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Sony Music Australia sacks exec following harassment investigation
By Chris Cooke | Published on Tuesday 13 April 2021
Sony Music Australia has fired its VP Commercial Music, Tony Glover, after an internal investigation found that he had bullied and harassed multiple staff members. That investigation began in February, with Glover being dismissed late last week.
A spokesperson for the major’s Australian division said in a statement: “Upon receiving complaints of alleged inappropriate behaviour, a senior counsel was immediately engaged to independently investigate the allegations. Following completion of the investigation, the company acted on the findings. Sony Music Australia can confirm that Tony Glover has been dismissed with immediate effect”.
Glover had had a long career at Sony Music in Australia, originally joining the first iteration of BMG which then merged with the Sony record company in 2004. In his most recent role, he reported directly to Sony Music Australia CEO Denis Handlin.
The internal investigation was seemingly initiated by a formal complaint from one Sony employee earlier this year, though – according to Australian news media – once it was underway multiple staff members accused Glover of bullying and harassment.
One former Sony employee told the Sydney Morning Herald that she was unsurprised to hear about the allegations made against Glover, stating: “It was common knowledge not to be alone with Tony when he was drunk. I never put myself in a position where I was alone with him”.
She added that she had tried to raise concern about his inappropriate behaviour with other senior colleagues when working for the major, but was told at the time “this is the culture here, you will get used to it”.
Music companies have, in the main, started taking allegations of inappropriate behaviour, harassment and abuse much more seriously in more recent years of course, especially in the wake of the #MeToo movement.
For his part, Glover has denied the allegations made against him, telling the Herald: “There’s me and there’s the complainants and I guess the amount of complainants outweighed my word. I had never been sanctioned before, [the investigation] was a complete surprise. I think I am a decent person, a loyal person”.
