Steinhoff’s finance boss has become the latest executive to step down from the embattled business in the wake of its accounting scandal.
Ben La Grange has quit the South African conglomerate, which owns Poundland, Bensons for Beds and Harveys in the UK through its Pepkor Europe subsidiary.
La Grange has been replaced by Philip Dieperink, the finance boss of Steinhoff’s British business, on an interim basis.
It comes after the group postponed the publication of its 2017 results at the start of December due to “accounting irregularities”.
The scandal prompted the resignation of chief executive Markus Jooste, who apologised for his role in the affair.
Chairman Christo Wiese, who briefly took the reins as interim chief executive following Jooste’s departure, has also left the business.
At the time of his exit in December, Jooste insisted there was “no evidence” to suggest La Grange had any involvement in the financial irregularities being investigated.
Earlier this week, Steinhoff said the accounting issues were likely to have affected financial years prior to 2015.
The group’s share price has plummeted more than 80% since last month’s initial revelations.
No comments yet