Video-game company EA contests injunction over dismissal of executive for 'dick' remark
A major international video game company is contesting the continuation of an injunction granted last week over the dismissal of one of its executives for making an allegedly inappropriate remark to a female colleague.
The High Court was told today Electronic Arts (EA), which has a studio in Galway, wants a hearing into the injunction granted to Philippe Grenet (56) over his dismissal as director of global delivery service for EA Ireland to take place as soon as possible.
The temporary injunction was granted last week on an ex-parte, one side only represented basis.
Mr Grenet denies he told Austin, Texas-based staff member, Tracy Simmons, in a one-to-one video call, he was not "going to pull my dick out and put it on the table to see who has the bigger dick".
He says what he actually said was "I don't want to compare the length of my dick".
He accepts the remark was a clumsy, inelegant and ill-advised expression. But he says it means he "did not want to challenge" that particular person on a work matter.
He says there was no proper investigation into Ms Simmons' complaint and fair procedures were not afforded to him before the dismissal decision was taken.
He also claims Ms Simmons is actuated by malice and she had not been successful after expressing an interest in the role he was appointed to.
He moved to take up the Galway job from France just a few months ago with his family and has a young son going to school here. He says he was in charge of 420 EA staff in Galway and another 80 in Texas.
When the case returned to court today, Oisin Quinn SC, for Mr Grenet, said his side had received two affidavits from the EA side and needed time to reply to them.
Mark Connaughton SC, for EA, said his client had come to court ready for the hearing straight away. The allegations made by Mr Grenet had been dealt with in the affidavits they supplied and he could not understand what difficulties arise given it is now a question of law. He was very anxious to get on with the case.
Mr Quinn said the affidavits raised a number of points and there was a lot at stake here for his client, he said.
Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds adjourned the case to next week.
