Company VP seeks High Court injunction to stop ‘biased’ inquiry

A senior vice president of a mobile phone technology firm, accused of being rude, aggressive and unprofessional to customers, has asked the High Court for an injunction aimed at stopping what she says is a potentially biased inquiry by her employer.

Kathryn Smith, operations vice president of Adaptive Mobile Security Limited is seeking an injunction restraining her employer from removing her from her post and an order that she be allowed perform her duties without interference.

Ms Smith is also seeking an order restraining Adaptive and its CEO, Brian Collins, from carrying out an investigation into her conduct. The injunctions are to stay in place pending the full hearing of her action against Adaptive.

The company claims her suspension is not a disciplinary measure but a temporary measure while enquires are being carried out.

Oisín Quinn SC, for Ms Smith, said the complaints against her are “without foundation”.

He said Mr Collins and his client had a bad relationship from his arrival in the company in 2009, and it had become “poisonous” in 2011.

Counsel said the company become involved in work with the state mobile phone company in Iran. When it emerged its technology was being used to track dissidents, Mr Collin claimed the Iran link had not been his decision and “passed it off on Ms Smith”.

She had questioned him about business matters and he had taken grave exception to this. He had told her there had been complaints from customers that she had been rude, aggressive and unprofessional in her dealings with them.

In reply the company rejects all of Ms Smith’s claims against it.

The case before Mr Justice Roderick Murphy continues.