Steinhoff Blame Game Goes On as Ex-CEO Targets German Partner
- Jooste says he quit after Deloitte demanded independent probe
- Ex-CEO making first public appearance since accounting crisis
Markus Jooste gives testimony in Cape Town on Sept. 5.
Photographer: Rodger Bosch/AFP via Getty Images
Steinhoff International Holdings NV ex-Chief Executive Officer Markus Jooste said the origin of the global retailer’s near-collapse was a protracted dispute with former partner Andreas Seifert, the latest example of a senior figure blaming others for the crisis.
The legal battle with Seifert, mainly over the valuation and ownership of German furniture chain POCO, led to investigations by European regulators and tax authorities that attracted the attention of Steinhoff’s auditors at Deloitte LLP, Jooste told lawmakers in Cape Town on Wednesday. He quit in December after the retailer’s board disagreed with his plan to replace the auditors, he said.