In a shocking legal development that has rocked the beauty industry, Revlon's chief executive Lorenzo Delpani stands accused of making profoundly offensive racial and anti-Semitic remarks, according to explosive allegations detailed in an unfair dismissal lawsuit filed against the cosmetics giant.
Explosive Discrimination Claims Surface
Alan Meyers, who served as Revlon's chief scientific officer before his termination in December, has launched legal proceedings alleging a pattern of discriminatory behaviour and hostile treatment from the company's Italian-born CEO. The lawsuit paints a disturbing picture of workplace conduct at one of the world's most recognisable beauty brands.
Alleged Racist and Anti-Semitic Comments
Among the most incendiary claims is the allegation that Delpani told colleagues he believed he could "smell" black people when they entered a room, a comment he reportedly made following a business trip to South Africa. The legal documents further assert that Delpani expressed surprise at the limited number of Jewish executives within Revlon, remarking that "Jews stick together" in what appears to be a reference to Ronald Perelman, the company's billionaire controlling shareholder who is Jewish.
Meyers contends that Delpani treated him differently because of his Jewish faith and American nationality, while showing preference to Spanish and Italian team members. The lawsuit details additional offensive remarks where Delpani allegedly referred to Americans as "small minded" and "dirty," and on one occasion launched into what is described as an "anti-American tirade" comparing the United States to the extremist group ISIS.
Safety Concerns and Alleged Retaliation
The legal claim extends beyond discrimination allegations to include serious concerns about product safety and corporate governance. Meyers asserts that his dismissal followed repeated attempts to raise safety issues that Delpani allegedly did not want to address. According to the lawsuit, these safety concerns primarily related to Revlon's $660 million acquisition of Spanish beauty care company Colomer Group, with Meyers believing that raw materials used by the acquired company failed to meet regulatory requirements and Revlon's own safety standards.
Meyers claims that after persistently voicing these concerns, Delpani instructed him to remain silent to maintain "plausible deniability" regarding the issues. The lawsuit further alleges that Delpani attempted to remove from company records an email dating back to May 2014 in which Meyers had raised quality concerns about a Revlon plant in North Carolina.
Company Response and Legal Position
Revlon has responded forcefully to the allegations, releasing a statement characterising the lawsuit as "completely meritless" and asserting that Meyers "repeatedly demonstrated critical lapses in judgement and failed to perform at the high standard we demand of our employees." The company vowed to "aggressively fight these baseless claims and this frivolous action."
Important Legal Update: It should be noted that this case was discontinued on 3 March 2015 with no finding of liability by the court. Mr Delpani was not a party to the case.
The allegations, if proven, would represent a significant breach of employment law and corporate governance standards within a major multinational corporation. The case highlights ongoing concerns about discrimination in the workplace and the challenges employees face when raising safety concerns within corporate structures.
