By REBECCA BILLS
FORMER Morrisons CEO Jan Simmons has hit back at criticism from Morrisons about her ‘leadership failures’ saying she won’t take part in any ‘slanging match’.
At the METIC community meeting held on Thursday 6 March at Mount Evelyn’s Station House, Morrisons Board of Governance member Geoff McPherson said that due to failures of leadership, management, operational control, and financial accountability together with funding changes, Morrisons was unable to budget for 2014.
“It’s best for me not to enter into this kind of slanging match – if that’s how they want to play it then so be it,” Ms Simmons said.
“At the end of the day people can have a look at our financial and annual report – the financials speak for themselves.
Ms Simmons said despite the criticism of her leadership at the organisation, her history stood on its merits.
“It’s a tough one to deal with, really emotional times, and for me it’s even more emotional – I’ve invested most of my life in Morrisons,” she said.
Ms Simmons said it was suggested to her not to attend the METIC community meeting on Thursday 6 March at the Station House in Mount Evelyn.
“Things can get a bit horrid at times and it was suggested that it would be best for me not to attend,” she said.
Current Morrisons CEO Joe Deregon said after a special meeting with key funding providers on 7 March, he was happy with the progress so far as they company headed towards insolvency.
Mr Deregon previously told the Mail that the intended outcome of the meeting was to ensure all parties were on the same page in terms of information and direction while building the strategy and action plan for the next phase.
“It was very constructive in the way that they will help Morrisons in transferring of services to different providers so there will be virtually no impact on students,” he said.
“It’s all progressing really well, all good news at this point.
“We are at the moment making sure there is support of all relevant councils, the Department of Human Services and the Department of Education.”
