Former THT boss Rosemary Gillespie: It was unfair to push me out
The former chief executive of the Terrence Higgins Trust, Dr Rosemary Gillespie, has said she thinks she was treated “unfairly” by being asked to step down.
Dr Gillespie was asked by the HIV charity’s board this week to step down with immediate effect. The announcement was made in a statement.
The board noted “a change of leadership is needed for the next stage of the organisation’s development.”
Dr Gillespie was congratulated by the board for her work at THT since her appointment last January.
Despite kind words from board members in the THT statement, Dr Gillespie told the Guardian that she was treated “unfairly”.
She said: “I was surprised and disappointed and I do not think I have been treated well.”
Going on, she said she did not fall out with her staff and accused the board of “not having the stomach” to see through her changes to the programme.
Dr Gillespie also said there were people at THT who “preferred the organisation to stay as it was”.
She said: “I have done nothing wrong. A number of people have left since I joined, as you would expect during a significant period of change. Perhaps people should look more closely at the board’s leadership and the detrimental impact their leadership is having on people who use THT’s services.”
