£470k fine | Twitter employee wrongly sacked for not replying to Elon Musk's email ultimatum

Twitter employee wrongly sacked for not replying to Elon Musk's email ultimatum

A former senior employee at Twitter’s European headquarters has been awarded over £470,000 (€550,000) in compensation after a tribunal ruled that his failure to respond to an email from Elon Musk did not mean he had resigned.

In October 2022, Musk completed his $44 billion takeover of Twitter, marking the beginning of a new era for the social media giant, which he later renamed X. 

Gary Rooney, who had served as a director of procurement for Twitter’s Dublin office since 2013, found himself at the centre of a sweeping transformation initiated by Musk. 

Shortly after the acquisition, Musk sent an email to employees outlining a stark new vision for the company’s future, which he dubbed "Twitter 2.0."

Continue reading for FREE!

Sign up for a myGrapevine account to get:

  • Unlimited access to News content
  • The latest Features, Columns & Opinions
  • A full range of specialist HR newsletters to choose from

Welcome Back

Sign up for myGrapevine

* By creating an account you agree that you have read and agree to our Terms and Conditions and that Executive Grapevine International Ltd and its partners may contact you regarding relevant content and products. You will also be added to the HR Grapevine newsletter mailing list.

Sign up to our daily newsletter

Have content like this delivered directly to your inbox.


Recommended

London-based tobacco giant cuts 5,500 jobs as AI transformation gathers pace
HR Grapevine
HR Grapevine | Executive Grapevine International Ltd
  • News

'Future ready' | London-based tobacco giant cuts 5,500 jobs as AI transformation gathers pace

HR urged to act now as six-month unfair dismissal rights move closer
HR Grapevine
HR Grapevine | Executive Grapevine International Ltd
  • Feature

Employment Rights Act | HR urged to act now as six-month unfair dismissal rights move closer

Clocking off for school plays and putting family ahead of HR
HR Grapevine
HR Grapevine | Executive Grapevine International Ltd
  • Column

CPOs on fatherhood | Clocking off for school plays and putting family ahead of HR

Proven programmes: How top UK employers are using CSR to drive employee engagement
HR Grapevine
HR Grapevine | Executive Grapevine International Ltd
  • Webinar

Proven programmes: How top UK employers are using CSR to drive employee engagement

The 2026 Benefits Refresh: How to reduce hidden workforce health costs
HR Grapevine
HR Grapevine | Executive Grapevine International Ltd
  • Resource
  • Download Guide

The 2026 Benefits Refresh: How to reduce hidden workforce health costs