Courts / Kerry / Report
Senior Ryanair exec says he was "left with no doubts" that O'Leary wanted him out
Summary
In a High Court hearing, Peter Bellew, former Chief Operations Officer of Ryanair, testified that he was shocked and devastated after a meeting with airline chief Michael O'Leary on 22 March, during which O'Leary expressed serious concerns about Bellew's performance and warned that his role was at risk. Bellew said O'Leary also informed him he would not be included in the 2019 share‑option scheme unless his performance improved, a point Bellew disputed. He described a deteriorating relationship with O'Leary beginning in July 2018, citing incidents involving cabin crew and a letter of criticism sent in November 2018. Bellew claimed that after receiving the letter he felt "dead‑man‑walking" and eventually accepted a job offer from EasyJet, which Ryanair now sues for breaching a 12‑month non‑compete clause. The court continues to consider whether the clause is enforceable.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Senior Ryanair exec says he was "left with no doubts" that O'Leary wanted him out. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- March 22nd Incident
- July 2018 Other
- November 2018 Incident
- October 2017 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2005 and 2015 Other
- 2019-12-12 Publication
Why: In a claim, denied by Mr Bellew, Ryanair says he cannot commence work with what it considers to be its main rival in the low fares aviation sector because of a 12-month non-compete clause in his contract of employment. CNI source report
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