A senior sales director has been dismissed from his position at a major global furniture manufacturer following a violent altercation outside a well-known Melbourne strip club, where he was filmed throwing a chair that struck his own colleague. Tony Rogers, aged 58, no longer works for Vereinigte Spezialmöbelfabriken, the German-based furniture giant, after the company concluded an internal investigation into the incident.
Violent Outburst Captured on CCTV
The episode unfolded on the evening of January 30, approximately at 9:20 pm, on King Street in Melbourne's central business district. Rogers and a German colleague, both employed as sales directors for the company, had been ejected from Bar 20 strip club after allegedly behaving offensively towards dancers and staff. Security footage shows the pair engaging in a scuffle with bouncers before being forcibly removed onto the footpath.
In a moment of rage, Rogers allegedly seized a chair from a nearby restaurant and launched it towards the security personnel who had ousted them. The chair missed its intended targets and instead hit his workmate, rendering him unconscious. The colleague is believed to be a fellow sales director for the same German furniture firm.
Company Responds with Dismissal
Vereinigte Spezialmöbelfabriken, operating as VS Australia, confirmed that one individual is no longer employed following a thorough internal review. A company spokesman stated, 'VS Australia is aware of an incident at a Melbourne nightclub involving two employees and takes this matter extremely seriously. While the incident occurred outside of business hours and was not related to a work event, the conduct shown was unacceptable and contrary to our values and the standards we expect of our people.'
The spokesman added, 'We have conducted an internal investigation in line with our policies. Both individuals have expressed genuine regret for the incident and acknowledged a significant error of professional judgment. One individual is no longer employed with our organisation. VS Australia remains committed to the safety, respect and professionalism of our workplace and to the wellbeing of our employees and customers.'
Details of the Night Out Emerge
According to reports, Rogers and his colleague had not even taken a single sip of their first beverages before being ejected from Bar 20. It emerged last week that the confrontation was sparked by an alleged foul-mouthed demand for a stubby of beer, which escalated into the chair-throwing incident.
Bar 20 co-owner Michael Trimble confirmed that he had been contacted by Victoria Police and the men's employer regarding the CCTV footage. Trimble remarked, 'I almost feel sorry for these guys, their lives have been ruined from this, and their business relationships. But they had so many opportunities to walk out. The security guards knew they had been drinking but thought what harm could two 60-odd-year-old white guys do at 9pm. It was so early most of the dancers were still arriving to start their shift.'
Ongoing Police Investigations
Victoria Police have confirmed that inquiries into the incident are continuing. Rogers is expected to face fines for riotous behaviour as a result of the altercation. In the aftermath, he has deleted his professional LinkedIn account and wiped his personal Facebook profile, effectively erasing his digital footprint.
However, the Daily Mail uncovered several photographs from Rogers' previous role as an award-winning managing director of an Australian furniture company, highlighting his once-distinguished career. Despite numerous attempts by the Daily Mail to contact him for comment, Rogers has not responded.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the professional consequences that can arise from personal misconduct, even outside of work hours, as companies increasingly hold employees accountable for behaviour that contradicts corporate values.
