POL00448564 - Email chain - Nick Read, Martin Roberts, Ben Foat and others re: Future of POL Branches

Evidence on official site

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Message

From: Nick Read [/O=EXCHANGELABS/OU=EXCHANGE ADMINISTRATIVE GROUP.
(FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/CN=RECIPIENTS/CN=88D3472CFFE848E2963246BC0S2F9F39-NICK READ1]

Sent: 18/01/2024 13:31:09

To: Martin Roberts [/o=ExchangeLabs/ou=Exchange Administrative Group
(FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/cn=Recipients/cn=ec97ec081e7f43d88a07e81423e0714e-Martin Robe]

Subject: RE: Future of Post Office branches

Understood...nor do I know...

Nick Read
Group CEO

100 Wood Street
London EC2V 7AN

postoffice.co.uk

>; Nick Read <f ; Karen McEwan

enjamin Tidswell <!

Tracy Marshall 47

Subject: RE: Future of Post Office branches
Nick,

Having read Ben’s email attached below I am in the same place not knowing what Project Pineapple is and having never
been made aware of the allegations made against me and my team.

I therefore feel conflicted as would my wider Retail Team.
I will leave it with the legal team to construct the replies around the VOP and GFA.
Best

Martin

From: Ben Foat <7"
Sent: 18 January 2024 12:24
To: Nick Read <_ GRO “>; Martin Roberts <
enjamin Tidswell <!

>; Karen McEwan

Cc: Owen Woodley < Tracy Marshall GRO od

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Future of Post Office branches

Good morning Nick

I have sent these to Sarah and Dieter to} Obvious Post Office is allowed and should meet with
Postmaster:

The Project Pineapple email contained very serious allegations of which I have not been made aware. Given the
circumstances, I would be conflicted.

Karen and Ben T — it would be helpful to have a conversation with you.

Kind regards
Ben

Ben Foat (He/Him)
Group General Counsel
100 Wood Street

London

EC2V 7ER

Please can you produce a suitable r
You will be aware of my views from di
T assume there are GFA restrictions too ?
For this afternoon please.

for Henry.
ssions we have had...

Nick Read
Group CEO

postoffice.co.uk

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From: Henry Staunton
Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2024 8:50 PM
To: Nick Read
Subject: Fwd: Future of Post Office branches

Nick,

Could you please organise a response after our Board tomorrow ? At least one NED has said I should meet them but I
think that would be a mistake . We do need something to say to them in our reply however . Many thanks .

Best,

Henry

Sent from Outlook for iOS

From: Henry Staunton
Sent: Tuesday, Janu:
To: Henry Staunton
Subject: Fwd: Future of Post Office branches

Henry Staunton
Chairman

100 Wood Street, London, EC2V 7ER

postoffice.co.uk

Di,

Please print out VOP attachments .
Thanks ,

Henry

I work flexibly — so whilst it suits me to email outside of normal working hours, I do not expect a response during that time.

Hello Henry,

This is the suggested email to send to Board (excluding Lorna and Nick), hopefully, I have interpreted all of your emails
correctly — happy to discuss in the morning. { but should be back home by
09.1Shrs.

Dear all

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Ahead of our call on Thursday, please see attached a copy of the Voice of the Postmaster Press Release for January,
together with the letter addressed to myself.

In addition, please see attached a file note I prepared following my conversation with Saf and Elliot on Sunday — [8
. They were very supportive of Nick, but you will see that the
VOP have made negative statements about Nick .

Let's talk about this on Thursday and to note I have not yet responded to VoP regarding their request for a meeting.

Regards,
Henry

PS Saf reminded me that I had omitted to mention the following : ...........

e Ihave offered the investigations team time to get the tone right and advised them to get more PM’s involved but
this seems to have been missed.

e The comms has been poor throughout our tenure within the business.

e The GE have overlooked advice given to them by board members on several occasions without clear
explanations.

From: Elliot Jacobs
Sent: Monday, January 15, 2024 8:02 pm
To: Henry Staunto:
Ce: Saf ismail !
Subject: Fw: Future of Post Office branches

Hi Henry
This echoes very much the comments that we discussed on Sunday - clearly we are not losing the plot and real
action is essential.

Elliot

From: Voiceofthe Postmaster
Sent: Monday, January 15, 2024
To: Henry Staunto:
Ce: Saf ismail I
Subject: Future of Post Office branches

Caution: This email has been sent by an external contact. Please take care when clicking links or opening
attachments. When in doubt, please use the "Report Phishing" button.

Hi Henry,

please, see attached letter to you from Voice of the Postmaster.
Also our latest release.

Current Postmasters are worried & need to see change in POL management culture.

thank you.
brent

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Vice-Chair
Voice of the Postmaster

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