and regarded ‘matted’ the morning after.

Ms Burns mentioned she was once advised by way of feminine colleagues that Johannes Landgraf (pictured) had a name of being a ‘Tech Bro who favored to enclose himself with fellow tech bros’

Birmingham Employment Tribunal heard she have been headhunted and took on her task with the promise of a six determine wage and an fairness package deal doubtlessly price over £30million.

But quickly after becoming a member of in January 2023, Ms Burns mentioned she changed into acutely aware of a problematic tradition. 

She mentioned she had heard Mr Landgraf had a name of being a ‘Tech Bro who favored to enclose himself with fellow tech bros’, the tribunal was once advised.

She added it was once a ‘male ruled’ corporate.

At the centre of the tribunal listening to was once an ‘off-site’ paintings commute in Lofer, Austria, in April 2023.

Ms Burns mentioned Mr Landgraf introduced her a shot and he had ‘a number of beverages’ by way of this level and was once ‘slurring his phrases and suffering to face’.

Ms Burns mentioned she was once invited to partake in a ‘sport’ which concerned asking ‘tough’ questions to each other about paintings.

The government mentioned the road of wondering from Mr Landgraf implied that she was once no longer doing her task adequately.

She alleged that following commute she was once sacked for buying too inebriated in Austria regardless of different men getting extra inebriated than her.

Now, Mr Landgraf has advised the tribunal he ‘does no longer settle for her variations of occasions’.

In a joint remark with Gitpod’s Head of People Eva Hyder introduced to the tribunal, he mentioned: ‘At the final night time of the Lofer offsite, 5 April 2023, Shannon approached Johannes on the bar the place they each and every had a shot of Swiss pine liquor, an Alpine speciality.

Shannon Burns, pictured outdoor the tribunal listening to, is suing for intercourse discrimination 

‘Johannes remembers that their dialog began with pleasant small communicate, however it quickly changed into evident to Johannes that Shannon had already been consuming closely.

‘Johannes’s recollection of the dialog differs from that Shannon offers… Shannon initiated a query and solution procedure after which modified tone rapidly asking Johannes how folks may earn his accept as true with.

‘She then said to Johannes in an emotional outburst that she felt he did not accept as true with her, requested why and requested how she may earn his accept as true with.

‘There then adopted a extensive dialog relating to expectancies.

‘The dialog completed, Shannon moved away, and Johannes then noticed Shannon pour herself a big glass of wine however differently had no touch along with her for the remainder of the night.

‘Shannon has said… she was once intoxicated however not more so than different colleagues.

‘Johannes has the same opinion that he and plenty of staff contributors had fed on alcohol, however notes Shannon was once obviously extra intoxicated than others.

‘The subsequent morning, go back and forth buses have been booked to take staff contributors to the station and airport.

‘Mike [Brevoort, chief product officer] remembers that Shannon’s staff contributors have been ready with the airport go back and forth having loaded their baggage.

The West Midlands Tribunal Centre in Birmingham, the place Ms Burns is bringing her case

‘Mike was once stepping out of the resort when Shannon’s room mate got here to mention Shannon can be past due as Shannon was once nonetheless packing and had misplaced her iPad and AirPods and had locked herself out of the room (the second one such an identical tournament).

‘Shannon in the end emerged from the resort saggy and visibly stressed out some 20 mins later.

‘Shannon therefore showed to Mike that she had out of place her iPad and AirPods, had locked herself out of her room and had had to sleep within the sauna room.’

Mr Landgraf and the opposite respondents denied that there was once a ‘tech bro’ surroundings.

The remark mentioned there have been functionality issues with Ms Burns since she joined.

It mentioned: ‘Shannon had fallen a long way in need of the functionality anticipated from a Vice President.

‘She had by no means transitioned from being the executive she have been in earlier roles somewhere else into being a pace-setter, taking possession of issues.

‘Shannon did not ship on time and wanted lend a hand from others to ship past due.

‘She required many hours of beef up and training each and every week…’

Ms Burns was once advised that ‘drowsing in a sauna house and being past due for the go back and forth was once regarding’ however her behaviour in Austria was once no longer the cause of her dismissal, consistent with the Gitpod reaction remark.

It added: ‘Shannon was once no longer brushed aside or handled much less favourably in every other approach as a result of she is a lady.

‘She was once no longer brushed aside as a result of she was once inebriated at Lofer… No staff member has ever been brushed aside for being inebriated.

‘Shannon was once brushed aside for the performance-related causes described above.’

Ms Burns – who has ADHD and dyslexia – additionally seeks claims of incapacity discrimination.

The listening to continues.