To think the CEO caught at Coldplay resigning is a bit of a performance

Oh my god, this is everywhere on social media. I really think it needs to stop.

Yes, they made questionable decisions but it's between them now and their families. The work aspect will be worked out, both will resign or be fired as that's the way of it on those corporate boards.

However, they didn't kill anyone, murder anyone, they aren't paedophiles. I think this level of social media mocking and involvement could very well push either of them over the edge. It needs to stop.

Doctors would be likely to be struck off if affairs with patients came to light, especially as patients are often in a position of vulnerability which can be exploited.

Look at Boris and his affairs, his judgement was surely questionable but people still voted for him. The Queen used to be a mistress but people are outraged by a stranger in another country having an affair...

There is a huge difference between here and puritanical america when it comes to stuff like this (affairs, homosexuality, religion etc.)

Any yet they elected Trump

Tiger Woods was wheeled out before the cameras to make a public apology for cheating. An actual press conference to make an apology for cheating. A sportsman cheats here and it doesn't lead to anything.

Reporters knew about Tiger for ages, he wasn't discreet but he was more favourable at the time to keep quiet.

It does affect thier job though - it demonstrates a severe lack of judgement, untrustworthiness, and let alone the inappropriateness of relationships with subordinates and the problematic power dynamics their in.

I work in education with friends & family in the NHS & police. Affairs are rife & not just within but doctors and patients, police & victims/criminals etc. If they all lost their jobs I am not sure we would have enough staff!

There is a huge difference between here and puritanical america when it comes to stuff like this (affairs, homosexuality, religion etc.)

Tiger Woods was wheeled out before the cameras to make a public apology for cheating. An actual press conference to make an apology for cheating. A sportsman cheats here and it doesn't lead to anything.

OP said it in her opening post, puritanical, and that is precisely what is taking place.

You see the difference with politicians. Here your faith (or lack of) is nobodies business. In puritanical america it is everyone's business; you will not be elected unless you publicly declare your faith and that you believe (Obama, an atheist, Trump, an atheist, had to bullshit their way to the office by professing to have faith as they were unelectable otherwise).

The illegality of homosexuality (sodomy law) is still on the books there (all the red states), it's only not enforced as it was made legal on a federal level in 2003.

Bowie stated he did not regret declaring his bisexuality in Europe, but, quote, "in puritanical america I think it stood in the way of so much I wanted to do."

It does affect thier job though - it demonstrates a severe lack of judgement, untrustworthiness, and let alone the inappropriateness of relationships with subordinates and the problematic power dynamics their in.

You do not want someone like that running a company.

“Clearinguptheclutter · Today 09:17

ChandrilanDiscoDroid · Today 09:11
To fuck a member of his own board, someone who reported to him, is a massive ethical violation and reputational risk and speaks very poorly of his judgement. That would be true even if they were both single. And if they were sleeping together when he recruited her, even worse.
If he'd been having an affair with Joanna Bloggs who worked for Screwfix, it's very unlikely it would have affected his job at all. It's not the infidelity. It's the ginormous conflict of interest and power issues.

Nailed it
as for her, she is head of hr so her job involves making sure staff uphold the company’s values. It is curious that he had had much more negative attention than her. Not sure what the situation is with her right now.”

Both of these with bells on. I’m not opposed to workplace relationships per de - I met DH at work and have known a number of workplace couples over the years.

But it matters hugely when it’s the CEO shagging the head of HR (who only joined in 2024). It shows such a colossal lack of judgment and is so incredibly inappropriate. Also, there is something so arrogant about going to a concert with your affair partner. It’s so public and it speaks to an attitude of feeling untouchable and not giving a fuck. So I have no sympathy. For either of them.

I don't understand this though. It's not like the bad publicity is a reflection on the company or the product/service it provides, is it? Any negativity is entirely on him, the man. Any mention of the company itself is neither here nor there in terms of its reputation and you could argue that there's no such thing as bad publicity.

The world now knows this company's name and what it does, which wasn't the case a week ago.

It's time we all grew up and accepted that affairs happen and it's not a reflection on how an individual performs at work or how they are as a human being in other respects. Unless he's a marriage counsellor or a church leader who bangs on about the sanctity of marriage, I don't give a shit. I don't even give a shit when it's a prime minister or a president. It has no bearing on the job they do and we have no idea what the state of their marriage is like anyway.

He would have been advised to jump ship rather than wait to be pushed overboard!

It’s definitely not acceptable for a CEO to have an extra marital affair with Head of HR. So they both deserve to be fired

u

But do you make similar decisions to them?

By similar do you mean exactly the same or questionable stupid ones? I have never cheated, I have never taken drugs, I have never stolen. I have behaved questionably under the influence of alcohol as a student, I have payed cash in hand for certain services & I have exceeded the speed limit. I have also picked my nose in my car on occasion & would definitely not want a meme of that!

The concert was in Boston US. There are different laws in place.

And some of those policies would contravene other law such as the right to having a life outside work. Staff will form legitimate relationships - loads of couples meet at work. I met DH at work (both single) and neither of us we sacked because we were dating. People I've known be sacked for an affair was because they had sex in the office, not because of the affair. There is usually more to it outside of the relationship, say where the relationship affected your judgement on a work matter.

But do you make similar decisions to them?

Have you had an affair with wither your boss or someone you manage and then not declared that to the business you work for? And then have you canoodled with them in public including when you had been told there was a camera beaming images to everyone in the concert? A camera that was specifically looking for couples.

I’m sure nobody thought this would blow up to the point where IKEA, Aldi and Ryan Air to name but a few were making adverts based on it, but they could have taken quite simple steps to not be exposed like this.

Only 1. has done anything wrong (illegal or immoral or unethical). Maybe they couldn't have foreseen the consequences but folk sure will remember in future.

You think going forward people will be less likely to do immoral or illegal things because of this? As pp said plenty of murderers & rapists don't have those scrutiny.

So whose fault is it that they've had all this publicity and lost their careers?

1. Their own fault for dishonesty and bad judgement.
2. Coldplay's fault for having a kiss cam.
3. Chris Martin's fault for drawing attention to them.
4. The media's fault for picking up and spreading the story.
5. All of us for reading, laughing and adding comments.

Only 1. has done anything wrong (illegal or immoral or unethical). Maybe they couldn't have foreseen the consequences but folk sure will remember in future.

Usually there is another element than just an affair though - undue influence or misconduct usually.

OP, you must be either CEO or head of HR having CEO around your little finger, otherwise, why are you so sure you won't ever have any issues with either of them? Wouldn't you feel vulnerable if they had an affair and therefore, won't be objective?

Affair or not HR don't tend to be objective, they are there for the company!

OP, you must be either CEO or head of HR having CEO around your little finger, otherwise, why are you so sure you won't ever have any issues with either of them? Wouldn't you feel vulnerable if they had an affair and therefore, won't be objective?

I think most of them work on the assumption that they won't get caught and therefore nobody will get hurt.

I know, I know. But they don't think they will hurt anyone.

If he really wanted to be with this lady there was a very clear way to do that. It would have meant him making some sacrifices but it was doable. He chose the route that was easiest for the moment. The consequences caught up with him, just a little later than if he'd taken responsibility in the first place.

eta: their reaction to being caught was hilarious. I suspect that's what triggered all the follow up rather than outrage.

@ThatCyanCat that's the bit that's fascinated. Many will have done similar, or other illegal things eg using drugs etc

Statistically it's almost certain that at least some people participating in the public pillorying are having, or have had, affairs themselves.

I believe the company has denied it was a work outing? Anyway I have a long list of people I feel sorry for. These two are not on it.