In evidence, Mr Kirstner said he was put in an “impossible position” in April 2022 by the owners of Suirsafe Technologies Ltd when they cited a “political/legal situation in China” and said it could not continue to invest capital into the Irish firm.
After he wrote to staff telling them he feared insolvency without an immediate cash injection, the company’s backers demoted him to chief operating officer and replaced him with one of the investors, Ms Ye, he told the tribunal. Mr Kirstner said he hoped the funding would arrive in time to keep the company running and save his colleagues’ jobs but that no money came.Mr Kirstner said that he gave notice of resignation in May 2022 and agreed to serve out the six months’ notice set out in his contract.
They added that Mr Kirstner had been left with “no oversight of financial or other management matters” and feared being left in breach of his duties as a company director. Mr Kirstner said Ms Ye “cut off all communication” with him after he resigned, blocking him on the Chinese messaging app WeChat and refusing to take his calls or answer his emails.