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LONDON – Bill Michael, UK chairman of accounting giant KPMG, has resigned after telling staff to stop complaining about the coronavirus pandemic at a virtual meeting earlier this week.
KPMG confirmed Friday that Michael, who has been at the head of the UK company since 2017, has stepped down.
Speaking at a virtual town hall on Monday, Michael told staff that after speaking to partners and employees at various levels in the company, “it almost feels like this is being done to them,” referring to their experience with the coronavirus pandemic.
“Well, you can’t play the role of a victim unless you’re sick and I hope you’re not sick, you’re not sick, and if you aren’t, then take control of your life,” he said. “To be honest, don’t complain about it,” Michael said.
Michael also described unconscious bias as “complete nonsense”, adding that he believed “such a thing did not exist.”
In a statement released Friday regarding his departure, Michael said he was truly sorry “that my words caused pain among my colleagues and for the impact this week’s events have had on them.”
It was because of this incident that Michael said he now found his position as chairman “untenable” and had decided to leave KPMG. He added that he was “extremely proud” of what KPMG’s workforce had accomplished, “especially in these very challenging times.”
Bina Mehta, a senior elected board member, acted as acting chairman, while Mary O’Connor, head of clients and markets, assumed Michael’s day-to-day executive responsibilities.
Michael’s biography on the KPMG website stated that he had “led KPMG’s work on the financial crisis and defended the debate about banking culture and standards and the need for change in the industry.”