Michelle Ballarin’s lawyer believes that his client was discriminated against in Icelandair’s share offering last week, Fréttablaðið revealed this morning. Ballarin’s 7 billion ISK was the only offer rejected in the share offering, reported on here by the Grapevine.
Ballarin’s lawyer Páll Ágúst Ólafsson described the rejection as “gross discrimination”, stating that Ballarin’s offer was not only rejected but simply not answered: he first heard about the result of the offer in the news.
“I daresay that the other seven thousand participants in the auction were not required to provide the same proof of financing she did,” Páll said, adding he doubts that the company’s decision was based on financial considerations at all. Páll theorised that the alleged discrimination because “the buyer was a woman” who has “a lot of experience in aviation and opinions on what could be done better.”
Páll says that Ballarin’s legal position is being examined and that she will likely seek her rights in line with whatever the law allows.
Ballarin’s involvement in Icelandic airlines has been reported on previously by the Grapevine, including her investment in WOW Air.
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