Ted Baker founder and CEO resigns following allegations of 'forced hugging'

Founder and CEO of UK designer chain Ted Baker, Ray Kelvin, has resigned following allegations that he forced female employees to embrace him and asked them to sit on his lap.

Kelvin, who denies these allegations, has been on a voluntary leave of absence since December, when the allegations were first made public. But now, Kelvin has resigned from Ted Baker with immediate effect, the company said in a press release.

"Mr Kelvin has denied all allegations of misconduct. He has, however, today agreed to resign with immediate effect from his position as Chief Executive Officer and as a director of Ted Baker plc," the company wrote.

The allegations against Kelvin stems from a petition started on the workplace platform Organise in 2018, where employees accused Ted Baker, and CEO Kelvin in particular, of creating a "culture that leaves harassment unchallenged."

The petition was signed by over 2,700 people.

The investigation into the culture at Ted Baker will will continue after Kelvin's resignation, Ted Baker said in the press release.