Dinnergate dispute rumbles on
19th January 2025
UK: Former Institute of Refrigeration president Graeme Fox has opened an online vote calling for current president Lisa-Jayne Cook to be removed as an IoR board trustee.
The move has been taken despite Wednesday’s statement “agreed by all parties” following mediation and announcing that the differences between the IoR and Graeme Fox had been resolved.
Fox confirmed that he and the IoR’s CEO Miriam Rodway had found the mediation process to be “really useful” and that they would be working professionally and collaboratively going forward.
However, the mediation process, which was designed to draw a line under the dispute, is seen by Fox as being “only partly successful” and has set up a vote through his LinkedIn account calling for the removal of current president Lisa-Jayne Cook.
He argues that while the IoR board of trustees accepted his apology for his behaviour and, in turn, acknowledged and apologised for their subsequent treatment of him, there has been no apology forthcoming from Lisa-Jayne Cook whose alleged actions at the last IoR dinner sparked the subsequent events.
Cook has hit back on her own LinkedIn account expressing disappointment that Fox was “unable to uphold the outcomes of the mediation process” and that “all parties entered the mediation process in good faith, prepared to make compromises” and with the shared goal of bringing an end to the dispute.
Fox insists that at the AGM in November, IoR members voted that those responsible “should stand down and walk away from the board” if the mediation was not successful.
Related stories:
IoR and Graeme Fox settle differences – 16 January 2025
UK: The Institute of Refrigeration and past president Graeme Fox have settled their differences and prevented a possible vote of no confidence in the IoR’s board. Read more…
Members push for mediation in IoR dispute – 6 November 2024
UK: Members of the Institute of Refrigeration have voted for mediation in the ongoing dispute between ex-president Graeme Fox and the board of trustees, which has already cost £32,000. Read more…
IoR members face constitutional vote – 13 October 2024
UK: The Institute of Refrigeration is proposing changes to its constitution which would take away members’ current rights to vote on matters relating to the removal of a board trustee. Read more…
Graeme Fox resigns as IoR president – 21 September 2024
UK: Graeme Fox has announced his resignation as president of the Institute of Refrigeration, citing “undemocratic” procedures, “double standards” and “disrespect” from certain trustees and CEO, Miriam Rodway. Read more…
