Victoria Woodall, a senior executive at Google UK, has told an employment tribunal that she was pushed out of her job after reporting serious misconduct by a colleague. She says her decision to raise concerns about inappropriate behaviour triggered a pattern of retaliation that ultimately led to her redundancy.
According to her testimony, Woodall was alerted in August 2022 by a female client who said a Google manager had made explicit and unwanted comments during a business lunch. The man allegedly spoke about his sex life, claimed he and his wife were swingers, and made remarks about the women he had slept with. The conversation took place in front of his line manager, who, the client said, did nothing to stop it.
Woodall reported the incident to her boss, prompting Google to launch an internal investigation. While that inquiry was ongoing, a second female client came forward, alleging the same manager had shown her an explicit image of his wife on his phone during a meeting.
Google’s internal probe, which involved interviews with 12 people, uncovered further claims. The company concluded that the manager had sexually harassed two female colleagues at a work event by touching them without consent. He was also accused of making inappropriate remarks to staff, including telling a woman he had just met that he was in an open marriage and suggesting sexual activity. Although the manager denied the allegations, Google dismissed him for gross misconduct.
Two senior colleagues, including his line manager, were criticised for failing to intervene and were later given formal coaching. Both were subsequently made redundant.
Woodall argues that her own treatment changed sharply after she raised the concerns. She says her boss, Matt Bush, forced her to give up a successful client account in exchange for a struggling one, which she describes as a move that made her vulnerable to redundancy. She was also moved into a more junior role on a major internal project, reporting to another manager linked to the misconduct case, and claims her performance was later unfairly downgraded.
In court filings, Bush denied any wrongdoing, saying he supported Woodall’s career and that moving accounts between staff was normal practice.
Woodall also raised broader concerns about what she called a “boys’ club” culture at Google UK, including claims that the company funded a men-only lunch group until late 2022. Google said an internal review found no evidence of such a culture and that the event was ended because it no longer matched company policy.
In 2023, Woodall escalated her concerns to senior leadership. She met Debbie Weinstein, then vice-president of Google UK and Ireland, who appeared alarmed by what she heard. Internal messages presented to the tribunal show Weinstein asking HR for an urgent discussion after the meeting.
Later that year, as Google prepared for a wider restructuring, Woodall says there was a final effort to remove her from the agency team. Messages between senior executives referred to using the process as a chance to “exit people,” including in her department.
In March 2024, Woodall was made redundant alongside one of the senior managers linked to the original misconduct case. She says she is still employed on long-term sick leave due to work-related stress.
Google rejects the claim that her dismissal was linked to whistleblowing. The company says her role was one of 26 cut during a broader reorganisation and insists that its actions were normal business decisions. While it accepts that Woodall’s original complaint amounted to whistleblowing, it denies any retaliation, arguing that she misinterpreted routine management actions.
A ruling from the London Central Employment Tribunal is expected in the coming weeks.
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