Uncovering the identity of Tony Danker: Former CBI chief dismissed due to allegations of wrongdoing

The former CBI director general, Tony Danker, was dismissed amid allegations of misconduct that rocked the influential business group. Mr Danker, in his first interview since his firing, claimed he had been made a “fall guy” by the business body and that his reputation had been “totally destroyed” following sexual misconduct allegations. Born in 1971 in Belfast, Mr Danker was appointed to the top job at the CBI in 2020, joining from non-profit organisation Be the Business, a collaboration between the government and some of the UK’s biggest companies. The allegations against Mr Danker included claims of making unwanted contact amounting to sexual harassment, viewing employees’ personal Instagram profiles, sending unwanted messages with sexually suggestive language, and making unwanted verbal remarks in the office. Mr Danker acknowledged he had made some staff “feel uncomfortable” and apologized for that, but insisted he had “never used sexually suggestive language with people” at the company. The CBI has launched an investigation into its culture, run by an external law firm, and police are investigating the various allegations of sexual misconduct at the organisation.