In what might be the briefest statement issued to the ASX for a very long time, Seven West Media announced the resignation of board member Sheila McGregor late on Thursday. But as befits all the best stories, it was all about what was left unsaid.
The four-sentence statement drily informed the market that McGregor – a Gilbert + Tobin partner – had resigned as a non-executive director and the company wished her well.
Late in the afternoon Thursday, Seven would not be drawn on whether the board had received the hotly anticipated report by law firm Allens into the Amber Harrison/Tim Worner affair, but one source close to the process said it was "more than reasonable" to conclude McGregor's departure and the report's tabling were connected.
"The issue here is not about who spent what on whose credit cards," the source said. "It's about corporate governance: and who knew what when. Sheila is a lawyer. She understands her obligations as a director."
McGregor was not responding to calls late yesterday, believed to be overseas. But those with knowledge of the board say she was responsible for driving calls for an independent report into the Harrison affair after vigorous debate with the board and chairman Kerry Stokes, whose public backing of his CEO Worner has been a constant since news of the "inappropriate sexual relationship" he had with former executive assistant Harrison hit the headlines just before Christmas.
As reported in Rear Window ten days ago, McGregor and her fellow female board member Michelle Deaker had expressly instructed that the report be delivered to them directly upon completion and not be relayed by a proxy.
Meanwhile, Harrison is said to be still considering doing a tell-all TV interview – depending on what the report finds. A source close to her told Rear Window: "All options are very much still on the table."
