Summary
A Candidsky employee filed a sexual harassment grievance in July 2025 against Don Iro, chairman of the Manchester digital agency's parent company 5 Villages Group, alleging repeated instances of sexual harassment and coercive behaviour during a hotel meeting. The complaint was supported by written documentation, WhatsApp conversations, voice recordings and other evidence.
Candidsky's HR process commenced following the July complaint, with the then-chief executive offering the employee paid leave during the investigation. An HR adviser completed an initial evidence review and notified Iro of the allegations to invite his response, but no formal investigation report or written outcome has been disclosed.
5 Villages Group confirmed the internal process took place but stated no finding was made against Iro, who denies sexually harassing the employee. The company acknowledged that Iro's decision to investigate the matter personally and hold the discussion in a hotel was an error of judgment. The employee has since left Candidsky, with the company declining to disclose whether a settlement agreement governed her departure.
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Common questions
- What is this article about?
- An internal HR process investigating a sexual harassment complaint against Don Iro, chairman of Candidsky's parent company 5 Villages Group, ended without a formal conclusion. Iro denies the allegations, while the complainant has left the company.
- When was this published?
- This article was published on 11 August 2026.
- Who published this article?
- This article was published by Prolific North.