Don O’Sullivan, former chief executive of Battersea Power Station, has launched legal action against the owners of the iconic London asset for unfair dismissal after raising concerns of serious financial misreporting.
Battersea Power Station reopened to the public in 2022
O’Sullivan, appointed CEO in June 2024 and dismissed by the Malaysian-owned Battersea Power Station Development Company (BPSDC) in May 2025, is bringing a claim against BPSDC and four senior Malaysian executives.
The case is ongoing in the London South Employment Tribunal but has not been listed for final hearing until 2029, due to delays in the Employment Tribunal system.
O’Sullivan’s lawyers, John Hayes of Constantine Law and Stefan Brochwicz-Lewinski of Nine Chambers, contend he was dismissed on “trumped-up” charges of gross misconduct after raising concerns in November 2024 of serious financial misreporting, which were used to grossly flatter the balance sheet of Battersea Power Station Holdings.
O’Sullivan’s concerns were reportedly discussed at a board meeting of both BPSDC and the holding company on 16 December 2024, and O’Sullivan contends he was excluded the next day, before being suspended on 24 December 2024.
His lawyers also suggest that since O’Sullivan’s suspension, a number of employees associated with his tenure have also been suspended or lost their jobs.
Don O’Sullivan, chief executive of BPSDC from June 2024 to May 2025
Battersea Power Station is represented by Brown Rudnick Solicitors. BPSDC said in a statement: “We strongly deny and are robustly defending the unfounded allegations made by Mr O’Sullivan.
“Battersea Project Holding Company appointed highly regarded forensic accountants to independently investigate historic claims. While the two forensic accountants’ reports deal with confidential matters, the conclusion reached was that Mr O’Sullivan’s concerns were not borne out.
“No further investigation was warranted and accounting practices employed by Battersea Project Holding Company Limited adhere to international accounting standards. Its accounts have always been audited and signed off by PwC, one of the big four accounting firms.”
John Hayes, managing partner of Constantine Law, said O’Sullivan’s claim will “possibly be one of London’s highest profile and most valuable whistleblowing claims, because it involves one of London’s most respected developers [in] a case against an iconic London development, owned ultimately by the Malaysian state.
“The case raises very important questions about the integrity of financial reporting at Battersea. It is regrettable that the delays in the Employment Tribunal system have resulted in the case being listed for hearing in 2029, but it is important that the case is heard in the public domain. It will be extremely hard fought.”
King Charles III with members of BPSDC, including Don O’Sullivan, during a visit to Battersea Power Station on 12 December, 2024.
Last week, BPSDC named James Saunders as its new chief executive.
Saunders has spent the past 18 years building and spearheading the mixed-use Wembley Park estate at Quintain, and replaces interim boss Sam Cotton who stepped in upon O’Sullivan’s departure.
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