Scandal, and silence: inside story of axed JLL boss Daniel Kernaghan
Former JLL Australia chief Daniel Kernaghan had kept a relatively low profile before explosive claims he failed to act amid explosive workplace culture allegations. Here’s what we know about him
Companies and non-profit groups have been swift to distance themselves from former JLL Australia boss Daniel Kernaghan, wiping him from their websites amid accusations of sexist corporate culture under his leadership.
Meanwhile, Mr Kernaghan’s wife Maija, who’s worked at JLL since 2005, is there without him for the first time in almost 20 years.
The global company’s Australian arm has weathered allegations of abhorrent treatment of women by its executives, and for an apparent lack of effective action over serious complaints.
Mr Kernaghan’s departure this week followed reports by The Australian that no effective action had been taken on sexual harassment and misconduct complaints about other high-ranking JLL men.
Here’s what we know about the former property boss.
Mr Kernaghan was not personally accused of misconduct, however he was under fire for reinstating the employment of a man against whom a complaint had been proven.
According to The Australian, Mr Kernaghan had also been told about an alleged inappropriate group-chat in 2022 and failed to act.
The scandal has forced JLL to withdraw as a national finalist in the The Property Council of Australia’s Award for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
Mr Kernaghan, who succeeded former CEO Stephen Conry in April 2022, has not responded to multiple requests for comment.
His presence was wiped from the JLL website on Wednesday – but ASIC records showed he was still a registered director of four JLL companies, including the group’s main Australian entity, as of Wednesday afternoon.
Mr Kernaghan has been married to wife Maija, herself a long-term JLL employee, since 2014.
The couple has three children and lives in the exclusive Sydney suburb of Mosman.
Ms Kernaghan is director of sales and investments at JLL, where she has been since 2005, working her way up through the ranks in various management roles which included an 18-month stint at the company’s Dubai office.
Mr Kernaghan’s mother-in-law is Jilly Gibson, one of Sydney’s longest serving councillors with 22 years service, who also served as Mayor of North Sydney Council for 10 years, stepping down in 2022.
JLL was the only company listed in Mr Kernaghan’s LinkedIn work history – he started there in 2006, five years after finishing a Bachelor of Commerce and Marketing at Macquarie Uni.
He’d previously attended Shore, an exclusive all-boys Anglican school on Sydney Harbour, and later did a Masters of Property Development at UTS.
It’s understood he began his property career in London in 2001.
Mr Kernaghan’s profile – still live on Thursday – described him as “helping to shape the future of real estate for a better world”.
It said he valued having “the best people in the industry”, described him as “an empowering and inclusive leader” and said JLL had “a culture and environment that enables me to do my best work”.
“The people are supportive, they are collaborative, indeed nothing makes me happier than seeing connection and collaboration across the entire JLL business.”
Mr Kernaghan was a champion for the Champions of Change Coalition, which aims to advance gender equality in workplaces.
The registered charity deleted a page on their website that had featured his bio this week.
Coalition spokeswoman Rita Zonius said the JLL scandal was “an important moment for reflection and action for all workplace leaders”.
“Despite the progress that has been made on gender equality, harmful behaviours are still pervasive across many workplaces in this country. Leaders must take a firm and visible stand,” she said.
“The coalition’s focus remains on providing strategies, resources and tools to help all leaders advance gender equality and create safe and respectful workplaces.”
Ms Zonius said the organisation relied on members’ self reporting of whether their companies were aligned with its aims.
“We do not audit our members,” she said.
“Our members report actions they are taking and the outcomes of these actions in our annual impact report.”
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Originally published as Scandal, and silence: inside story of axed JLL boss Daniel Kernaghan
