Companies

Whole Foods apologises and probes CEO messaging

Whole Foods, the US organic supermarket chain, has formed a committee to conduct an independent internal investigation of online financial message board postings made by its chief executive, John Mackey.

Mackey used the online message board to anonymously attack his company’s eventual takeover target, Wild Oats. The US Securities and Exchange Commission is conducting its own enquiry into the postings.

Mackey released a statement in which he said: “I sincerely apologise to all Whole Foods Market stakeholders for my error in judgement in anonymously participating on online message boards. I am very sorry and I ask our stakeholders to please forgive me”.

August 2007