Peter Hebblethwaite has announced his resignation as chief executive of P&O Ferries, ending a controversial tenure that saw him widely described by media outlets as "Britain's most hated boss". The firm said he plans to step down to "dedicate more time to family matters".
Hebblethwaite led the company's deeply controversial decision in March 2022 to sack almost 800 workers without consultation and replace them with cheaper agency staff. The mass layoffs sparked widespread public and political outrage across the UK.
He admitted to MPs that the company broke the law by not consulting with trade unions before the dismissals. The agency workers brought in as replacements were paid an average of £5.50 per hour, significantly below the UK's national minimum wage of £9.50 at the time.
Union reaction and investigation
The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union claimed Hebblethwaite had "effectively left the scene of a crime", pointing to an ongoing civil investigation by the Insolvency Service. RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said the union looked forward to "a Hebblethwaite-free ferry industry".
The public outrage over P&O's actions prompted the Government to introduce new legislation giving workers greater protection and preventing similar mass firings in future. P&O Ferries insisted the agency workers' pay was in line with international maritime law despite falling short of UK standards.
Career background
Hebblethwaite was appointed to the top job at P&O Ferries in November 2021, having previously served as managing director of Ropax Ferry Services. Before entering the ferry industry, he worked as a director at pub group Greene King for 15 years and held management roles at Sainsbury's and Alliance Unichem.
During his tenure, the company navigated the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and introduced what P&O described as the world's first large double-ended hybrid ferries on the Dover-Calais route. P&O Ferries declined to provide further details about his departure timeline or succession plans.
Sources used: "PA Media", "The Guardian", "Daily Mail", "Independent", "Sky News" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
