Former Battersea Power Station CEO launches major whistleblowing claim

O’Sullivan, who joined Battersea in June 2024, was dismissed in May 2025 after raising whistleblowing concerns about his employer, a Malaysian-owned development company. He contends that he was dismissed on trumped-up charges of gross misconduct after raising concerns of serious financial misreporting, which were acknowledged by the Chair of the Holding company. 

Since Don O’Sullivan was suspended, a number of employees associated with this tenure have also lost their jobs or been suspended. Mr O’Sullivan and various employees have the support of the GMB union in relation to these claims. 

Battersea Power Station Development Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of BPS Holding, a Jersey registered company owned 40% by Sime Darby; 40% by SP Setia Berhad and 20% by the Employees Provident Fund (the national pension fund of Malysia).The power station has been reported as being up for sale for up to £2bn https://www.thetimes.com/business/companies-markets/article/battersea-power-station-owners-taking-advice-on-2bn-sale-gtk3tqcgz 

Don O'Sullivam contends the effect of the financial misreporting has been to grossly (and falsely) flatter the balance sheet of BPS Holdings. Don O’Sullivan’s concerns have been verified by an external forensic accounting report prepared by Moore Kingston Smith. 

Over the past 25 years, Don O’Sullivan has been a hugely successful and respected residential and commercial developer, known mainly for this work at Galliard Homes, where he was CEO. He joined Battersea Power Station in June 2024. 

After Mr O’Sullivan reported his whistleblowing concerns in November 2024, he was excluded from the business- a week after acting as a chaperone to the King in his majesty’s visit to Battersea Power Station in December 2024.

The concerns identified by Mr O’Sullivan was discussed at a Board meeting in London of both the Development Company and BPS Holdings on 16 December 2024. Mr O’Sullivan contends he was excluded the next day by two of the executives who were the subject of his disclosures, before subsequently being suspended on 24 December 2024.

The case is ongoing in the London South Employment Tribunal and has been listed for final hearing in 2029 with various case management deliverables well within that period.

Don O’Sullivan is represented by John Hayes of Constantine Law and Mr Stefan Brochwicz-Lewinski of Nine Chambers in Manchester in relation to his claims. Battersea Power Station is represented by Brown Rudnick Solicitors and Jane McCafferty KC of 11 KBW . 

John Hayes, Managing Partner of Employment and Regulatory Law Firm Constantine Law, said: “Don O’Sullivan’s claim will possibilly be one of London’s highest profile and most valuable whistleblowing claim because it involves one of London’s most respected developers taking on 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 now in the public domain. It will be extremely hard fought.”