Zilingo’s PR chief reportedly suspended by board

Days after the suspension of Zilingo co-founder and CEO Ankiti Bose by the company’s board, its global head for public relations and communications, Naushaba Salahuddin, has also been reportedly suspended.

Photo credit: Zilingo

Salahuddin is also the presiding officer of Zilingo’s prevention of sexual harassment committee. Her suspension was first reported by The Economic Times.

According to documents reviewed by Tech in Asia, Zilingo’s board made the decision based on “emails to various third parties” that are not “in the best interests of the company.” As a result, the board revoked Salahuddin’s access to her Zilingo emails on April 27.

In an email sent to board members Neil Fong, Sandeep Kher, and Tee Suraphongchai, however, Salahuddin claimed that she lost access to her email after she questioned a media statement made by a “Zilingo representative” on behalf of the board. She added that the statement was made without consulting or informing Zilingo’s communications team.

It’s unclear whether the Zilingo board is suspending Salahuddin’s employment or just her access to emails (and, in turn, work documents). However, Salahuddin wrote in her email that there was “no proper transition” for ongoing projects, and that she was concerned about how the current handling of matters “could be used to wrongfully terminate me.”

In a statement, Zilingo’s board reiterated that it was unaware of CEO Bose’s harassment-related allegations until after her March 31 suspension. In addition, the complaints “do not allege harassment by any investors or past/current board members,” the board said.

It also expressed disappointment at how “recent leaks of untrue information to the media” attempt to discredit “the investigation, the board, individual investors, and/or employees.” The statement does not address Salahuddin specifically.

A source close to the situation told Tech in Asia that even the human resources department was unaware of Salahuddin’s suspension. Employees are also rattled, as there is little information about what’s next, added the source.

Salahuddin said in her email that even after repeated emails and messages, “no one from the board or Zilingo management has provided any clear direction, advice, or guidance” regarding the investigation surrounding CEO Ankiti Bose’s suspension.

She alleged in the email that the board is “widely spreading half-truths to the media” about Zilingo. Based on media and HR records, “there are standing complaints against male members of the leadership and investor base for their behavior, their conduct, and there are several serious allegations,” she wrote.

However, “no one else is getting chastised except the women who are speaking up,” she contended. “Everyone else is allowed to have dignity and respect except us while our company is being driven into the ground and our hard work is being wasted,” she said.

Salahuddin joined Zilingo in 2018 as a senior manager for global PR and communications and later became the director of the same department.

See also: Zilingo grew big, lost big from 2018 to 2019